Michigan
2-0-0
Quinnipiac
0-2-0
Hunwick, Johnson Pair Up to Guide U-M Past Bobcats
10/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The eighth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team defeated Quinnipiac 5-3 Saturday night (Oct. 8) at Yost Ice Arena to sweep the weekend series. Matt Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) scored his second career hat trick and added two helpers for a career-high five points. Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich.) scored his first career goal, the game-winner, and collected three assists. The Wolverines are off to their first 2-0-0 start since the 1999-2000 season. Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) made 24 saves to earn the second win of his career.
The Wolverines opened the scoring on the first power play of the game at 7:48 of the first period. T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) skated through the slot and dropped a pass back to Johnson. Johnson's rocket slipped through the arm of of Quinnipiac goaltender Wes Russell and Hunwick tapped in the trickling puck to give Michigan a 1-0 lead.
Quinnipiac tied the game less than a minute later at 8:33 of the first period. Reid Cashman set up behind the net and fed a pass in front to Brian Leitch, who whacked it past Sauer to tie the game, 1-1.
The Maize and Blue earned a 13-second two-man advantage minutes later. The Wolverines could not capitalize on the five-on-three or the five-on-four despite creating good chances in the offensive zone.
Quinnipiac nearly took the lead with just under two minutes to go in the first period on a wild scramble. After a Sauer save, the puck rebounded out to Mark Nelson, who rang one off the post. Just seconds later, Sauer denied Nelson on the doorstep to preserve the tie going into the first intermission.
The Wolverines finally capitalized at 5:59 of the second period during a four-on-four. From the left point Hunwick floated toward the net a shot that slid through the legs of Russell to put Michigan up 2-1. Michigan received another man advantage at 5:02. Michigan created numerous chances and got a goal to move ahead by two goals. Kolarik fed a pass from behind the net to Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C) in the slot and Ebbett buried it to give Michigan a 3-1 lead at 6:51 of the second period.
Johnson put Michigan up 4-1 just minutes later at 8:48. Hunwick slid a puck over to Johnson on the point and Johnson knuckled a shot that Russell lost sight of as the puck found the back of the net.
Quinnipiac cut the lead to 4-2 at 16:23 thanks to a power-play opportunity. Cashman flipped toward the net a puck that looked to be headed wide, but Hunwick attempted to knock it down and inadvertenly tipped it past Sauer. The two teams traded good offensive chances in the waning minutes of the stanza, but neither team could net one. Michigan skated into the second intermission with 4-2 lead.
Sauer helped Michigan kill off two Quinnipiac power plays to begin the third period, making key saves on offensive chances by the Bobcats.
The Wolverines tallied their fifth goal of the game at the start of a five-on-three advantage at 13:12. Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) fed Hunwick at the top of the circle and Hunwick fired a shot into the back of the net to earn the hat trick. The Wolverines created a few more chances, but no shots found the target.
The Bobcats narrowed the score to 5-3 at 18:24 as Quinnipiac won the faceoff and Dan Henningson slapped a shot from the point past Sauer. The Wolverines kept the pressure on for the remaining 1:36 to ice the victory.
The Wolverines host a pair of Hockey East schools next weekend (Oct. 14-16). Perennial power Boston College visits Yost Ice Arena on Friday (Oct. 14) with a 7:35 puck drop. After a day off, U-M plays Merrimack on Sunday (Oct. 16) at 3 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
