Michigan 4
Michigan State 7
Michigan State 2
Michigan 6
After an empty-net goal sealed Michigan State’s 7-4 victory in the fading moments of Friday night’s game, the Munn Ice Arena crowd decided to stretch the Wolverines’ wounds a little wider and let the salt pour right in.
“You can’t beat us!” the sell-out audience jeered.
It was true. No. 9 Michigan couldn’t beat its archrival, not once in nine games and almost two years of competition.
The Wolverines had an hour-long bus ride from East Lansing to let the Munn crowd’s taunting ring in their ears.
Back in Ann Arbor, the team had a late-night meeting. Something had to change.
“(It was) miserable,” senior alternate captain T.J. Hensick said. “We knew that wasn’t our best showing. That’s what frustrates this team. When we don’t go out and play with our capabilities, we’re not going to get good results.”
The next night, in the friendly confines of Yost Ice Arena, Michigan (2-2-0 CCHA, 5-3-0 overall) put together an impressive team effort for a 6-2 win over No. 5 Michigan State – its first victory over the Spartans in two years.
Sophomore goalie Billy Sauer stood strong in the crease. Offensive pairings clicked left and right. Star defenseman Jack Johnson was back in the lineup after serving his game disqualification the night before.
But the biggest difference between Friday and Saturday might have been in the first intermission.
Friday, the Wolverines notched two scores in the first seven minutes of the game. But somewhere between ending the first period up 3-1 and taking the ice for the second stanza, they lost it.
And the Spartans (2-2-0 CCHA, 4-2-0 overall) got it. They outshot Michigan 13-4 that period, tallying four consecutive goals.
Saturday, Hensick scored 17 seconds into the game. At the sound of the first buzzer, the Wolverines were up 2-1.
But this hot start wasn’t going to be spoiled. Instead of fizzling in the second period, Michigan (2-2-0, 5-3-0) flourished and buried four pucks past Spartan goaltender Jeff Lerg.
“From our goalie out, everyone played a better game than they played last night,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said. “They competed harder. They played more physical, played with more emotion. They just played more like a team.”
After opening the game’s scoring early, Hensick turned into the ultimate linemate and assisted three goals, two for junior Kevin Porter and one for Johnson.
He made cross-ice passes. He found players in the slot. Behind the net, in front of the net – Hensick set up plays that made it simple for the Wolverines to solve 5-foot-6 Lerg.
“Right on the tape, pretty much empty netters,” Porter said of Hensick’s passes.
Said Berenson: “He’s as good a passer as there is in college hockey. He passes the puck so well. If you’re open, he’ll find a way to get the puck to you.”
Porter also had a four-point night, notching two assists with his two scores.
Sophomores Tim Miller and Andrew Cogliano chipped in as well, both on special teams. Miller’s was a short-handed beauty that came after going one-on-one with Lerg. Cogliano lit the lamp on the power play by speeding through the Spartan zone and weaving past defenders for his fourth goal of the season.
On the other end of the ice, Sauer stayed solid. He rejected a season-high 34 shots while coming up with big saves on the penalty kill.
It was a promising night for a team that has struggled to put together one complete game. While a weekend sweep still eludes the Wolverines, for now they can enjoy a rivalry win and an end to their victory drought over the Spartans.
“This team has pride,” Berenson said. “They don’t know how good they can be. They know how bad they can be. I think they took a forward step tonight.”