Michigan Hockey Splits Season-Opening Games with Union

After a late stumble, the Michigan hockey team dropped its first game of the 2016-17 season, but rebounded Saturday night for a 4-0 win to get to 1-1 on the young season.

Michigan hockey succumbed to pressure late Friday night. The Wolverines gave up two goals less than three minutes apart late in the third period and fell 4-3 to Union college in the season opener.

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Senior defenseman Jeff Taylor put one in from the top of the right circle with 2:09 remaining for the Dutchmen. Forward Mike Vecchione tied it up with a wrister through a screen late in a Union powerplay at 15:23 of the third.

Senior goaltender Zach Nagelvoort held up under heavy pressure for much of the game. Union outshot Michigan hockey 40 to 23.

While the Dutchman enjoyed a decided advantage in puck possession, especially late, it was their efforts to get the puck on net that stood out. Union shot from all angles, often high near the head and chest of Nagelvoort. It was a peppering that would make any goalie uncomfortable.

As the third period continued on and Union’s pressure wore down the Wolverines, cracks turned into fissures. Michigan has 11 freshmen, mostly forwards. They will need to learn how to play with the lead.

In both the exhibition tilt last Sunday against Windsor and the season opener Friday UM ceded early momentum to allow their opponents back into the game. Union was successful in cycling the puck down low before getting it to the front of the net.

Michigan is very aggressive bringing their forwards down low to help below the face-off dot. It is not unusual for four or five Wolverines to be from the goal line to the boards. Even with this commitment to having the extra man, UM lost Union forwards in coverage. That speaks to the youth of the forward lines and their need to improve as two-way players.

It is a sure way to get tired too. Playing all 200 feet with your hair on fire will drain you late in games. Union out shot Michigan 15-7 in the third with two goals. Better system discipline is needed to keep the team from wearing out over the course of a game and season.

Michigan jumped out to an early 2-0 lead due to great special teams play. Defenseman Sam Piazza scored on the power play at the 8:54 mark of the first for the Wolverines.

Union got a five-on-three advantage mid-way through the first for 27 seconds. As Michigan killed off the first penalty Tony Calderone stepped out of the penalty box and onto a breakaway. The Trenton junior did not miss, lighting the lamp for a short-handed goal.

Union tied it up before the end of the first on two goals by Spencer Foo. The Union forward led the team in 2015-2016 with 12 goals. That was also good for second most goals by any underclassman in the ECAC.  Foo was the only player on either team to end the game +2.

Michigan didn’t take long in the second period to retake the lead. Freshman Will Lockwood ran over Union’s Greg Campbell pinching in at the point. He then took the puck from center ice on a two-on-one break. From the right side, Lockwood kept it himself and beat Union’s Sakellaropoulus far side over the shoulder.

Yet, after losing Friday night, Michigan hockey was back on the ice against Union Saturday and this time, it was a much different story.

The Wolverines got a goal in the first period from Niko Porikos and another in the opening stanza from Sam Piazza. Then, UM got two more goals from James Sanchez, one in the second and one in the third, to cement the win.

Hayden Lavigne also finished off the shutout for UM.

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Michigan will be back in action next Saturday against Ferris St. The first puck will drop at 7:05 p.m. EST.