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MCHC Semi-Finals: #3 Central Michigan vs. #1 Michigan (2/28)

The Chippewas and Wolverines faced off in the Vezina Cup semi-finals at Griff’s IceHouse West in Holland, Michigan as they both were looking to advance to the Vezina Cup finals.

Even with Michigan sitting their top line of offense to rest them for nationals, the Chips knew Michigan was still no easy feat. As they took the top spot in the nation just two weeks prior.

#11 Jacob Turowski (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

CMU wasted no time getting things going offensively as Jacob Turowski went bar-down on Wolverine goaltender Ben Heilman just 1:31 into the game. With great passes from both Brendan Nelson and Jacob Standre, the Chips took the early 1–0 lead.

After a short spurt of strong offense from Michigan, Gabe Smith and Shane Agnello helped move the puck up to Dalton Sutherland in the neutral zone. Sutherland moved around a maize and blue defenseman, got Heilman to over commit to the left side of the net and the captain netted a wrap-around goal with 11:06 left in the first period. With minimal shots on goal so far in the game, the Chips still managed to take a 2–0 lead early.

#4 Dalton Sutherland (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

Shortly after the Sutherland goal, Jackson Jennette and his line of offense took the ice and made it 3–0 just under two minutes later. Phenomenal tic-tac-toe passing from both Andrew Porzondek and Joey Simoncelli lined up Jennette perfectly to pick up a close-range goal with a nearly wide-open net. The Chips, now up by three goals did not score in the last nine minutes of the period and headed into the intermission with a demanding lead. But despite dominating on the scoreboard, the Wolverines won in possession time and shots on goal as they had outshot CMU 14–9 through one period.

The entire second period was a whole different story than the first. The University of Michigan Wolverines came out strong and looking to score quickly. The CMU defense was able to hold them off for nearly the first eight minutes of the period, but Griffin Warden of the Wolverines was able to get one by the Chippewa defense and make the score 3–1 (assisted by Alex Cai and Ryan Hopkins) with 12:16 left in the second.

#1 Thomas Rofe (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

Thomas Rofe stayed strong through two periods of play, ensuring his team stayed ahead in this one heading into the second break. Rofe saw 23 shots through two periods and managed to stop 22 of them, making the score 3–1 Chippewas after two periods.

Even though the Chippewas were severely outplayed in the second period, they still managed to only get outshot 9–8 as they picked up five of their shots while on a powerplay early in the period.

Coming back on the ice for the third period, the Chippewas were back to playing like they were in the first. Scoring chance after scoring chance occurred for CMU but they were not able to net any goals early in the period.

It was not until the 8:33 mark in the period where Central picked up their fourth goal of the night. After a quick pass through the slot area in the Chippewas’ attacking zone from Porzondek, Simoncelli scored on a one-timer from just outside the goal crease. Putting Central Michigan up 4–1 over the Wolverines.

#91 Joey Simoncelli & #5 Andrew Porzondek (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

Just 39 seconds of play later, University of Michigan forward Nicholas Mellanby got booked for tripping. Putting the Chips on the powerplay for the third time all night. Central was looking for their first goal on the man advantage, as they were 0/2 on the night thus far.

#18 Brennan Martin (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

The Chippewas had a very good powerplay going, but could not net one past Heilman until after a minute and a half of peppering him with shots. Central Michigan forward Brennan Martin saw the opportunity to blast a slapshot from the point through tons of traffic and managed to net the Chips’ fifth goal of the game (assisted by Standre and Sutherland). This extended CMU’s lead to 5–1 with 6:19 to go in the game.

The last six minutes of the semi-final game simply consisted of Central playing some good keep away style hockey and three penalties between the two squads. CMU managed to run out the clock and took the 5–1 victory.

Central Michigan had about 19 hours until they had to go up against the #1 team in the west, Hope College the next evening. The winner of that game would take home the Vezina Cup.

MCHC Finals: Central Michigan (East) vs. Hope College (West) (2/29)

With the Central Michigan University Chippewas coming into this game knocking off the top team in the nation and the Hope College Flying Dutchmen heading in after a huge 6–5 overtime victory over Ferris State the night before, it was hard saying who had more momentum coming into this matchup. All everyone knew was, this was going to be a game to remember.

From the second the puck dropped, both teams came out at full speed. These squads put on a show within the opening minutes of the game, which was the start everyone anticipated. Hope racked up five shots in the first three minutes of play. But netted a goal on their sixth shot of the night. CMU goaltender Thomas Rofe initially stopped the shot but lost it in his pads. And with a small movement, Rofe made while searching for the puck, he put the puck in the net. The goal was credited to Bradley Baysore (assisted by Maxwell Mones), giving the Flying Dutchmen and early 1–0 lead with 16:25 remaining in the first period.

The next 14 minutes of play was scoreless but very fast-paced. Countless scoring chances for both teams and many great saves from both goalies kept the score 1–0 Hope. Both teams were 0/1 on the powerplay as there were minor penalties to Hope forward, Noah Christensen and Central forward, Joey Simoncelli.

Things got very interesting towards the tail end of the first period of play. With 2:23 to go, Jordan Wadge of CMU got a ten-minute misconduct but no minor penalty with it. So the Chips remained at full strength, but would be without Wadge until the 12:23 mark of the second period.

With Hope College still leading 1–0, the Chippewas finally responded. With 1:25 left in the first, Brendan Nelson blasted a one-timer past Flying Dutchmen goaltender, Austin Kane on a play set up by Jacob Turowski and Jacob Standre. Making the score 1–1 late in the first period.

