Breaking down Michigan’s semifinal win over Ohio State

ANN ARBOR, MI — The Michigan hockey team had a dominant 7-3 win in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. With this win over Ohio State, the Wolverines will be headed to the championship game. Michigan will be looking to win their second consecutive Big Ten Tournament title after defeating Minnesota for last year’s championship.

Heading into this single elimination game, the overall record of this series for Michigan vs. Ohio State was 1-2-1. Michigan had a 22-11-3 overall record and were 12-10-2 in Big Ten play; meanwhile, the Buckeyes were 20-13-3 overall with a 11-10-2 conference record.

Most were unsure on how this matchup was going to go — this was one of the most evenly matched up games all season. No one really knew what the result was going to be, and it could have gone either way; however, Michigan hockey played its best game of the season, and took down the highly-ranked Buckeyes.

Inside the Semifinals Win

Michigan hockey started out with a bang. 23 seconds into the game, Freshman forward Gavin Brindley scored on Jakub Dobeš; that goal was the first shot on goal from the Wolverines.

From there, the Wolverines played lights out the entire first period, scoring two more goals in the first alone. The other two goals in the first period were from Seamus Casey and Mackie Samoskevich.

The second period was sloppy, and Michigan let off the gas a bit. However, with a sloppy period, the Wolverines still managed to score with a goal from Freshman standout, Adam Fantilli. The Buckeyes scored one on a power play about halfway through the second. 

The third period was a goal frenzy. Ohio State would score, and Michigan would respond right back. There were five total goals in the third period alone. Ohio State tried to make a comeback, however with the momentum Michigan was carrying, they were not letting the Buckeyes get past them.

With two empty net goals, Michigan won the hard fought battle with a final score of 7-3 and advanced onto the next round.

What Did This Win Prove?

This win for Michigan Hockey in the semifinals truly showcased the immense talent on this team. It was the definition of a statement win. The type of hockey they played tonight wins championships and that is the ultimate goal with this Michigan team.

This was Michigan’s toughest test yet and they passed it. Not only did they win, they won convincingly against a very talented Ohio State team.

They played a complete game of hockey in all aspects. They remained disciplined and took limited penalties. Each player put pressure on goaltender Jakub Dobeš. And the defense played one of their best games all season.

If this team continues playing physical, dominant, and disciplined hockey like they did in the semifinals, they are going to achieve remarkable things.

What Comes Next:

With this semifinals win, Michigan will be playing in the championship game next Saturday, March 18th. They will be playing Minnesota on the road in Minneapolis. This team is coming for it all, and are ready to make a run for a national championship. But first, they have to win the Big Ten Tournament.

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