Michigan
Blue/White Intrasquad (ex)
Team Blue Emerges for Win in Intrasquad Battle
10/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team held its annual Blue/White intrasquad game Saturday (Oct. 6) in Yost Ice Arena, as Team Blue came out on top, 6-3. Travis Turnbull (Chesterfield, Mo.) led the way for Blue, compiling a 3-1-4 line on the night. Fellow linemates Carl Hagelin (Sodertalje, Sweden) and Louie Caporusso (Woodbridge, Ont.) each posted solid numbers, as Hagelin accumulated a goal and three assists and Caporusso picked up three helpers.
The White Team broke open the scoring early in the first period, when Max Pacioretty (New Canaan, Conn.) put the puck in the back of the net at 2:16. After receiving the puck from Jon Montville (Novi, Mich.), Pacioretty played give-and-go with Steve Kampfer (Jackson, Mich.) to give his team the 1-0 lead.
Brian Lebler (Penticton, B.C.) and Team Blue answered back at 4:47, knotting the game at a goal apiece. Chris Fragner (Ann Arbor, Mich.) fed the puck to Lebler, whose shot found a hole in Billy Sauer's (Walworth, N.Y.) padding and trickled over the goal line.
The back-and-forth scoring continued as captain Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) gave the White Team the 2-1 later in the stanza. Stationed at the top of the right faceoff circle, Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) flipped a pass to Porter. Brandon DeMars (Canton, Mich.) mistook the pass for a shot and was caught out of position, allowing Porter to deposit the puck behind the goalie. The marker -- which came at 14:06 -- was also assisted by Pacioretty.
With 28 seconds left in the opening frame, the Blue Team tied the score once again. Hagelin's dish was intercepted by Caporusso, and the freshman lasered a shot on net that was kicked up in the air by Sauer. Turnbull was waiting at the doorstep and knocked the puck out of the air for the tally and the 2-2 tie.
The Blue Team jumped on top early in the second period with a goal from Turnbull at 3:56. With assists from Daniel Rieckhoff (Dearborn, Mich.) and Hagelin, Turnbull skated across the faceoff circle toward Sauers glove-side and flicked the puck between the netminder's shoulder and the goal post. The score put the Blue Team ahead by one -- a count of 3-2.
The Blue Squad continued its scoring streak with a Hagelin goal at 8:39. Caporusso fed the puck to Turnbull, who passed it from the high slot to Hagelin near the net. The freshman chipped the puck past Sauer to give the Blue Team an advantage of 4-2 in the middle of the second frame.
Anthony Ciraulo (Clinton Township, Mich.) pushed the Blue Team further ahead at 9:19 with a flick over Sauer's shoulder. After receiving a quick pass from Brandon Naurato (Livonia, Mich.), Ciraulo skated toward Sauer and managed to scoop the disk toward the back of the net, giving his team the 5-2 advantage. Fragner also picked up a helper on the play.
The White Team finally retaliated at 14:50 in the middle frame. An unassisted score came from Porter, who carried the puck down the length of the ice without interference. Skating near the edge of the face off circle, the forward took a quick shot and the puck caromed off the post and into the net behind DeMars. The tally pulled the White Team to within two goals, making the score 5-3.
After two periods of solid netminding, DeMars was replaced by Kasey King (White Plains, N.Y.) for Team Blue.
Midway through the final frame, Turnbull notched his third goal of the night on a one-timer from the left circle. Caporusso received the puck from Hagelin and relayed it to Turnbull. The junior immediately directed a shot over the goal line, adding to the Blue lead at 9:46. The tally sealed the 6-3 edge for Team Blue.
Michigan will cap off its exhibition schedule with a match against Western Ontario Sunday (Oct. 7) in Yost Ice Arena. The puck is slated to drop at 5:05 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
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