Michigan hockey sweeps No. 1 Denver with 4-3 win; Spartans blow out RIT
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The Michigan hockey team traveled to Denver to face the No. 1 team in the country this weekend. It's flying home with a sweep.
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No. 2 Michigan stayed perfect on the year with a 4-3 win over No. 1 Denver on Oct. 17 at Magness Arena. Defenseman Asher Barnett scored the winning goal with 4:53 to play, capping a weekend sweep against the team that ended the Wolverines' season six months ago in the Frozen Four.
Michigan won Friday's outing, 4-1.
Michigan (6-0) trailed for 2 minutes, 3 seconds before captain Garrett Schifsky scored the tying goal, and the Wolverines never trailed again as goals from Adam Valentini and Jayden Perron pushed their lead to 3-1 4:10 into the second period. Denver (2-2) pulled within one off a powerplay goal by Sam Harris and came all the way back 5:38 into the third period off a goal from captain Kieran Cebrian. Michigan gave up the opening goal on the power play to one-time commit Kristian Epperson 8:47 into the game.
It took a fortunate bounce — literally — for Michigan to win, something it didn't get in a pair of painful losses to Denver in the 2022 and 2026 Frozen Four semifinals. Barnett let go a point blast with just under five minutes to play. It banged off the Plexiglas, off the top of the crossbar before redirecting off of Denver defenseman Ryan Lin and into the net.
Denver goaltender Tyler Krivtsov stopped 21 of 25 shots on goal, while Michigan's Jack Ivankovic stopped 33 out of 36 shots, including one he took off the mask in the third period before a friendly-fire stick whack from Barnett. For all the trouble that might've caused Ivankovic, including a visit from trainer Brian Brewster before staying in the game, his blueliner got him back with the winning goal.
This was Michigan's first series against Denver since 1981, and the sweep snapped a two-game losing streak to Denver with Frozen Four losses in 2022 and 2026. The Pioneers, coached by David Carle, won national championships that year and also won one in 2024.
Michigan State notches 5-1 win over RIT in DeMichiel's homecoming
Sixteen years ago, Jared DiMichiel manned the net for RIT in a record-setting season that brought the Tigers all the way to the Frozen Four. The Michigan State team he is now an associate head coach for just made it a tough night on his current successor.
Michigan State downed RIT, 5-1, Oct. 17 in its only game of the weekend. Sophomore forward Ryker Lee opened the scoring 2:25 into the game, and freshman defenseman Chase Reid notched the winning goal with the first of his collegiate career.
Reid, a first-round pick of Seattle, scored 6:00 into the second period and assisted a third-period goal by forward Tommi Mannisto. RIT's Lucas Romeo had drawn within a goal entering the second intermission, but the Spartans closed out the win with three goals in the third period from Mannisto, Anthony Romani and Eric Nilson.
Goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen made 25 saves for the Spartans, including all 15 shots he faced in the third period. His counterpart at RIT, Jakub Krbecek, made 32 saves on 36 shots.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan hockey sweeps No. 1 Denver with 4-3 win; Spartans blow out RIT