2003-04 IHM vs. Michigan Tech -- Postgame Notes

Today's third-place game in the Great Lakes Invitational marked Michigan's 100th contest played at Joe Louis Arena. The Wolverines are 65-33-2 all-time at the Joe.

Michigan finished in third place at the GLI for the eighth time in history, including a tie with Michigan State for third in the 1981 GLI.

Michigan Tech is the Wolverines' most common opponent in the Great Lakes Invitational. U-M is 15-10 in 25 all-time meetings against the Huskies in the GLI. The Maize and Blue is 4-0 against MTU in the third-place game.

U-M's six-goal output matched its high for the season. The Wolverines also scored six times in its 6-2 win over Niagara (Nov. 1).

Michigan scored in every period of the contest for the first time in 10 games. U-M had two goals in each period in a 6-2 victory over Niagara on Nov. 1.

The Wolverines scored multiple power-play goals for the first time in 10 games. Michigan has scored more than one man-advantage goal in six games this season.

The Wolverines' nine power-play opportunities were one shy of their season high. U-M has scored a power-play marker in all 10 games in which its has had five or more man-advantage chances. U-M is 20-for-74 (.270) in those contests. The Maize and Blue is 2-of-35 (.057) on the power play in games with four or fewer power plays.

Michigan's pair of power-play goals in the first period marked the first time this season that it had notched two power-play markers in one period.

Michigan has allowed six shorthanded goals this season. In contrast, the Wolverines only have one shorthanded marker through their first 20 games.

Two sets of brothers lined up on opposite sides of the ice in the game. Junior forward Dwight Helminen and junior defenseman Eric Werner suited up for Michigan, while freshman defenseman Lars Helminen and senior forward Frank Werner played for Michigan Tech. 

Joe Kautz registered his second assist of the season and finished the weekend with a 1-1-2 line. It marks the third time in his career that he has points in consecutive games.

Kautz's 1-2-3 line in five games this season accounts for all the points scored by Michigan's three-member senior class.

Eric Werner was selected to the Great Lakes Invitational all-tournament team.

Werner's three goals marked the first hat trick of his career. His tallies ended an eight-game scoreless stretch.

With his power-play goal Brandon Rogers tied T.J. Hensick for the team lead with 10 points on the power play. Ten of Rogers' 11 points this season have come with a man advatage.

Rogers ended a five-game scoreless stretch with his goal.

With two assists Jason Ryznar recorded his first multi-point game since Feb. 21, 2003, when he had a goal and an assist at Nebraska-Omaha. It marks the fourth multi-point game of his career.

Milan Gajic scored his seventh career point at the Great Lakes Invitational with a goal in the second period. The junior has a 3-4-7 line in eight career tournament games and leads all current U-M players in points in the GLI.

Noah Ruden earned the first win of his career against Michigan Tech. His only other career decision came yesterday (Saturday, Dec. 27) when he took the loss against Boston College.

T.J. Hensick garnered his fourth multi-point game of the season with two assists. He now has four points in the last four games (1-3-4) and has scored in 13 of 20 contests this season.

David Rohlfs scored his first goal in 12 games. His last goal came against Niagara on Nov. 1 at Yost Ice Arena. Rohlfs is the Wolverines' second-leading goal scorer among freshmen with four tallies on the season.

Freshman goalie Mike Mayhew made his career debut in the third period. He made 12 saves and allowed one goal in 16:56 minutes of play.

Freshman defenseman Matt Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.), sophomore goaltender Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) and sophomore forward Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) were out of the lineup for Michigan while participating in the 2004 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships in Finland. Montoya and Hunwick are skating for Team USA while Tambellini is playing with Team Canada.