By Justin Meyer

Special to Detroit Free Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. — In a wild rematch of last year’s championship game, No. 7 Michigan downed conference regular season champion Minnesota 5-3 to capture the program’s first Big Ten Tournament crown Saturday night.

The championship was sweet salvation after the Wolverines had their NCAA tournament hopes dashed by last season.

Michigan carried momentum from an easy 7-2 win over Penn State in Friday’s semifinal into the first period Saturday — even without junior defenseman Michael Downing, suspended by the Big Ten for a crosscheck to the head.

Outshooting Minnesota early, the Wolverines used a pair of power play goals to grab an early 2-0 lead.

Junior forward Tyler Motte added his 30th goal of the season in the first period and fellow junior forward JT Compher poked home his own rebound early in the second frame.

Motte finished the night with two goals, while Compher added three points.

“There’s a sense of urgency, I think, with our players,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “If your best players are your best players, then you have a chance.”

But a second-period collapse began when Michigan lost the Golden Gophers’ Leon Brisdedt in front of the net for a one-timer. That transition goal immediately breathed life into a Minnesota forecheck that had been missing since the initial puck drop.

The Gophers added a flukey goal that saw Steve Racine pleading for goaltender interference and a power play blast from the the point to enter the third period leading 3-2.

Play opened up in the final frame, and both goaltenders fought off furious rallies.

Michigan freshman phenom Kyle Connor broke through just over 5 minutes into the period with the prettiest goal of the night. Connor caught the puck all alone on the post, juked and walked around the sprawling Minnesota netminder to tie the game. It was the Hobey Baker frontrunner’s 35th goal on the year, and his second consecutive night with four points.

“Obviously when the ‘maybe’ Hobey Baker winner walks into your lineup, its only going to make you better,” said Minnesota coach Don Lucia.

With 4 minutes to play, Compher found Big Ten defensive player of the year Zach Werenski for a game-winning slapshot.

The highly-touted sophomore has elevated his game over the last three weeks, finishing with the most points of all Big Ten defenseman.

“I just tried to put the puck on net. JT made a great pass to me and, luckily, it found its way in,” Werenski said. “It was a special feeling. We worked hard for that.”

A fatigued Minnesota attack didn’t have enough to climb back into the game, and conceded an empty-net goal.

The win was Michigan’s first tournament championship since the inception of Big Ten hockey in 2014, and the Wolverines will return to the NCAA tournament next weekend for the first time in four seasons.

“Up until tonight there’s been five banners hung in the Big Ten, and we have four of them” Lucia said. “Michigan didn’t have one and that’s a proud program.”

“I’m sure for their kids … there was this hunger that, ‘we have to get back there.’”

Saturday night, after Minnesota headed to the locker room for the last time this season, Michigan players pulled on their championship caps — back where the Wolverines want to be, and with the NCAA tournament in wait.