Michigan
16-6-0 (11-4-0)
Michigan State
15-6-0 (11-4-0)
Wolverines Leave East Lansing With 2-0 Win Over MSU
1/7/2000 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Michigan goaltender Josh Blackburn (Choctaw, Okla.) started in goal, made 23 saves and recorded his fourth career shutout in his first game back after sitting out the last 19 due to a foot injury.
The first two periods were an even matchup until Matzka scored his goal when he deflected a shot over the shoulder of Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller. On the play, Mark Kosick (Victoria, B.C.) won a face-off to Sean Peach (Langley, B.C.) and Peach fired the puck at the net to set up Matzka's redirection.
Michigan State (15-6-0, 11-4-0 CCHA) came out strong at the start of the final period, but Michigan extended its lead to 2-0 when Andy Hilbert (Howell, Mich.), fresh off his return from the World Junior Championship in Sweden, scored at the 2:34 mark of the period. Mike Comrie (Edmonton, Alberta), the nation's second leading scorer, fed Hilbert from the neutral zone to pick up his 33rd point (12-21-33) of the season.
Michigan (16-6-0, 11-4-0 CCHA) killed four Michigan State power plays, including two in the last five minutes of the game. It was just the third time in the last 10 meetings that Michigan has not allowed a Spartan power-play goal.
Bob Gassoff (St. Louis, Mo.) will not be available for the next game after he received a game disqualification as part of a bench-clearing brawl at the end of the game.
The Wolverines return to the ice next Friday (Jan. 14) when they host Miami (Ohio) for a two-game weekend series. Friday night's game starts at 7:35 p.m. Saturday's (Jan. 15) game starts at 7:05 p.m. and will be televised live on FOX Sports Net Detroit.
GAME SUMMARY
| Goals By Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1st period
No Scoring
2nd period
1, U-M, Scott Matzka 5 (Sean Peach, Mark Kosick) 05:17.
3rd period
2, U-M, Andy Hilbert 9 (Mike Comrie) 02:34.
Shots on goal: MICH 5-7-6-18; MSU 7-5-11-23.
Power plays: MICH 0 of 4; MSU 0 of 5.
Penalties: MICH 10 (31 min); MSU 12 (46 min).
Goalies: MICH, Josh Blackburn 3-0-0 (23 shots-23 saves); MSU, Ryan Miller 7-3-0 (18-16).
Referee: Matt Shegos
Assistant Referees: John Pearson, Kevin Langseth
Attendance: 7,117
Time: 2:17
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Red Berenson
On the game ... "I think it was a great game. I think both teams played well. We got the goals we needed, we got the goalkeeping we needed and the penalty killing we needed. It was a great victory for us on the road. I am glad we had a chance to play [Michigan State] again after playing them last week. We played well in this building, and that's good because we haven't won here in a few years."
On goaltender Josh Blackburn ... "We liked the way he was practicing. I thought he was getting better. It's hard to say how ready he was to play in a game, but I felt that if he could get through the first period [he would be all right]. I thought he made some great saves, and he gave our team a lot of confidence."
Sophomore Goaltender Josh Blackburn
On getting back into a game ... "It's a great feeling to come back and then have a game like that. We didn't have a lot of tough shots until the third period. The guys played great defense. All the shots were from way out on the perimeter."
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
