Michigan
5-3-0, 2-2-0CCHA
Michigan State
4-2-0, 2-2-0CCHA
Stellar Second Stanza Spurs Michigan Past Spartans
11/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan hockey team avenged its Friday night loss with a 6-2 triumph over No. 5 Michigan State in front of a maize-clad, sellout crowd on Saturday (Nov. 4). The victory snapped a nine-game (0-4-5) winless streak against MSU that dated back to the 2004-05 season. T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) (1-3-4) and Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) (2-2-4) led the Wolverines' offensive charge, as each player tied his career-high for assists and points. In net, Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) stopped a season-high 34 shots.
Michigan wasted no time in the opening period, taking the lead 17 seconds into the game. David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.) pinned the puck against the boards in the neutral zone before tapping it to Porter waiting at the blue line. Porter carried the puck into the MSU end, threading a pass to Hensick in the left faceoff circle. Hensick double-clutched the puck, then wristed a shot past Jeff Lerg for his fourth goal of the season and the 1-0 lead.
The Maize and Blue was given the chance to extend its lead when two Michigan State players were whistled for penalties 20 seconds apart. U-M buzzed around the net, putting constant pressure on Lerg, but was unable to capitalize on the 5-on-3 advantage.
Tim Kennedy's wraparound goal at 17:49 knotted the game at a goal apiece. Tim Crowder brought the puck behind the Michigan net, leaving it for Kennedy to scoop up and deposit behind Sauer.
The Wolverines answered back just 32 seconds later, reclaiming their one-goal lead at 18:21. Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) slid the puck around the boards to Hensick stationed behind the goal line. Hensick relayed a quick pass to Porter in the slot, who one-timed a shot that lit the lamp for his sixth goal of the year.
In the second period, Michigan pushed its lead to two goals on a shorthanded tally by Tim Miller (Davisburg, Mich.). The sophomore forward chipped the puck away from Mike Ratchuk in his own end, corralling the puck at center ice. Miller fought off a defender, backhanding a shot over Lerg's glove for the 3-1 advantage at 5:42.
U-M was called for a host of infractions, giving Michigan State the chance to trim the lead to 3-2. With the 5-on-3 advantage, MSU cycled the puck through the zone. Tyler Howells' feed was snapped up by Crowder just outside the crease. Crowder hesitated just long enough the find a seam in the Michigan defense, slipping a pass through traffic to Kennedy, who flicked it over the goal line at 6:33.
Andrew Cogliano's (Woodbridge, Ontario) fourth goal of the season gave the Maize and Blue a 4-2 lead. Tim Cook (Montclair, N.J.) grabbed a Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich.) outlet pass, and relayed it to Cogliano racing up the middle of the ice. Cogliano shrugged off pressure from a Spartan defender, lifting a shot over Lerg's outstretched glove at 12:11.
Porter's second tally of the night pushed the Wolverines' advantage to 5-2. Jason Dest's (Fraser, Mich.) clearing pass was handled by Porter, who nudged it over to Hensick at the blue line. Hensick slipped the puck back in the right faceoff circle, and Porter fired it into the back of the net for the power-play marker at 14:55.
Michigan's lead grew late in the second stanza when Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich.) slapped a shot past the MSU netminder at 17:21. Hensick scooped up a Porter dump pass and skated into the left faceoff circle before picking up Johnson in the slot. Johnson roped a shot to beat Lerg, and give the Wolverines a 6-2 edge.
Though there was no scoring in the third period, MSU had four power-play opportunities. Sauer prevented any chance of a comeback, thwarting all 10 Spartan shots with the man-advantage, in addition to turning aside three shots at even strength.
The Wolverines return to action next weekend (Nov. 10-11) with a two-game home series against Nebraska-Omaha. Both games are scheduled for 7:35 p.m. faceoffs.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
