Michigan Wolverines Advance to NCAA Hockey’s Frozen Four
The Michigan Wolverines arrive in Las Vegas after a 31-7-1 season. They won the Big Ten Tournament and the Albany Regional, edging Minnesota-Duluth in the process.
Season snapshot
Brandon Naurato’s squad did not lose back-to-back games all year. That steady play has lifted expectations among a hungry fan base. The team will now compete in the Frozen Four stage of NCAA hockey.
Offensive leaders
Senior captain T.J. Hughes paced the offense with 21 goals and 56 points. He earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors and is a Hobey Baker finalist.
- Sophomore Michael Hage: 13 goals and a team-high 38 assists. Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens.
- Sophomore Will Horcoff: team-high 25 goals and 38 points. Associated with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.
- Junior transfer Jayden Perron (North Dakota): 17 goals and 40 points. A major addition to the top power play.
- Veterans Nick Moldenhauer (15 G, 31 P), Garrett Schifsky (14 G, 27 P), and Josh Eernisse (10 G, 18 P) provided steady secondary scoring.
Freshman contributors
A deep freshman group supplied timely offense. Adam Valentini finished with 11 goals and 26 points.
- Malcolm Spence: 10 goals, 24 points.
- Cole McKinney: eight goals, 20 points.
- Aidan Park: eight goals, 16 points.
- Midseason addition Kason Muscutt and senior Kienan Draper added grit and depth.
Defense and goaltending
The blue line featured six primary contributors who met preseason expectations. Seniors Tyler Duke and Luca Fantilli led the unit with strong puck movement and physical play.
- Junior Ben Robertson, a Cornell transfer, brought composure to the back end.
- Sophomore Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen continued his steady development.
- Freshmen Drew Schock and Asher Barnett performed beyond typical first-year roles.
Freshman goaltender Jack Ivankovic proved vital. He posted a 25-7-1 record with a 2.13 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. He missed a couple of weekends early, yet remained one of the nation’s top netminders.
Outlook in Las Vegas
This is Naurato’s deepest roster to date. The team blends experienced veterans with impactful young players. They can protect leads or score quickly when needed.
Matchups with power programs like Denver will test their depth. Two more wins stand between this group and a national championship.
Coverage and analysis brought to you by Filmogaz.com.
