Michigan
17-8-0, 11-6-0-0
Michigan State
7-15-3, 4-11-2-2
Top Line Provides Spark in Blowout of Michigan State
1/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Score: #8 Michigan 6, Michigan State 2
Records: U-M (17-8-0, 11-6-0-0 CCHA), Michigan State (7-15-3, 4-11-2-0 CCHA)
Attendance: 12,981
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 24 -- vs. Michigan State (Yost Ice Arena), 7:35 p.m.
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery | Video Report
DETROIT, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team cruised past Michigan State by a score of 6-2 on Friday night (Jan. 23) at Joe Louis Arena, pushing U-M's win streak at the venue to eight games. Louie Caporusso(Woodbridge, Ont.) paced the win with a pair of goals and an assist. Caporusso's left wing David Wohlberg(South Lyon, Mich.) chipped in a goal and an assist, while the right wing on the line, Travis Turnbull(Chesterfield, Mo.), had a career-high three assists.
The victory also gives Michigan a five-game win streak against MSU dating back to last season. Michigan's last five-game winning streak in the series spanned the 1979-80 and 1980-81 campaigns.
Michigan lit the lamp early, registering a tally at 5:10 in the opening period to go on top 1-0. Carl Hagelin(Sodertalje, Sweden) slid the puck to Aaron Palushaj(Northville, Mich.) at the point, and the latter wristed a hard shot towards MSU netminder Jeff Lerg. Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), positioned just outside the crease, redirected Palushaj's attempt into the bottom of the net for the score.
At the one-minute mark in the second period, Michigan State knotted the score at 1-1. Andrew Rowe took an initial shot that was blocked by a U-M defender, but the puck bounced directly to the mid-slot where Tim Buttery was able to skate in and flick it by goaltender Bryan Hogan(Highland, Mich.).
Minutes later at 3:22, the Wolverines retook the lead 2-1. Anthony Ciraulo(Clinton Township, Mich.) registered a shot that was stopped by Lerg, but the puck did not get cleared fully and remained outside the crease, allowing Danny Fardig(Ann Arbor, Mich.) to swoop in and slide the puck around and behind Lerg. Chris Summers(Milan, Mich.) was credited with the second assist on the play.
In the midst of a Spartan power play that started at 3:52, Daultan Leveille took a shot on U-M's net that Hogan managed to partially block. The puck continued to slide towards the vacant net, stopping right on the goal line next to the right post. In a heads-up play, Tristin Llewellyn(Ann Arbor, Mich.) skated in and cleared the attempt to prevent MSU from tying the score.
Michigan used the momentum to take the puck into its offensive zone, and Hagelin backhanded a shot from the right circle that soared by an unsuspecting Lerg for the 3-1 advantage. The unassisted marker came at 5:53 -- one second after the MSU power play ended.
The Maize and Blue added to its lead early in the third period at 1:53 thanks to a marker from Caporusso and helpers from Chad Langlais(Spokane, Wash.) and Turnbull. Caporusso skated down the left side of the ice and registered a shot from near the goal line, and the attempt bounced off the side of Brandon Gentile's skate outside the crease and slid into the back of the net for the 4-1 lead.
The Spartans did not give up, however, cutting their deficit 4-2 at 10:26. After receiving the puck from Kurt Kivisto, Dustin Gazley skated hard through the slot and deposited the puck into the top of the net past Hogan for the tally.
The Wolverine offense responded two more times, making the score 6-2, with all points coming from Michigan's top line of Wohlberg, Caporusso and Turnbull. The first came at 14:08 when Caporusso passed to Wohlberg from the neutral zone and the rookie skated between the circles, around multiple MSU defenders and to the right post to flip the puck high over Lerg. The second goal was scored on a wrister from Caporusso in the left circle with 3:11 remaining in the contest.
Tomorrow night (Jan. 24), the Wolverines will return home to Yost Ice Arena to complete their weekend series against the Spartans. The game is scheduled to start at 7:35 p.m. and will be televised on FSN Detroit.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
