Michigan
18-8-0,12-6-0-0CCHA
Michigan State
7-16-3,4-12-2-2CCHA
Early Flurry Gives Michigan Sweep of Michigan State
1/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Score: #8 Michigan 5, Michigan State 3
Records: U-M (18-8-0, 12-6-0-0 CCHA), Michigan State (7-16-3, 4-12-2-0 CCHA)
Attendance: 6,845
Next U-M Event: Friday, Jan. 30 -- vs. Notre Dame (Joyce Center), 8:05 p.m.
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery | Video Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team extended its win streak over Michigan State to six games with a 5-3 win over the Spartans on Saturday night (Jan. 24) at Yost Ice Arena. The streak is the longest since a two-season run over the 1960-61 and 1961-62 campaigns -- head coach Red Berenson's junior and senior years on the squad. Tonight's victory was led by Aaron Palushaj's (Northville, Mich.) three assists, as well as Matt Rust(Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and Brandon Burlon(Nobleton, Ont.), who each contributed a goal and helper.
The Maize and Blue outshot the Spartans 51-21 in the contest. In the five games against Michigan State this season, U-M has outshot the instate foe by a 212-111 margin.
A mere 36 seconds into the first period, the Maize and Blue took a 1-0 lead. Palushaj dished the puck to Rust skating across the blue line, and the latter sped through left circle and wristed the puck from just outside the crease past MSU netminder Drew Palmisano for the go-ahead tally.
Michigan furthered its lead 2-0 at 8:20 in the first stanza thanks to a goal from Travis Turnbull(Chesterfield, Mo.). Steve Kampfer(Jackson, Mich.) jump-started the play, carrying the puck from behind Michigan's net to the MSU high slot where he passed to Turnbull, who blasted one into the net's top-right corner for the score.
Michigan registered the game's first 11 shots, whereas Michigan State's initial shot did not come until 10:10 remaining in the opening frame.
With 31 seconds remaining in the period, Burlon registered a slap shot from just across the blue line to put U-M up 3-0 before the first intermission. Robbie Czarnik(Washington, Mich.), Greg Pateryn(Sterling Heights, Mich.), and Burlon passed the puck around MSU's zone before Burlon rocketed one past Palmisano's stick side for the power-play goal. Prior to the marker, U-M had been on a 0-for-17 drought during the man-advantage.
The Wolverines outshot the Spartans by a 21-6 margin in the first frame -- Michigan's highest shot total in a period this season. The Spartans retaliated in the second stanza, scoring a pair of goals just 15 seconds apart. Matt Schepke registered MSU's initial tally at 2:22, and Andrew Rowe earned a marker at 2:37 to make the scoreboard read 3-2.
Despite Michigan outshooting the Spartans 37-12, U-M headed into the second intermission up just one.
Twelve seconds into the final period, Carl Hagelin(Sodertalje, Sweden) received a pass from Rust at top of the left circle and skated around the MSU defense where he banked the puck off of a Spartan and past Palmisano for the 4-2 advantage. Palushaj was credited with the second assist on the play.
A minute and one second later at 1:13, the Spartans responded to make it 4-3. A failed Michigan clearing attempt allowed Adam Henderson to gain control of the puck in the mid-slot and the Spartan flicked a shot past Bryan Hogan's (Highland, Mich.) glove side for the goal.
Michigan padded its lead to 5-3 at 9:32 when Palushaj fed the puck up top to Burlon, who crossed it to Chris Summers (Milan, Mich.) at the point. The acting captain fired a hard slap shot that made its way through heavy traffic and past Palmisano for the contest's final marker.
Next Friday (Jan. 30), the Wolverines will travel to South Bend, Ind., to take on top-ranked Notre Dame at the Joyce Center. The game will begin at 8:05 p.m. and will be televised by CBS College Sports. The following night (Jan. 31), both teams will travel to Ann Arbor to complete the home-and-home series. Saturday's contest is slated for 7:35 p.m. at Yost Ice Arena and will be broadcast by FSN Detroit.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
