The Michigan goal has been all the rage this season in hockey as exciting players like Trevor Zegras have brought the highly-skilled, lacrosse-style goal to light.
With more players attempting the play comes more opposition players knowing to expect it and trying to defend it. That’s where the Merrimack Warriors come into the conversation with their fake Michigan set play.
A fake Michigan? Looks like we have a college hockey goal of the year nominee👀@Buccigross @collegehockey @TeamECH @SportsCenter #SCTop10 #GoMack pic.twitter.com/IqrasuixE5
— Merrimack Men’s Hockey (@MerrimackMIH) February 27, 2022
The play starts at the point with Zach Uens as the Warriors set up their power play. The puck is then swung to Ben Brar in the deep left corner who feeds Liam Walsh stationed in Wayne Gretzky’s office behind the net. Walsh pauses, drops the puck to Brar, and goes to fake the Michigan while Brar deftly slips the puck into the net on the wraparound.
Merrimack would go on to win the game 4-3 over New Hampshire in Hockey East conference play.
This exact play was first brought to light almost exactly a year ago when the Charlotte Rush of the USPHL pulled it off. CJ Zezima (not the Runescape guy) was the player to attempt the fake Michigan then.
Slick move, @CJZezima. @RushHockeyClub.#2021USPHLNationals pic.twitter.com/Okc6G3T6Kf
— Weston DeWitt (@WestonDeWitt) March 21, 2021
Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panthers also took advantage of a fake Michigan of a different sort in late January when he froze the San Jose Sharks in overtime and set up Sam Bennett for a winning strike.
Jonathan Huberdeau fakes the Michigan before setting up Sam Bennett for the OT winner pic.twitter.com/qVNvXxZ1k6
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) January 30, 2022
“I guess I faked it. I don’t know how to do it. I see it on Instagram a lot, so I thought I’d fake it,” Huberdeau said after the game.
Creativity is everywhere in hockey right now. John Tortorella is probably steaming.
