The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/641955
MICHIGAN HOCKEY between the pipes for Michigan's Feb. 12‑13 series at Wisconsin. During his rookie‑year stretch, which included a 5‑1‑0 mark in the CCHA Tournament, Racine allowed 2.10 goals per game and had a .921 save percentage. Racine allowed 2.95 goals per con‑ test with a .917 save percentage dur‑ ing his career‑long 12‑game stretch. (A save percentage that good usually results in a lower goals‑against aver‑ age; as of Feb. 15, the five netminders nationally that boasted a .917 save percentage over the entire year had a goals‑against averages that ranged from 2.03 to 2.61 with an average of 2.41.) "He's playing well. He's been a factor in all our games," head coach Red Berenson said. "I can show you the Penn State games [a sweep Jan. 28‑30] when there were turn‑ ing points where it could have gone either way. "At Michigan State [Feb. 6, a 4‑1 win], that game could have gone a different direction if he didn't make some of the big saves we needed." Racine may have played, arguably, his best game of the year in a 3‑2 overtime loss to MSU at Joe Louis Arena Feb. 5, making 38 saves on 41 shots (.927 save percentage), giving up one goal on a penalty shot and another on the power play. "He deserved better than the re‑ sult," junior forward Alex Kile said. HOCKEY REWIND: JAN. 22-FEB. 13 Record: 18-4-5 (9-2-3 Big Ten) Record Jan. 22-Feb. 13: 4-1-1 Best Win — 7-4 at Penn State Jan. 28: The Nittany Lions have been Michi- gan's nemesis, going 6-3-0 against the Maize and Blue in 2013-14 and 2014-15. U-M was just 1-3-0 in State College, Pa., during the first four meetings, so when the Wolverines vanquished Penn State 7-4 (and then again two nights later in New York at Madison Square Garden), they felt like they had finally broken through the barrier. Junior forward Tyler Motte and freshman forward Kyle Connor each scored twice, Connor netting the eventual game-winner at 13:50 of the second period, while senior goalie Steve Racine had 46 saves. Worst Loss — 3-2 versus Michigan State Feb. 5: Rivalry games can take on a life of their own, giving teams like Michigan State — which was ranked 48th nationally — a chance against a team like U-M that was sitting sixth in the country. For the first time in more than a month — since beating Northern Michi- gan 3-2 Jan. 29 — Michigan's offense went dry, and while Racine played well enough to win, the defense put him in a tough position with a penalty shot and a penalty kill in overtime. MSU scored on both, ending the Wolverines' nine-game unbeaten streak.