Michigan Dominates Ohio State 8-1, Secures 100th Victory in Historic Rivalry
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan ice hockey team delivered a resounding 8-1 victory over Ohio State on Saturday, marking the program’s 100th all-time win against its long-standing rival. The Wolverines‘ offensive onslaught, fueled by multi-point performances from several key players, secured a decisive win and celebrated a meaningful milestone in the series’ 60-year history.
The rivalry dates back to february 8, 1964, when Michigan achieved a stunning 21-0 road victory in Columbus. Saturday’s game saw Michigan build a commanding 5-0 lead in the first two periods, effectively sealing Ohio State’s fate.
Will Horcoff and Nick Moldenhauer proved pivotal in the Wolverines’ offensive surge. Horcoff scored at 7:22 of the second period, extending the lead to 5-0 after receiving a no-look stretch pass from Moldenhauer, who also earned an assist on T.J. Hughes’ goal at 4:20 of the third period – a play sparked by a neutral-zone takeaway from Moldenhauer himself. This performance marked a new career high with moldenhauer recording his third point of the night.
Hughes continued his strong performance, adding another goal at 9:43, capitalizing on a netfront feed from Adam Valentini. Valentini later scored himself at 2:23 of the third, converting a power play with an assist from Horcoff and Ben Robertson, who continues to lead all defensemen nationally in helpers.
Ohio State’s attempts to mount a comeback were thwarted by Michigan’s strong penalty kill and solid goaltending from Erik Ivankovic, who held firm despite being outshot 24-19. A potential Ohio State goal with 10:36 remaining in the third was waved off due to goaltender interference after review.
Ohio State managed to spoil the shutout with a late power-play goal in the final minute,bringing the final score to 8-1.
Michigan will conclude its non-conference schedule with a two-game road series at Harvard on Friday and Saturday, November 28-29, with both games scheduled for 7 p.m. and streaming live on ESPN+.
