Michigan
21-7-1 16-5-1CCHA
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Western Michigan
9-15-3 8-12-3CCHA
Wolverines Buck Western Michigan Broncos at Yost
2/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
The Wolverines (21-7-1, 16-5-1 CCHA) also received a strong performance from their top line of Mike Comrie (Edmonton, Alberta), Andy Hilbert (Howell, Mich.) and Jed Ortmeyer (Omaha, Neb.), who combined for two goals and two assists. Hilbert's assist tonight extended his team-best scoring streak to 10 games.
Michigan controlled the game from the outset, scoring 1:48 into the contest on a power-play goal by Kosick. Michigan took a 2-0 lead with Koch's short-handed goal 1:13 into the second period. The Broncos (9-15-3, 8-12-3 CCHA) closed the Wolverine lead to 2-1 midway through the second period, but Matza and Comrie scored in the period's final four minutes and Michigan led 4-1 heading into the third period. Western scored at the beginning of the third period, but Michigan added three more goals to win 7-2.
Josh Blackburn (Choctaw, Okla.) made 26 saves for the Wolverines to improve his record to 8-1-1 on the season. Western Michigan's Jeff Reynaert stopped 23 shots for the Broncos and suffered the loss.
The Wolverines and Broncos close out their weekend series Saturday night (Feb. 12) at Yost Ice Arena beginning at 7:05 p.m.
N O T E S
-- Andy Hilbert, who assisted on Michigan's sixth goal, has scored 10-5-15 in his last 10 games played.
-- Michigan's seven goals mark its highest output in over three months, since scoring a season-high eight goals in an 8-4 win at Ohio State on Nov. 6. The Wolverines also tallied eight goals against Massachusetts-Lowell on Oct. 15, winning 8-1.
-- The win is coach Red Berenson's first against second-year Western Michigan mentor Jim Culhane. Berenson now holds a 1-0-2 record against Culhane.
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Red Berenson
On the team's play ... "I'm happy with parts of the game. As a coach, you become kind of a perfectionist; you expect you team to play perfect hockey. I thought our team played well in the first period, and then the second, we gave up that early power-play goal and were on our heels. I didn't like the way we played in the second period. We were outshot and out-chanced. In the third period, I thought we played a better period."
On the effect of the high-scoring game ... "I think it will give some individual players some confidence. (Mark) Kosick came back and scored a goal for us. (Geoff) Koch came back and scored a goal for us. (Mark) Mink and (Jed) Ortmeyer haven't been scoring. (Scott) Matzka scored a couple. That part of the game was good; we needed that. We don't want to make that the essence of the game, but the weekend's not over."
Junior Center Mark Kosick
On the offense ... "We just needed to score. That's why we got it going tonight. We have a lot of offensive talent. We just have to keep burying our chances."
On Western Michigan's goals ... "We have to tighten up defensively. We gave them too many good scoring chances. Hopefully, tomorrow night we can cut back on that. That's the key of the game -- defense is more important than offense. We can't give them the chances we gave them tonight. [Goaltender Josh Blackburn] stood on his head, and he shouldn't have to do that."
Junior Forward Scott Matzka
On the high number of goals ... "Our power play was quicker tonight; it's been a while for that. We got a [short-handed] goal and a couple of five-on-five goals, but I still think that we can win every night scoring two or three goals if we play good defense. [Goaltender Josh Blackburn] played a great game tonight. We've got to play better defensively tomorrow night."
On Michigan's penalty kill ... "At the beginning of the year, we were so good on the penalty kill that teams weren't getting any shots. We've got to get back to that and really focus on blocking shots. If we start doing that and giving a little more pressure on the breakouts, I think we'll be fine."
Sophomore Center Mike Comrie
On his goal off of a faceoff ... "That's the kind of goal where everything has to go right. I saw that their winger was cheating a little bit, and their center man opened his legs so I poked the puck through. I was in all alone. I caught the goalie by surprise, and he opened his five-hole."
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
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