Wolverines complete sweep of Buckeyes in Columbus

By Greg Garno –

COLUMBUS — After the Michigan and Ohio state hockey teams combined for six goals in the third period of Friday night’s 5-3 Wolverine victory, both teams picked up from where they left off on Saturday.

Like a fire when gasoline is added, Michigan and the Buckeyes’ offense erupted on Saturday, combining for four goals in the first period alone as part of the Wolverine’s 6-3 victory. The win was Michigan’s fourth on the road this season.

Sophomore forward Phil Di Giuseppe scored two goals and junior defenseman Jon Merrill added two assists to help the Wolverine’s earn their second sweep of the season after they swept Michigan State on Feb. 1-2.

“I told their coach that is probably the best weekend of hockey that Michigan has played all year,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “For whatever reason, it was a good weekend for us. Our overall team, it just felt like everyone was having a better weekend, and it had to be a good feeling to be a player on this team.”

Michigan, entering Saturday’s contest allowing 3.61 goals per game, has found itself in offensive slugfests all season, but Ohio State, who allows 2.30 per game, has not. The Buckeye’ defense limited the Wolverines to 30 shots on the night, but it was ultimately doomed by its inability to clear the puck out of its own zone.

Ohio State opened up the scoring with a goal from Tanner Fritz, though, when he took advantage of the power-play opportunity to kick the scoring off.

But before the goal was even announced, Michigan responded. Exactly 20 seconds later, Andrew Copp took a pass from Alex Guptill on the right side of the net to tie the game.

“Somehow we found a way to score against a team that normally does not give up goals against,” Berenson said. “The puck went in for us, and we made some good plays, so we will take that.”

Sophomore forward Zach Hyman skated around the net toward the left crease and threw a shot at the net, but was denied. The puck bounced to an Ohio State defenseman who made a soft attempt to clear the puck. But freshman forward Justin Selman was right there to catch Ohio State goaltender Brady Hjelle off guard to grab the lead.

Fritz found the back of the net again after he brought the puck from behind the net to the slot, where he beat a screened freshman netminder, Steve Racine.

Racine made 25 saves on 28 shots in just his second start since Dec. 14.

Less than three minutes into the second period, sophomore forward Phil Di Giuseppe from the right goal line that took a lucky bounce behind Hjelle.

The offensive firepower continued to produce, though, as Ohio State’s Max McCormack handled a one-timer that Racine let slip between his legs.

But in a back-and-forth 40 minutes where no one appeared to have more momentum in than the other, the Wolverines finally prevailed with three unanswered goals.

Sophomore scored his third goal of the weekend to kick off the third period after taking the pass from senior forward A.J. Teais. It was his deke from the left side of the net where he weaved between the legs of a defenseman and then out to flip the backhanded shot into the net.

“Good things happen when you put it at the net,” Guptill said. “It was definitely a good play and goal.”

After sophomore forward Andrew Sinelli went to the box for interference, the momentum began to shift. But after Michigan killed of the penalty, Sinelli redeemed himself when left the box, received the puck and fired a laser past Hjelle.

With four minutes remaining, the Buckeyes pulled Hjelle, but it proved to be too early as Di Giuseppe found the back of the net for the third time this weekend.

“I can’t say (the third period) was by design,” Berenson said. “Tonight we were working hard and we got rewarded. They weren’t necessarily good scoring chances but we got lucky.”

Added Guptill –  “It is definitely a step in the right direction, and I think that we can carry that momentum into the playoffs.”