Penn State’s Big Ten tour continued this weekend with a pair of games against No. 2 Michigan at Yost Ice Arena.
The Nittany Lions battled through regulation and overtime before falling in the shootout Friday night, then dropped the second game 6-3 to close out the series Saturday, slimming the team’s chances of a regular season conference title with just one point in Ann Arbor.
Game 1: Michigan 4, Penn State 4 (SO)
Reese Laubach kicked things off with a goal in the opening minute off a Wolverine turnover, putting the Nittany Lions on top.
Michigan’s Garrett Schifsky knotted things up with a rebound in front of the crease to tie the game momentarily. Less than two minutes later, Jackson Smith rifled the puck past netminder Jack Ivankovic from a tough angle, setting the program record for single-season goals by a defenseman.
During a 5-on-3 power play, Michigan’s T.J. Hughes lit the lamp to close out an action-filled first period at 2-2.
Midway through the second frame, Nic Chin-DeGraves gave the road warriors the lead once more on a turnover deep in the Wolverine defensive zone, but Asher Barnett responded minutes later to tie the game at three apiece headed into the second intermission.
Michigan took its first lead of the night off Hughes’ second score of the game, but Smith retaliated to make it 4-4 at the end of regulation.
Josh Fleming stood tall throughout the overtime period to send the game to a shootout, where Michigan left triumphant, though the game counted as a tie for standings purposes.
Game 2: Michigan 6, Penn State 3
After an injury in the opening game, Dane Dowiak was ruled out for Saturday’s contest, forcing defensemen Casey Aman and Nick Fascia into right wing roles on the third and fourth line.
Cole McKinney got the scoring started less than eight minutes into the contest on Michigan’s third shot on goal, redirecting a shot in front of the net. Ben Robertson doubled the lead minutes later, sneaking one between the pads of netminder Kevin Reidler.
After falling into a 2-0 deficit, the Nittany Lions flipped momentum with sustained pressure in the attack zone. Laubach broke through with his second goal of the series to slice the lead in half heading into the first intermission.
On his team’s first power play of the game, Jayden Perron wristed the puck past Reidler after a series of strategic passes to give his squad a 3-1 advantage with the only goal of the second period.
The Wolverines added another power-play goal when Will Horcoff’s shot redirected off Nolan Collins’ skate and inside the post to make it 4-1 on an unlucky bounce for Penn State. Adam Valentini tacked on another goal to ensure the lead was insurmountable.
With under four minutes to play, Laubach added a power-play goal and Gavin McKenna scored his first of the series to make the score more respectable, but Nick Moldenhauer killed the brief comeback surge with an empty-netter to make it 6-3.
Up next: Penn State returns to home ice for a pair of games against Ohio State at 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 8 p.m. on Saturday
