In a victory over Quinnipiac University, first-year Bears forward Margot Norehad successfully executed a move completed by fewer than 10 NHL players ever: a perfect “Michigan” goal.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — “The Michigan.” “The Lacrosse.” “The Zorro.” “The High Wrap.” “The Svetch.”
The move goes by many names, but it’s singular in its rarity and difficulty — and on Saturday, Jan. 27, first-year Brown University student and women’s ice hockey forward Margot Norehad joined the ranks of the few players who’ve successfully pulled it off in collegiate and professional hockey.
The goal, which went viral after airing as No. 1 on ESPN “SportsCenter” for top 10 plays of the day across the entire sports world, involves an attacker behind the opposing net lifting the puck onto their stick, moving the stick to the uppermost corner of the net and then wrapping it around for a shot at close range.
The maneuver is named in honor of Mike Legg, a former University of Michigan hockey player who famously pulled it off in an NCAA Tournament game in 1996. Since then, fewer than 10 players in the National Hockey League — let alone the NCAA — have nailed the move.
“Honestly, after scoring that goal, I felt like I was on top of the world,” said Norehad, who also plays classical violin and is considering a concentration in biology at Brown. “It was such a surreal moment, and the support from my teammates made it even more memorable than I could have imagined.”
It couldn’t have come at a better time, either. After a scoreless first two periods, the Bears entered the final period trailing behind No. 8 Quinnipiac by 1. A goal by sophomore Gali Levy tied the game for the Bears. Then the claws came out. With assists from fellow first-year student Miranda Calderone and senior Cameron Sikich, the Bears took the lead on Norehad's goal with little more than 10 minutes remaining.
Margot Norehad discusses her iconic goal, being a student-athlete at Brown and her skills beyond the ice.
“Once Cameron passed me the puck in the neutral zone, doing the ‘Michigan’ was in the back of my head,” Norehad said. “Sure enough, I had the opportunity when the defenseman didn’t follow me behind the net. At that moment, I was confident in my ability to capitalize.”
Two more goals led to a final score of 4-1, with the Bears picking up their first win over a top 15 team since defeating Quinnipiac on the final day of the 2021-22 season.
“This was our best game of the season,” Head Coach Melanie Ruzzi said. “It’s a signature win for our program as we make our strides here. Everyone was exceptional.”