With clearer minds and down-to-earth expectations, Michigan turned around its performance on the final day, jumping four spots to end the NCAA Championships in 13th place.
The game plan for Michigan was to stay composed and stay true to itself, the first 1,500. Don’t let the other team’s boat affect you, and don’t let up. And if that holds up, see where the other boat is and respond accordingly. Only, when the Wolverines looked over to Yale’s line at the last 500 meters, they knew they needed more than just composure to win.
In the Black and Gold Invitational, the men’s program fielded two of the career-bests, while the women had five. Fifth-year senior Bailey Baker recorded 47.20 meters on her discus throw. While senior Kayla Keane didn’t break the top-10 in the 3,000 meters, she did break her personal record for a 10:02.60 time. Freshman Sydney McGinley got a 14.42 on the 100 meter hurdles for a top-10 finish. Sophomore Chloe Foster followed suit with a top-three finish but with a 59.33 in the 400-meter hurdles.
In the previous series in November, it was Wisconsin’s freshmen who made the difference, scoring all three of its goals in the series. Despite the impact, their inexperience showed as well, committing late-game penalties that jeopardized the result of the match.
This weekend, Pearson expects an entirely different team — for both sides.
Instead of being on the ice, Lockwood stood. And he watched. And he waited for the result of his absence to unravel. Two minutes later, with a Jobst goal, it did.
“The Michigan-Ohio State rivalry in hockey has been pretty intense,” Gabriele said. “So when we see that on the schedule, it always gets people going. It’s just kind of a big game people look for and a fun one. Just a lot of intensity and the tension between the two teams are pretty crazy.”
Pearson has implored Lambert to take things more seriously, through preparation for games or practices. There are many different routines or styles of hockey — different ways to play, practice or prepare. As Pearson puts it, Lambert’s yet to find his own.
But he has started to put things together.
SOUTH BEND — On the penalty kill, a shot. On the power play, a shot. On even-strength, a shot.
No matter if it played with a man-advantage, man disadvantage or at even strength, the Michigan hockey team couldn’t prevent Notre Dame from getting a shot off. And four times, Hayden Lavigne couldn’t prevent those shots from becoming a goal.
The junior goaltender saw 23 shots at him in a 5-2 loss. He saved just 19 for a save percentage of .826.
After that series, Michigan has failed to sweep a series until last weekend against Michigan State, when the Wolverines completed their first Big Ten weekend series — exorcising demons built throughout a string of ties and losses. Their record for Saturday games up until that point? Two wins, six losses and two ties that ended in losses.
Joseph Cecconi and Brendan Warren sat silently and thought for a moment.
Three years removed from their first trip to New York, the seniors could barely remember how the game in Madison Square Garden went during their first collegiate season.
“I don’t remember the game at all,” Cecconi said, laughing. “But if I had to take a snap at it, we were down a few goals and then we threw out the CCM line, and then we came back, so I’m going to go with that.”