Michigan

Michigan sweeps Notre Dame hockey; road playoff series next for Irish

Published

2 years ago

February 25, 2024

Press Room

Michigan sweeps Notre Dame hockey; road playoff series next for Irish

John Fineran
| Tribune Correspondent

Notre Dame’s recent lucky charm of success playing at Michigan’s Yost Ice Arena ran out Saturday night.

Marshall Warren, a graduate-transfer defenseman from Boston College, beat Notre Dame goaltender Ryan Bischel with a slapshot while skating across the deep slot with 2:57 remaining in regulation to give the No. 16 Wolverines a 2-1 victory and two-game sweep of their Big Ten series Saturday night.

Prior to the series, coach Jeff Jackson’s Fighting Irish (15-17-2 overall, 9-13-2 Big Ten) were 8-1-1 in their last 10 games at Yost dating back to the 2018-19 season. But the sweep (Michigan won Friday 4-0) allowed coach Brandon Naurato’s Wolverines (17-12-3 overall, 10-10-2 Big Ten) to move past the Irish into solo fourth place with a 34-31 edge in points with two games in hand.

The home sweep of the Irish was the first by the Wolverines since the 1996-97 season when alumnus Gordon “Red” Berenson, whose signature is on the Yost ice surface, was the head coach during a 33-year tenure.

Friday night: No. 16 Michigan puts serious dent in Irish home-ice playoff hopes with 4-0 victory

The Wolverines now set their sights on finishing ahead of third-place Minnesota, which has 37 points, when the two teams meet next weekend in Minneapolis. If Michigan does finish third, Notre Dame will play at Minnesota March 8-10. If the Gophers prevail, however, it’s back to Yost for the Irish.

Saturday night, Michigan’s Jake Barczewski, who had 22 saves in the Friday victory, and Bischel stood their ground in a matchup of graduate goaltenders. Both finished with 28 saves for the game, with Bischel stopping 14 of the 15 shots launched in the final period by Michigan, which started the final period with a 13-0 shot advantage.

Indeed, Tyler Carpenter’s slapshot which Barczewski, a grad transfer from Canisius, stopped at 13:58 of the third period was Notre Dame’s first shot on goal in 15½ minutes going back into the second period. The Irish finished with 10 shots in the final period, all of them in the final 6:02.

Notre Dame’s only goal of the game was scored at 3:05 of the first period on the power play when freshman center Danny Nelson beat Barczewski from the left faceoff dot after being set up by Cole Knuble and Ryan Siedem. It came with Michigan skating short a man after receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at 1:34 when Irish defenseman Jack Boltman, checked into the Wolverine bench, was restrained from getting back into the action.

Nelson later was assisted off the ice at 8:32 of the third period after colliding with Michigan’s Mark Estapa, who later received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for sending ice shavings up into Bischel at 11:12 after the Irish goalie made a save just before the media timeout. There was no word to the extent of Nelson’s injury.

Notre Dame goaltender Bischel named Big Ten First Star of Week

Like the Irish in the third period, Michigan started slowly on their Senior Night, not getting off its first shot at Bischel until Rutger McGroarty’s effort was turned aside at 8:56 of the first period. Twenty seconds later, it appeared the Wolverines had tied it at 1-1 on a goal by defenseman Seamus Casey. But Jackson challenged the possession, believing Michigan had entered the Irish zone offsides, and a review showed that T.J. Hughes of Michigan indeed had, wiping out the goal.

But Michigan’s tenacity continued, and speedy Gavin Brindley tied the game with his 20^th goal of the season, beating Bischel high over his gloved (left) hand at 10:40. Warren and Ethan Edwards received assists.

The Irish later killed off a tripping penalty to Grand Silianoff, and the teams would skate four aside for two minutes beginning at 15:06 with no further scoring.

Late in the period, McGroarty hit Carter Slaggert from behind at the Irish bench, and after a review, the Michigan player went off for boarding at 18:35. Barczewski made four saves until the period ended, allowing the Irish to outshoot the Wolverines 8-7 in the period. Notre Dame’s defense, meanwhile, blocked 11 other Michigan shots from getting to Bischel.

Barczewski had the first four saves of the second period and finished with 11 as neither team scored in the middle session. Bischel turned away eight shots in the period and again got help from his teammates, who had another 11 blocked shots on his way to 27 for the night.

MICHIGAN 2, NOTRE DAME 1

At Red Berenson Rink in Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Notre Dame | 1 | 0 | 0—1

Michigan | 1 | 0 | 1—2

First Period—Scoring: 1. Notre Dame, Danny Nelson 9 (Cole Knuble, Ryan Siedem) PP 3:05; 2. Michigan, Gavin Brindley 20 (Marshall Warren, Ethan Edwards) EV 10:40. Penalties: Notre Dame 2-4, Michigan 3-6.

