Michigan
6-1-0, 3-0-0CCHA
Nebraska-Omaha
1-3-0, 0-3-0CCHA
Porter's Hat Trick Propels the Wolverines Past UNO
11/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
OMAHA, Neb. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team poured in five third-period goals to pick up a 6-3 road win over Nebraska-Omaha Friday (Nov. 2) to extend Michigan's winning streak to five games. Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) tallied his third career hat trick -- his second against UNO -- and fellow senior Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) potted one goal and added two assists.
Trailing 2-1 entering the third period, the Wolverines scored twice in the first three and a half minutes, but U-M then allowed UNO to tie the game shortly after at 3-3. Steve Kampfer's (Jackson, Mich.) goal at 7:24 of the third proved to be the game-winner. U-M eventually added two more goals, including an empty-netter.
Two minutes into the game, the Wolverines were assessed a penalty. U-M's penalty killers blocked two UNO shots from the point and Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) made one of his 25 saves on the night.
Michigan took advantage of its first power play of the night at 4:30 to take a 1-0 lead. Kolarik received an Aaron Palushaj (Northville, Mich.) pass along the goal line on the left side and moved the puck across the crease for a backdoor one-timer goal for Porter.
The Mavericks and Wolverines traded scoreless power plays inside of six minutes to play in the first period. U-M committed another penalty with 36 seconds to go to give UNO a power play to start the second period. The slow-going first period featured 12 shots on goal -- seven by Michigan.
The Mavericks tied the game at one goal apiece at 7:24 of the second period. Bill Bagron's pass into the slot bounced off of the skate of his target, Dan Swanson, and back towards the right of the crease. Bagron regained the puck and flipped it past Sauer.
U-M went scoreless on back-to-back power plays at 8:20 and 10:41, and the Wolverines ended up paying for it. The Mavericks took their first lead of the game, 2-1, on a power-play goal from Rich Purslow. The rebound from Joey Martin's shot in the lower right circle kicked out to the left circle where Purslow beat a sprawling Sauer.
The Mavericks outshot Michigan by a 15-7 margin in the second period.
U-M entered the third period with a power play and quickly retied the game at 2-2 just 35 seconds in. Porter fired a slap shot from just inside the blue line on the right side that beat Dupont glove side. Chad Langlais (Spokane, Wash.) and Kolarik drew the assists.
Kolarik put U-M ahead, 3-2, at 3:23 with a great individual effort. Skating down the left wing, Kolarik held off a defender and snuck the puck inside the short left post.
Less than a minute later, UNO made it 3-3 on a power-play goal by Alain Goulet. The point shot found its way through traffic and went high over Sauer.
The scoring flurry continued with Kampfer's goal at 6:34. Kampfer ended up in the right corner of the offensive zone to recover a rebound. The defenseman threw the puck on net from along the goal line and it caught the goalie by surprise and ended up in the goal.
After the game settled down, Porter completed his hat trick and put the game away at 13:11. Receiving a long pass from Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich.) at center ice, Porter proceeded to stickhandle around a defenseman and wrist a shot past Dupont's blocker.
Brian Lebler (Penticton, B.C.) scored an empty-net goal at 19:47 for his first marker of the season.
The Wolverines and Mavericks conclude their season series Saturday night (Nov. 3) night with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop in the Qwest Center Omaha in Omaha, Neb.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
