Back 2 Back Big 10 Wins: Michigan defeats Minnesota
The No. 2 seeded Michigan Wolverines won 4-3 in the Big 10 Championship for the second year in a row against the No. 1 seed team, Minnesota. The game was close, filled with many drafted young players, and went back and forth with the lead throughout the duration of the game.
Freshman Logan Cooley, an Arizona Coyotes prospect, and Brody Lamb, a New York Rangers prospect, gave the Minnesota Gophers an early lead, after a blocked shot by Michigan was recovered and turned the other way resulting in a 1-0 lead for the Gophers. Minnesota had a power play in the first period as well; however, no goal was scored.
Early in the second period, the Michigan Wolverines tied the game at 1-1 with a goal by Winnipeg Jets prospect Rutger McGroarty rebounded off Ethan Edwards' shot. Not even a minute later, McGroarty scored again, giving the Wolverines a 2-1 lead, their first lead of the night. After a turnover by Michigan, St. Louis Blues prospect Jimmy Snuggerud found Logan Cooley and scored for Minnesota, making the score tied at 2-2. Luke Hughes for Michigan received a penalty later on in the period, giving Minnesota the power play with no goals resulting. Michigan earned their first power play of the game after a holding by Pinoniemi for Minnesota, also resulting in no goal.
Going into the third period, the tie of 2-2 was broken in only two minutes with an amazing highlight reel goal scored by Montreal Canadiens prospect, Rhett Pitlick, giving the Gophers a lead of 3-2. Michigan then responded only a few minutes later with the tying goal by New Jersey Devils prospect Seamus Casey, another Freshman tying the game once again. After falling onto Minnesota players' backs, Dylan Duke, a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect took the lead with a backhand shot, scoring his 17th goal of the season.
With no other goals in the third, Michigan won the Big 10 Championship, also earning the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA, and will play Colgate on Friday, March 24th, at 8:30 PM hoping to continue their season.