Less than a week after their championship win in the Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines of the University of Michigan are heading to Allentown, PA, to face off against the Colgate University Raiders in round one of the NCAA Tournament.
On March 18, 2023, the Wolverines traveled to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Gophers. And for the second year in a row, Michigan came out with a 4-3 win and a brand-new trophy.
Minnesota’s Brody Lamb opened up scoring in the first, but Michigan’s Rutger Mcgroarty scored back-to-back goals in the second. Mcgroarty scored both goals within a minute of each other. Logan Cooley and Rhett Pitlicks, two Gophers, scored to take back the lead.
In the second half of the third period, the Wolverines were down 3-2, but with 14:31 left in the game, Michigan scored. Seamus Casey tied up the score, and Dylan Duke scored the game-winning goal for Michigan, bringing the final score to 4-3.
For the second consecutive season, Michigan visited Minnesota, won 4-3, and went home twice in a row as Big Ten Tournament Champions.
Minnesota and Michigan keep their original seeding for the NCAA Tournament, 1st and 4th, respectively. The two teams join two other Big 10 groups in the Tournament, Ohio State and Penn State.
The 16 teams involved are participating in round one of a single-elimination tournament. Minnesota plays their first game Thursday, March 23, and Michigan, Ohio, and Penn State play that Friday, the 24th. The top 4 teams, after two rounds, will travel to Tampa Bay, Florida, to battle it out in the Frozen Four for the championship title.
Minnesota and Michigan will both attend their 40th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. In predictions regarding the 2023 NHL Draft, 4 of the 32 picks will include NCAA players. Two of those picks are playing in this Tournament, both from the University of Michigan. Adam Fantilli will be the second pick, and Gavin Brindley will be the 23rd pick.
If the University of Michigan loses or wins, Luke Hughes will sign with the New Jersey Devils after the Wolverine season concludes. Luke Hughes was drafted 4th overall by New Jersey in the 2021 NHL Draft and currently has 42 points in 36 games in Michigan.
92 NHL draft picks are playing in the Tournament, divided between 14 of the 16 teams. Harvard with the most, 15, followed by Minnesota, 14. Boston, Denver, and Michigan have 12. Ohio, St. Cloud, and Western Michigan have 4, and Cornell, Merrimack, and Quinnipiac have 3.
Denver is currently the reigning champion, but Minnesota looks like a fan favorite to steal that title.
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