Missed Chances Haunt Gophers in 3-2 OT Loss in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI – It was 2-0 Gophers, and things were looking good.

Then, seven seconds later, it was a tie game.

That quick second period sequence was the turning point in Friday’s game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers (21-7-3 Overall (1-3 OT), 11-3-1-4 B1G) and Michigan Wolverines (17-12-2 (6-0), 6-9-6-0), with Michigan riding some serious momentum and a deadly OT powerplay to a3-2 overtime victory. Liam Souliere was sharp in net as he appears to have taken over the #1 goaltender duties for the Gophers.

Coming off a bye week and coming into a hostile environment like Yost, Gopher fans were anxious to see how the team would play coming out of the gates. Thankfully, the team responded, playing a hard, clean game in the first period to start establishing their style. A 0-0 first period at Yost to open the weekend is a success, so chalk up the first period in the win column for Minnesota.

The Gophers got on the board in the second when Mason Nevers cleaned up a rebound off a nice Beckett Hendrickson effort and beat Michigan goalie Cameron Korpi to put Minnesota up 1-0.

Later in the period, it looked as if the Gophers went up 2-0, but a Brandon Naurato coaches’ challenge changed the game entirely. Brodie Ziemer stole a Michigan defensive zone pass and was in all alone with the Michigan goalie. Ziemer initially fanned the chance, but his second-effort sweep made it through the five-hole and into the back of the net at 16:46 of the middle frame. However, Michigan coach Naurato challenged the call as the Gophers may have entered the zone offsides earlier in the play. After a close review, the refs ruled Ziemer offside, and the goal was wiped off the board.

Seven seconds later, the game changed completely, when Garrett Schifsky scored at 16:53 to tie it at 1-1. Michigan added a seeing-eye goal on a tip from the point less than two minutes after at 18:39 to turn a would-be two goal deficit into a one goal lead entering the third period.

Minnesota’s Jimmy Clark scored off a faceoff midway through the third period to knot the game at 2-2, and at the end of regulation the score was still 2-2, so the teams entered the three-on-three overtime period looking to earn the extra Big Ten point.

Michigan, who has always been known more for their talent than for their structure, thrives in 3-on-3 overtime, coming into Friday’s game 5-0 on the season in the extra session. They earned a powerplay at 2:59 of the overtime session when Ryan Chesley got sent off for hooking, and the Wolverines took full advantage, scoring 24 seconds after the penalty to win the game 3-2 in overtime.

Minnesota earned one Big Ten point for the overtime loss, and now sits four points behind Michigan State with one game in hand on the Spartans. Ohio State is in third and coming on strong at 37 points. The Buckeyes have a chance to overtake Minnesota in the conference standings Saturday, with a win and a Minnesota loss. The Gophers and Buckeyes face each other next weekend at Mariucci, in a series that has serious Big Ten and Pairwise implications.

Before that, though, the Gophers and Wolverines battle it out for the fourth and final time of the regular season Saturday at 5PM central time, with Minnesota looking to get back into the win column and keep some pressure on Michigan State in the league title chase.