#17 Brendan Nelson (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

With just two seconds left in the first, Chips’ defenseman, Jacob Lancucki picked up a hooking penalty. Putting CMU on their second penalty kill of the night. With the penalty occurring with just a mere two seconds left in the first period, the Chippewas had to kill off 1:58 of the penalty to start the second period of play.

Central Michigan killed off Lancucki’s penalty with perfect defensive positioning in their own zone to start the second.

#71 Kyle Bolger (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

The second period of play was some of the most hard-fought hockey both teams have played all season. Very physical, yet clean play made this such an exciting period. There were only three penalties in the period between both teams. At the 14:54 mark, CMU’s Kyle Bolger went at it with Hope forward Bradley Baysore resulting in offsetting roughing calls. The only other penalty that occurred in the second was a roughing call on CMU defenseman Chris Martin with 1:36 to go in the period. Which CMU killed off.

The second period of play was also a big period for both goaltenders. Thomas Rofe of Central Michigan saw 15 shots on goal and Austin Kane of Hope College saw 14 shots over the 20-minute span. Both goalies stopped every shot they saw in the period. Shot totals on the night after two periods of play were 30–23 in favor of the Flying Dutchmen.

Both teams headed to the locker rooms for the second intermission with the game tied 1–1.

With the way the game had gone through two periods. Many believed the next goal scored would be the game-winner. Which raised the intensity even higher than it already was for the final period of play.

The first seven and a half minutes of the third were played just like the second period. Very fast, exciting, physical and clean, as those first seven minutes of the period were played on even strength.

But, with 12:12 left in the game, Hope forward, Logan Faustyn picked up a tripping penalty. Putting the Chips on their second powerplay on the night.

After nearly a minute of pressure-filled play from the Chippewas with the man advantage, Brendan Nelson netted his second goal of the night with a shot that whizzed by Kane’s catching glove. A beautiful shot off a great setup by Lancucki and Dalton Sutherland, who picked up the assists on the play to take the 2–1 lead with 11:23 left to play.

Celebration seconds after #17 Brendan Nelson’s go-ahead goal (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein) (#26: Jacob Lancucki, #4: Dalton Sutherland, #18 Brennan Martin, #17 Brendan Nelson)

Throughout the next eight minutes of play, each team took a minor penalty, which were both killed off. And although play was even, Hope dominated the shot column. As they picked up over triple the shots CMU put up in the second half of the third period.

With 2:20 left in the game, Central was still hanging onto their 2–1 lead over the Hope College Flying Dutchmen. At this mark in the period, CMU forward Jacob Standre got called for a trip. So Hope would have a man advantage for the majority of the rest of the game.

Up a man due to the penalty, and with Kane out of the net, Hope had a six on four man advantage in the attacking zone. While being on the two-man disadvantage, the Chips were able to clear the zone three times during the penalty kill. With Rofe making save after save to keep the lead, Central finally killed off the penalty to get back to full strength with 20 seconds to play.

With Kane still out of the net, it was six on five play in the CMU zone with now under 20 seconds to play. After two great saves by Rofe, the put spit back out to the point where a Hope College defenseman launched a 55-foot shot that got batted in off a redirect in front of the net.

CMU bench eagerly awaiting the results of the called off, game-tying Hope goal. (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

With Flying Dutchmen players and fans going crazy, the ref behind the goal line signaled no goal with zero hesitation. Calling the goal off with five seconds to go in the game.

After the goal was taken off the board and the officials talked things over for about a minute, they confirmed there was a high stick on the redirect, resulting in no goal for Hope.

After Hope College head coach Chris Vantimmeren got a quick explanation from the official, play would resume outside of the CMU zone with five seconds to go in the game.

Hope won the faceoff and quickly moved into Central’s zone for one more shot at forcing overtime. The Flying Dutchmen left winger ripped a shot from the point that was easily caught and played behind the net by Rofe. Before anyone was able to make a play on the puck, the buzzer sounded and the Central Michigan Chippewas won the Vezina Cup for the second time in three years. Taking down the Hope College Flying Dutchmen by a score of 2–1.

The Central Michigan Chippewas hoisting the Vezina Cup as a team for the second time in three seasons! (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

Throughout the four wins it took for the Chippewas to win the Vezina Cup, three of them were against opponents Central failed to defeat in the regular season. Oakland University (result: Oakland sweeps CMU), University of Michigan (result: Michigan sweeps CMU) and Hope College (result: CMU goes 0–1–1). Within the regular season, those three teams mentioned were responsible for nearly half of the Chips’ losses.

This entire Central Michigan team played their best game of the year in this Venzina Cup Final game. But there are two players definitely worth mentioning.

#1 Thomas Rofe (Left), #17 Brendan Nelson (right) (Photo by Haley Zerkel and Tristan Hagenstein)

CMU forward Brendan Nelson was responsible for scoring both of the Central’s goals to win the cup. And created many different scoring chances for both himself and his team throughout the contest.

Central Michigan goaltender Thomas Rofe stopped an astounding 42 out of 43 shots in the 2–1 victory over Hope College. As well as stopping 32 out of 33 shots the night before in the semi-final game against the University of Michigan. Rofe completed the weekend with a phenomenal 1 GAA and a 0.974 save percentage.

Although a championship has been won, there is still hockey to be played. Catch the Chippewas back in action Friday, March 6th at 4:30 P.M. at Patterson Ice Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Chips will be taking on
Grand Valley State University in round one of the regional playoffs, as CMU looks to get back to the national tournament later in the month.