Wolverines blow two different leads, lose to Penn State Friday night
By Michael Caples –
ANN ARBOR – Red Berenson said it was “a tough pill to swallow” during the opening statement of his postgame press conference.
Hard to argue with him.
Berenson’s Michigan Wolverines blew both a two-goal first-period lead and a one-goal third-period lead, the latter of which led to a 5-4 overtime victory for visiting Penn State.
The Nittany Lions’ David Goodwin scored on an odd-man rush after a turnover from Michigan captain Mac Bennett at the 4:17 mark of the overtime period to secure a come-from-behind victory in their first-ever visit to Yost Ice Arena.
“I knew they were a good team, and we all know they are a good team because of the way they played us at Penn State,” Berenson said. “For us to give up a 3-1 lead at home is tough to swallow, and then the late lead with the charge on the goal was a back-breaker against our power play. And then to give up that last-minute goal to tie the game is a tough pill to swallow. And they scored an overtime goal on a rush that could have been a goal for us, but we mishandled the puck and we didn’t make the good play, and that led to the 2-on-1 and it was over. That’s the way hockey is, so we’re not happy about the outcome of the game or the way it took place.”
Boo Nieves, Phil Di Giuseppe, Tyler Motte and Alex Guptill scored for the Wolverines, who are now 14-10-3 (6-6-1-1 B1G) on the season.
“I think when you come to a place like this, with all the tradition, all the history, the legacy, playing for coach Berenson, and for us to be putting forth this effort is unacceptable,” assistant captain Andrew Copp said. “There’s not even close to enough pride, and it starts with me, it starts with Mac (Bennett) and Derek (DeBlois) and our seniors on down. I think everyone knows we need to pick it up because this is flat out unacceptable.”
Freshman goaltender Zach Nagelvoort stopped 39 shots in the contest.
Nieves started the scoring for the Wolverines, burying a feed from Derek DeBlois just 5:40 into the contest.
Di Giuseppe increased the lead to two just 1:01 later, scoring on a rebound after his first try hit the post. Zach Hyman and Alex Guptill picked up the assists on the play.
Penn State’s David Goodwin responded quickly for the Nittany Lions, however, scoring just 25 seconds after Di Giuseppe. A bouncing puck eluded the Michigan defense in front of their goal, and Goodwin was able to fire it past Nagelvoort to cut the Wolverines’ lead in half.
Later on the first period, Motte was the beneficiary of a highlight-reel pass from Copp. The Wolverines’ assistant captain and Ann Arbor native sent a blind backhand pass through a crowd to Motte while being spun around, and the St. Clair native blasted a one-timer past PSU goaltender Matthew Skoff for a 3-1 Michigan lead.
The first period ended with the scoreboard reading 3-1 in favor of the Wolverines, despite the Nittany Lions out-shooting them 14-9.
Penn State would once again control the shot chart in the second period (15-11), and because of it were the only team to find the scoresheet in the middle frame.
Casey Bailey scored on the power play in the final minute of the second, blasting a one-timer past Nagelvoort from the top of the left circle.
The Nittany Lions then found the game-tying goal early in the third, when Dylan Richard got free for a shorthanded breakaway and scored on a deke to the backhand.
Guptill put the Wolverines back on top with 2:02 remaining in the contest, sending a wrist shot from the slot past Skoff for the go-ahead goal.
Yet Penn State found a way to tie it up, thanks to Casey Bailey. The Anchorage, Alaska native sent a shot through traffic and past Nagelvoort with :04.6 left on the clock.
In overtime, David Goodwin capitalized on a turnover from Bennett, scoring on a two-on-one rush to give Penn State a road victory.
“They had the momentum, but we went out and gave it a good shot, and then soon enough one turnover, one odd-man rush, and the puck is in the net and the game is over,” Berenson said. “It’s as simple as that. This doesn’t come down to talent, and this is really hard work and just sticking with it and the defense and hopefully the goalie will make up for your mistakes. And tonight it didn’t happen.”