Michigan’s hockey team returns to the Frozen Four for a second straight season and sets an NCAA record for the 27th time.
Sophomore forward Mackie Samoskevich scored 52 seconds into overtime to lift the Wolverines, No. 1 Allentown, Pennsylvania, NCAA, over No. 2 Penn State Sunday night at the PPL Center. They take on Quinnipiac, another No. 1 seed, on April 6 in Tampa. No. 1 seeded Minnesota and No. 2 Boston University play in the other semifinals.
Samoskevich, a 2021 Florida Panthers first-round draft pick, won the offensive zone and wired a wrist shot that hit Penn State goalie Liam Souliere to the blocker side.
After scoring the most goals in an NCAA tournament game since 1961 in Friday’s 11-1 win over 4th-seeded Colgate, Michigan’s top offense was hampered until the 12:08 mark of the third period. On his fourth power play of the game, newcomer Adam Fantilli, the nation’s top scorer, snuck a rebound chance past Souiliere to level the game. The predicted #2 pick in the 2023 NHL draft is up to 29 goals and 64 points in 35 games this season.
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The Nittany Lions (22-16-1) responded to Michigan’s equalizer with a number of chances of their own after continued pressure in the offensive zone, but Erik Portillo kept them off the board.
Neither team was tested in their tournament openings, but Sunday’s game was fraught with back-and-forth between the two Big Ten opponents, who met four times during the regular season (Michigan won three). Souliere made 41 saves for PSU while Portillo had 31.
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The Lions, who defeated No. 3 seed Michigan Tech 8-0 on Friday, went on their first power play of the tournament late in the second half, capitalizing with 1:02 left. Defenseman Paul DeNaples kept a clearance attempt from the Wolverines and fed Christian Berger for a one-timer. A juicy rebound found Connor MacEachern’s bat, burying him for his 12th goal of the season.
Michigan second defenseman Ethan Edwards thought he had given the Wolverines (26-11-3), who lost to Denver in overtime in last year’s national semifinals, a 1-0 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first period. He fired a wrist shot off the post and started running towards the glass, celebrating like he’d hit. However, the puck never crossed the goal line, and the two teams continued to play.
Edward’s opportunity was one of the three posts Michigan hit on Sunday.
Both goalkeepers were solid from the start and each made 14 saves in the first period. Newcomers from Fantilli Rutger McGroarty and Gavin Brindley generated most of Michigan’s chances, scoring seven shots in the first set.
The Wolverines, the youngest team in college hockey, lost six of their top seven scorers last season, including six top-40 draft picks. But they haven’t missed a beat under interim head coach Brandon Naurato, who was promoted after Mel Pearson was fired in August following a lengthy investigation into the program.
The team was in the top 10 all season, finishing at No. 2 after knocking off No. 1 Minnesota.
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