Entering the weekend, it was do-or-die for the Michigan Wolverines. If the season had ended following the sweep at the hands of the Michigan State Spartans, the Wolverines would have missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. But the season didn’t end, and Michigan set out to make a statement against Penn State in the weekend series.
The Wolverines wasted no time getting the scoring going in the opening game. First, it was Rutger McGroarty scoring 35 seconds in, and then Josh Eernisse ripping a quick shot off a faceoff to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead 61 seconds into the game.