Hage orchestrates a four-assist masterpiece as Michigan overwhelms Notre Dame, capitalizing on penalties and stellar goaltending for a commanding victory.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – In a performance defined by clinical finishing and disciplined special teams, the University of Michigan dismantled long-time rival Notre Dame 6-1 on Wednesday night. Before a raucous crowd of 5,347 at Yost Ice Arena, the Wolverines used a four-assist masterclass from Michael Hage and a stifling defensive effort to ground the Fighting Irish.
While the final score suggests a blowout, the game was a gritty, penalty-filled affair that saw Notre Dame lose its composure in critical moments. Michigan (U-M) improved their standing by capitalizing on nearly every mistake made by the visitors, while freshman goaltender Jack Ivankovic stood tall, turning aside 23 of 24 shots to earn the victory.
The Hage Factor and the Early Edge
The opening frame was a feeling-out process until Michigan’s top line found its rhythm. At the 11:52 mark, Jayden Perron opened the scoring with an even-strength tally, assisted by Michael Hage and Luca Fantilli. It was a sign of things to come for Hage, whose vision dominated the ice all evening.
Michigan’s defense, led by the shot-blocking of Drew Schock and Henry Nelson, kept Notre Dame’s high-danger chances to a minimum. Despite being outshot in the early minutes, Michigan's efficiency was the difference maker. The Irish had opportunities, particularly from Cole Knuble and Evan Werner, but Ivankovic remained unfazed in the Michigan crease.
Discipline Disintegrates the Irish
The second period proved to be the undoing for Notre Dame. Just under five minutes in, Josh Eernisse notched the eventual game-winning goal, a gritty score assisted by Garrett Schifsky and Kienan Draper. Down 2-0, the Irish began to lose their discipline.
The turning point of the game occurred at 06:21 of the second period. Following a scrum, Notre Dame’s Carter Slaggert was assessed a five-minute major for charging and a ten-minute game misconduct. While Michigan’s Kason Muscutt took a minor on the play, the extended power play for the Wolverines sapped Notre Dame’s energy.
Later in the period, Cole Brown headed to the box for slashing, handing Michigan a 5-on-3 opportunity. Perron made them pay again, rifling home his second goal of the night on a beautiful feed from Hage and T.J. Hughes. By the end of the second, the Irish were down 3-0 and had spent a significant portion of the game in the penalty box.
A Frantic Finish
The third period saw more of the same. Notre Dame’s Cole Brown followed Slaggert’s lead, earning a five-minute major for contact to the head and a game misconduct at the 9:41 mark. Michigan’s power play, which finished 2-for-7 on the night, struck again when Will Horcoff buried his 23rd goal of the season to make it 4-0.
Notre Dame finally broke the shutout late in the third. With goaltender Nicholas Kempf pulled for an extra attacker, Evan Werner found the back of the net off a feed from Danny Nelson at 15:49. The small spark of hope was short-lived, however. As the Irish continued to press with an empty net, Tyler Duke intercepted a pass and fired it into the yawning goal to restore the four-goal lead.
For good measure, Kason Muscutt added a final even-strength goal with less than a minute remaining, punctuating a night where Michigan simply outclassed their rivals in every facet of the game.
By The Numbers
The statistical disparity told the story of Michigan's dominance:
Playmaking: Michael Hage finished with 4 assists, moving him further up the conference leaderboards.
Special Teams: Michigan converted twice on the power play, while Notre Dame struggled to generate rhythm due to 36 total penalty minutes.
Faceoffs: Michigan held a slight edge at the dot (36-33), led by T.J. Hughes, who won 14 of his 19 draws.
Shot Blocking: Notre Dame actually led in blocked shots (20-6), with Jaedon Kerr sacrificing his body for four blocks, but the sheer volume of Michigan's 35 shots eventually overwhelmed the Irish defense.
With the win, Michigan continues its push toward the postseason with significant momentum, while Notre Dame is left to search for answers regarding their discipline and offensive production before their next outing.