Second Period—Scoring: None. Penalties: Notre Dame 0-0 (2-4), Michigan 0-0 (3-6).

Third Period—Scoring: 3. Michigan, Marshall Warren 2 (Gavin Brindley, Rutger McGroarty) EV 17:03. Penalties: Notre Dame 2-4 (4-8), Michigan 2-4 (5-10).

Shots on goal: Notre Dame 29 (8-11-10), Michigan 30 (7-8-15). Goalie saves: Notre Dame, Ryan Bischel 28 (6-8-14); Michigan, Jake Barczewski 28 (7-11-10).

Power-play opportunities: Notre Dame 1 of 3, Michigan 0 of 2. Faceoffs won: Notre Dame 34 (13-13-8), Michigan 22 (7-8-7). Blocked shots: Notre Dame 27 (11-11-5), Michigan 18 (5-7-6).

Referees: Barry Pochmara and Tony Czech. Linesmen: Pat Richardson and Samuel Shikowsky. A: 5,800 (5,800).

Big Ten standings: 1. Michigan State 15-5-2, 49 points (21-8-3 overall); 2. Wisconsin 15-6-1, 47 points (24-8-2 overall); 3. Minnesota 12-6-4, 37 points (19-8-5 overall); 4. Michigan 10-10-2, 34 points (17-12-3 overall); 5. Notre Dame 9-13-2, 31 points (15-17-2 overall); 6. Penn State 5-14-3, 21 points (13-16-3 overall); 7. Ohio State 4-16-2, 15 points (12-16-4 overall).

Saturday’s games: Michigan 2, Notre Dame 1; Michigan State 5, Ohio State 2; Wisconsin 3, Penn State 2 (OT).

Friday’s results: Michigan 4, Notre Dame 0; Ohio State 6, Michigan State 2; Wisconsin 6, Penn State 0.

March 1-2 series: Michigan at Minnesota; Penn State at Ohio State; Michigan State at Wisconsin; Notre Dame-idle.

Source link

Click to comment

Michigan

New Michigan O-line coach Jim Harding has one goal for spring practice

Published

7 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

New Michigan O-line coach Jim Harding has one goal for spring practice

Jim Harding, Michigan’s new offensive line coach, has one goal coming out of spring practice: he wants to have a set starting five plus a solid sixth lineman for good measure.

Michigan begins spring practice March 17 and concludes with the spring game on April 18.

Harding, appearing on the Michigan in-house podcast, “In the Trenches” hosted by Jon Jansen, joined new Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham’s staff from Utah, where Whittingham was head coach the last 21 years. Harding spoke about a number of topics, including returning to the Midwest — he grew up in Maumee, Ohio, and his wife is from Farmington Hills — and his love for the Detroit Tigers, but most important was his discussion about building the Wolverines’ offensive line.

“I’d like to establish the starting five where you feel good that when you go into fall camp,” Harding said on the podcast that posted Wednesday. “Those are the guys that are working together immediately from Day 1.”

Harding said he uses a sixth lineman — he terms that player the “rhino” — quite a bit and would like to have at least two ready to go. The Wolverines also need depth at center considering only Jake Guarnera has snapped in a game.

“And then just having that physicality, nastiness of the offensive line,” Harding said. “Just kind of develop that.”

Since arriving earlier this year at Michigan, Harding said he’s been impressed by the linemen and their desire to work hard on conditioning and developing their craft by asking questions and wanting feedback. They have gone to dinner as a group to get to know each other away from the facility, and Harding has enjoyed the process.

“The things that you can’t measure right now is our physicality or our toughness, things like that,” Harding said. “I’m confident that it won’t be an issue, but that’s kind of the next step once we get pads on, (finding out) who are kind of the Alpha dogs in the room that are going to set the tone for the unit, and then, obviously, the offense. But really pleased with what I’ve seen so far.”

Harding shared offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s approach to installing the offense.

“The way (Beck) runs it, everything’s on the table Day 1 in practice,” Harding said on the podcast. “So we’ll get a script with, if you count red zone, probably 60 or so plays, and any play can be called. It’s really unique, and I’d never done it this way, but Coach Beck, actually calls it like he does in the game. There are no scripts, and so we’ll just move the ball down the field, and if it’s a third play and it’s third and 3, well he’s going to call a third-and-3 call.

“So you really have to have the kids prepared for all 60 of those. And then the next day there’ll be maybe different formations and things like that once we get the concepts down in the O-line room for the run game. Now it’s just a matter of dressing up different things. It’s a lot of stuff early on, because every run scheme we have could be called on that first day, every pass protection we have could be called on that first day. So it’s a front-loaded installation.”

achengelis@detroitnews.com

@chengelis

Source link

Michigan

Bills to end concealed carry permit requirement introduced in Michigan House

Published

19 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Bills to end concealed carry permit requirement introduced in Michigan House

LANSING, Mich. — A group of Republicans in the Michigan House say Michiganders’ second amendment rights are being infringed, as they introduce legislation to end requirements for concealed carry permits.

