Site: State College, Pa. (Pegula Ice Arena)
Score: #16 Michigan 6, #5 Penn State 4
Records: U-M (6-4-0, 2-1-0-0 BIG), Penn State (8-2-1, 0-1-0-0 BIG)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 17 — at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 7 p.m.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan hockey team scored four unanswered goals in the third period to defeat No. 5- ranked Penn State, 6-4, in the first game of the B1G weekend series on Friday night (Nov. 16, 2018) at Pegula Ice Arena.
Senior captain Joseph Cecconi opened scoring for the Wolverines at 4:40 of the first period on the power play. The captain gave U-M an early 1-0 lead after sending the puck to the net from the high slot before it was deflected past Penn State’s goaltender Chris Funkey. Will Lockwood and Quinn Hughes were credited with assists on the play.
Just under two minutes later at 6:16 of the opening frame, Penn State’s Evan Barratt tied the game at 1-1. After the play was reviewed it was determined that the puck hit the back of the net on the power play after initially not being called a goal.
The Nittany Lions extended their lead, 2-1 at 14:52 of the first period after a turnover by the Wolverines on a failed breakout.
Penn State would add to their lead (3-1) a minute into the second period on a breakaway goal at the end of the power play.
Junior forward Nick Pastujov got one back for the Wolverines and made it, 3-2 at 4:50 of the second period after redirecting Jack Summers’ shot past Funkey’s blocker.
Penn State added a goal with a minute left in the middle frame to make it 4-2. Liam Folkes sent the puck in over Strauss Mann’s shoulder after a scramble in front of the net.
Sophomore forward Josh Norris started the Wolverines’ run in the third period, pulling Michigan within in one at 4:15 of the final period. He sent the puck into the open net from the right side with Penn State’s Funkey out of position. Lockwood picked up his second assist of the night and Cecconi picked up his second point of the night with the secondary assist.
Sophomore forward Jack Becker tied the game, 4-4 at 8:10 of the third period sending the puck into the net on his backhand from the doorstep after Nick Pastujov caused a Penn State turnover and poked the puck over to Becker on the far-side of the net.
Junior forward Jake Slacker completed U-M’s comeback at 14:34 of the third period when a Lockwood dump into the zone deflected off a PSU stick and into the slot for Slaker.
Slacker netted his second of the game into the empty net with eight seconds left to give the Wolverines a final of 6-4. Lockwood was credited with the assist – his fourth of the game and marked a career-high for points in a contest.
The Wolverines went 2-for-5 on the power play while Penn State was able to convert one of two. Mann tallied 31 saves to pick up his fourth win of the season.
Michigan will conclude the weekend B1G series with Penn State tomorrow night (Saturday, Nov. 17). Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
