Michigan
7-3-0, 4-2-0-0CCHA
Alaska
6-4-1, 3-3-0-0CCHA
Wolverines Hold on for Road Victory at Alaska
11/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Score: #7 Michigan 3, Alaska 2
Records: U-M (7-3-0, 4-2-0-0 CCHA), Alaska (5-4-1, 3-3-0-0 CCHA)
Attendance: 3,598
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 14 -- vs. Western Michigan (Yost Ice Arena), 7:35 p.m.
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team claimed a 3-2 road win over the Alaska Nanooks on Saturday (Nov. 8) at the Carlson Center. Bryan Hogan(Highland, Mich.) had a strong game between the U-M pipes, making 23 saves, including 10 in the third period. The Wolverines got goals from David Wohlberg(South Lyon, Mich.), Louie Caporusso(Woodbridge, Ontario) and Brian Lebler(Penticton, B.C.), whose third-period marker proved to be the gamewinner. Aaron Palushaj(Northville, Mich.) chipped in two assists.
Wohlberg opened the scoring for the second night in a row with a goal at 4:30 of the first period. Four of the five U-M skaters on the ice had a hand in the goal. Greg Pateryn(Sterling Heights, Mich.) laced a shot from the right point that generated a rebound at the left side of the goal. Matt Rust(Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) dug the puck free, directed it behind himself into the low slot for Travis Turnbull(Chesterfield, Mo.), who quickly slid it across to the right post for Wohlberg to slam into the net.
At 12:28, Alaska tied the game 1-1 on its first power-play chance of the weekend. While skating through the lower left circle Dion Knelsen accepted a pass from Steve Vanoosten. Knelsen then shrugged off a U-M defenseman, eluded Hogan's poke check and tucked the puck inside the right post.
Alaska's Ryan Hohl had a semi-breakaway the very next shift, but Hogan flashed his left pad out to keep the scored tied at 1-1.
Michigan had a 13-8 shots advantage in the first period and had a late power play but was unable to retake the lead.
Six minutes into the second stanza, Hogan was tested with another Nanook breakaway. Adam Naglich was clear from the blue line in but had his high shot snared by Hogan's glove to keep the game deadlocked. The U-M goaltender had to be sharp minutes later during Nanook power play; at one point he sprawled across the crease to deny a rebound shot by Dustin Sather.
Michigan jumped ahead 2-1 on Caporusso's team-leading ninth goal of the season at 13:51. After taking a pass from Palushaj at the Alaska blue line, Caporusso sped around a defenseman and deked to the left side of the goal to deposit the puck easily behind Johnson. Chris Summers (Milan, Mich.) also assisted on the play.
U-M held a 10-6 shot advantage in the middle frame and headed to the locker room for the second intermission with the 2-1 lead.
Michigan padded its lead to 3-1 on a Lebler power-play goal exactly one minute into the third period. Lebler initially struggled with Palushaj's centering pass into the low slot, but he stayed with the puck and swiped a no-look backhand shot through the goalie's legs. Carl Hagelin(Sodertalje, Sweden) collected the secondary helper.
The Nanooks cut their deficit to 3-2 on a power-play goal by Scott Enders. Stationed atop the circles, Enders snapped a shot through traffic into the top right corner of the U-M net.
The Wolverines benefited from a late penalty against the Nanooks with 2:45 left in regulation. While Michigan did not score with the man-advantage, it negated the momentum Alaska had been building in the late stages of the game.
With their goalie pulled, the Nanooks forced two faceoffs in U-M's zone in the final 25 seconds. The Wolverines lost both draws but quickly knocked the puck out to neutral ice on both occasions to secure the road win.
The Wolverines return to Michigan next weekend for a home-and-home series against Western Michigan. U-M hosts the Broncos on Friday (Nov. 14) at 7:35 p.m. at Yost Ice Arena and then travels to Kalamazoo for Saturday's contest, which will also begin at 7:35 p.m. and played at Lawson Arena.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
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