Right now, Michiganders must obtain a permit to carry a concealed gun, with a base fee of $100.

As part of the process, applicants must also receive training.

“The first thing they do is put you in a classroom, make sure you know all proper range and safety procedures, run you over what the law states about when and if you’re allowed to use your firearm,” Jonathan Hold, president of the Michigan chapter of Giffords Gun Owners for Safety and a firearms instructor, said. “It gives a really good grounding.”

Applicants must demonstrate four hours of range time as well.

The group of House Republicans feel this is an undue burden, noting many gun owners are already knowledgeable.

They also believe the current five-year felony for carrying without a permit is too steep.

“For the government of the state of Michigan to tell that that we have to be qualified under the guise of their rules in order to protect ourselves is a far cry from what the constitution provides for us,” Rep. Jay DeBoyer, (R- Clay) said.

The package of bills wouldn’t abolish permits, as they are necessary to take guns outside of the state, but it would institute what’s called “constitutional carry.”

That means Michiganders can carry a gun on them without a permit.

Twenty-nine other states already adopted such policies.

“When we exercise other first amendment rights like our right to speak, we do not have to get a permit or permission from the government to speak,” Rep. Jim DeSana (R- Carleton) said. “When we exercise our right to worship, we do not have to go get a permit or permission to go worship.”

Supporters say concealed guns are important for self-defense, and can also help stop crime.

“It’s going to encourage and increase safety for all,” Rep. Joseph Fox (R- Fremont) said. “It’s about protecting everybody because if there are guns in this situation, and people are worried for their lives, they’re gonna stay back away from evil and making bad choices.”

Gun control advocates like Gold, however, say it’s “ridiculous” not to have guardrails.

“We’re talking about the power of life and death at a distance,” Gold said. “To send an untrained user out into the world with a firearm is a mistake.”

He also takes issue with the constitution argument.

“The constitution says as part of a well regulated militia, if you read the second amendment, and we don’t have well regulated militias in this country,” Gold said. “At the very least, what we should have are trained firearms users.”

A similar effort to end concealed carry permits failed to gain traction last year in the Michigan Senate, and with the landscape unchanged, the bills likely have an uphill battle to become law.

Source link

Michigan

Werewolf, trout ruled in ’24. What will be next ‘I voted’ sticker

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Werewolf, trout ruled in ’24. What will be next ‘I voted’ sticker

The rewarding feeling of wearing an “I Voted” sticker after turning in your ballot is something everyone can relate to.

Michigan voters can take it one step farther and vote on the design for the Election Day tradition.

The Michigan Department of State announced on March 3 the return of the highly competitive “I Voted” sticker contest in preparation for the state’s general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

“Our first-ever ‘I Voted’ sticker design contest in 2024 was a massive success,” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a March 3 release. “This year we look forward to seeing the creative ways Michiganders of all ages celebrate democracy. Submit your entry to help us continue the tradition and get voters excited to cast their ballot this fall.”

Designs are being accepted online via the Secretary of State’s “I Voted” webpage: Michigan.gov/IVotedSticker. On the page, participants may print or download the official entry form.

Design and entry rules, the sticker template, and tips and suggestions are included on the official entry form.

There are three categories — elementary/middle school (grades K-8), high school (grades 9-12) and Michigan residents of all ages. Designs are due at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 1.

Once submissions are closed, the public may vote for finalists online in June. Winners will be announced and celebrated later in the summer. Winning stickers will be dispersed to local election clerks for the November Election.

In 2024, there were more than 480 submissions, and more than 57,700 voters selected the nine winners, according to the release. Before the contest opened up for a public vote, the Michigan Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force members narrowed the submissions down to 25 semifinalists.

Here’s the 2024 winners and rules for the 2026 participants:

What did the winning 2024 ‘I Voted’ sticker designs look like?

Want to enter a design? Here are the ‘I Voted’ sticker contest rules

According to the Secretary of State, here’s what to keep in mind for your sticker:

Designs must be completed using official entry form.
Designs must include the phrase “I voted” AND be nonpartisan in nature.
Artwork must be original, non-AI generated, and not contain copyrighted or trademarked designs.
Entries can be created using your preferred method (digital, paint, crayon, mixed media, etc.)
Provide as high quality of resolution as possible when submitting your design.
There are three categories — elementary/middle school (grades K-8), high school (grades 9-12) and Michigan residents of all ages. You may enter one design in one category.
Designs are due at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 1.

Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com

Source link