Kason Muscutt tastes unbridled joy with first career goal in win over Wisconsin

MADISON — The celebration began with a single fist, stick still clenched in hand, and ended with Kason Muscutt engulfed by teammates, arms spread wide beneath the Kohl Center rafters. In between came the moment that will live on Michigan hockey highlight reels: a no-look deflection that tied the game, ignited a dormant bench, and announced the unheralded freshman as the newest Wolverine to etch his name into program lore.

Seven minutes into the first period, with No. 2 Michigan trailing No. 13 Wisconsin 1-0 and searching for a spark, sophomore defenseman Ben Robertson unloaded a shot from the blue line. Muscutt, stationed in the slot and facing away from the net, subtly redirected the puck past the unsuspecting goalie. The arena erupted; the Wolverines exhaled.

“Really good story,” coach Brandon Naurato said afterward. “A credit to him as a person and his character … to see how excited the guys were when he scored was really cool.”

Six weeks ago, such a scene felt impossible. Muscutt wasn’t even on Michigan’s roster until a midseason transfer became necessary after Teddy Spitznagel’s departure. He logged three total minutes in his first two games against Minnesota, worked his way onto the penalty kill against Ohio State, and had settled into life as an extra forward—until Saturday, when he lined up on the third unit with fellow freshmen Cole McKinney and Adam Valentini.

Less than two months after arriving in Ann Arbor, the Shreveport, Louisiana native—believed to be the first in program history from the Pelican State—has gone from depth insurance to difference-maker. The goal was the exclamation point on a rapid ascent that even Muscutt might have doubted in early January.

“I love that kid,” senior defenseman Luca Fantilli said. “He’s a psycho … but he’s honestly such a good guy. He fit in like he was here the whole time.”

Muscutt’s joy carried an extra layer. In SEC country, where football, baseball and basketball dominate dinner-table talk, a kid from northwest Louisiana rarely finds himself on hockey’s biggest collegiate stage. On Saturday, every Shreveport youth player watching back home saw one of their own tie a game Michigan would ultimately win 3-1.

“That’s really what it’s all about,” Muscutt said. “You’ve got to remember where you came from. I feel the support in Wisconsin from Shreveport, 100%.”

The deflection itself was equal parts instinct and audacity—back to goal, stick blade angled just so, puck ricocheting skyward and in. It erased Wisconsin’s early momentum and provided the jolt the Wolverines needed to seize control. From there, Michigan rolled, adding two more goals and cementing another victory in what has become a championship-caliber season.

For Muscutt, the stat sheet now shows one game-tying goal, a tangible reward for six relentless weeks of practice, video sessions and proving he belonged. For his teammates, it was a reminder that every roster spot on this team is earned, not given. And for a sport still planting roots in the American South, it was proof that talent can sprout anywhere—even along the Red River.

The goal, the celebration, the victory: three phases of joy befitting a fairytale still being written.