Michigan
4-1-0, 2-0-0CCHA
Boston University
Freshmen Fortify Victory Over Boston University
10/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich.-- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan hockey team knocked off Boston University by a final score of 4-2 Friday (Oct. 26) in Yost Ice Arena. After jumping out to a two-goal lead in front of a sellout crowd of 6,894, the Wolverines held off BU by responding to each of the Terriers' third-period goals.
A pair of freshmen carried the day as Aaron Palushaj (Northville, Mich.) tallied a goal and Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) tacked on two, including the game-winner. Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) had a stand-out performance in net with 30 saves.
Boston University was given a power-play chance early in the first frame, but a solid Michigan defense prevented the Terriers from gaining any momentum. Despite the man advantage, BU registered just a single shot on goal.
Five minutes into the game, Boston posted a quality scoring opportunity. With Sauer still recovering from a prior save, Eric Gryba boomed a shot from the top of the slot that seemed destined for the back of the net. However, Sauer made an adroit move to his right to kick the puck aside.
Michigan answered back with a chance of its own later in the period. Palushaj deked through the Terrier defensive pairing and found himself alone with only the goalkeeper to beat. The freshmans backhand found its way past Brett Bennett, but clanged off the post to deny the Wolverines midway through the stanza.
After 20 minutes of play the teams remained scoreless. Boston outshot the Maize and Blue by a 15-6 margin.
With Travis Turnbull (Chesterfield, Mo.) in the box for tripping, BU poured the shots onto Sauer early in the second stanza. The U-M netminder stood strong, denying four shots in the two-minute span. Freed from the penalty box, Turnbull created a quality scoring chance of his own, but he flicked a shot just wide of the open net.
The flurry of shots continued, but neither team was able to put a tally up on the board. With an opportunity to open the scoring, Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) snapped a shot in on Bennett. The rebound was scooped up by Max Pacioretty (New Canaan, Conn.), who attempted to wrap the puck in from the opposite side but was stopped.
Rust finally broke the deadlock at 12:06 of the middle period. Deep in his own zone, Rust picked off a BU crossing pass, raced down the ice and -- with pressure from a BU defenseman -- slid the puck through Bennetts five-hole. The tally was Rust's third goal of the year and gave U-M a 1-0 lead.
Michigan extended its lead to a pair of goals just over a minute later on Palushajs first goal of his career. With Bennett out of position from an earlier chance, the right winger picked up a dish from Naurato and roofed a shot into the top right corner of the net at 13:08. Porter also picked up an assist on the play.
Boston University trimmed the edge back to a single goal at 2:47 of the final frame. Kevin Shattenkirk sent a pass through traffic to Jason Lawrence, whose shot found the space between Sauers pads for the power-play marker, cutting Michigans lead to 2-1.
The Maize and Blue pushed its lead back to two goals on Rusts second tally of the night at 8:00. Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich.) blasted a shot from just inside the blue line that Rust redirected in front of the goal mouth. The power-play marker was Rusts fourth of the season.
The back-and-forth scoring continued on a Dan McGoff tally at 11:34 of the third session. John McCarthy nabbed a Brian McGuirk pass and carried it up the ice before he relayed it to McGoff in the right faceoff circle. McGoffs one-timer lit the lamp for BU, cutting the U-M lead to 3-2.
Porter answered back at 13:42 with his fourth goal of the season. The Wolverine captain skated in on Bennetts stick side, and Porter's shot in front of the crease trickled up the Terriers arm and into the net. Pacioretty picked up the lone assist on the play for his first career point.
Boston University pulled its goalie with just over two minutes left in the game in an attempt to close the gap. However, time ran out on BU's efforts and Michigan took the win, 4-2.
Michigan closes its weekend with Boston University Saturday (Oct. 27). The puck is scheduled to drop at 8:35 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
