Michigan
22-9-0,16-7-0-0CCHA
Nebraska-Omaha
13-12-7,8-10-7-3CCHA
Palushaj, Special Teams Sensational as Michigan Blows Out UNO
2/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #4 Michigan 8, Nebraska-Omaha 3
Records: U-M (22-9-0, 16-7-0 CCHA), UNO (13-12-7, 8-10-7-3 CCHA)
Attendance: 6,781
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 14 -- vs. Nebraska-Omaha (Yost Ice Arena), 8:05 p.m.
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery | Video Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- With a career-high five points (1-4-5) from Aaron Palushaj(Northville, Mich.), the No. 4-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team overpowered Nebraska-Omaha, 8-3, on Friday night (Feb. 13) at Yost Ice Arena. In addition to Palushaj, 11 other Wolverines registered points in the contest, with five players in all contributing multi-point efforts.
With seven opportunities, the Wolverines tallied a season-best four power-play goals and also chipped in a shorthanded marker en route to victory. U-M killed six out of seven UNO power plays in the contest, and in the last eight games, Michigan has thwarted 39-of-41 penalties (.951).
A power-play goal from Robbie Czarnik(Washington, Mich.) put U-M up 1-0 at 2:12 in the first period. Palushaj crossed the puck to Chris Summers(Milan, Mich.), who ripped a shot from the top of right circle. The attempt was heading wide left, but Czarnik inadvertently used his chest to redirect the puck past netminder Jeremie Dupont for the go-ahead tally.
Less than a minute later, at 3:11, Palushaj gained control of puck at the right sideboards following a failed clearing attempt from Dupont. The sophomore took a slap shot from far side of the right circle that was tipped into the net by Carl Hagelin(Sodertalje, Sweden) for the 2-0 advantage early in the initial frame.
Nebraska-Omaha did not register its first shot of the contest until there was 8:09 remaining in the opening period. At that time, U-M had already garnered 11 shots. At the first intermission, U-M was outshooting UNO by a 15-6 margin.
A shorthanded tally from Ben Winnett(New Westminster, B.C.) increased Michigan's lead to 3-0 at 3:43 in the second period. Brandon Burlon(Nobleton, Ont.) carried the puck across the blue line and down the slot, dishing it to Winnett on his right. The center deked a few times before putting the puck directly through the legs of a sprawled-out Dupont and into the left corner of the net.
At 9:39 in the middle stanza, U-M registered its sixth penalty of the game -- all of which came in a 15- minute span -- and went down 5-on-3 for 36 seconds.
Just as a Wolverine stepped out of the box, Nebraska-Omaha earned its first goal of the game at 10:16 to make the score 3-1. The power-play marker came from Tomas Klempa, who backhanded a shot from mid-slot that went through goaltender Bryan Hogan's(Highland, Mich.) five-hole.
The Wolverines retaliated on the power play at 13:41 in the second period, making the scoreboard read 4-1. Steve Kampfer(Jackson, Mich.) took a shot from just inside blue line that headed wide, but David Wohlberg(South Lyon, Mich.), who was stationed at the right post, got the puck and tapped it in for the tally. Louie Caporusso(Woodbridge, Ont.) was credited with the second assist on the play.
The Mavericks cut their deficit to 4-2 a mere 28 seconds later at 14:09. With helpers from Dan Charleston and Joey Martin, Rich Purslow got the puck and wristed a shot from the left circle that found its way past Hogan.
UNO took its momentum from the end of the second period to score a goal at 2:24 in the final frame when Eddie DelGrosso took a shot on Hogan that the netminder blocked, but the deflection found its way to Martin, who pushed it across the goal line for the tally.
The Wolverines notched goals at 6:09 and 6:37 to retake a commanding 6-3 lead. Scooter Vaughan(Placentia, Calif.) had assists on both the markers, jump-starting the plays from the right side of the ice.
The first goal came from Luke Glendening(Grand Rapids, Mich.), who scored from just outside the left side of the crease, and the second tally came from Palushaj, who took a shot from in between the circles that found its way past Dupont.
The Michigan offensive output did not stop there, as Brian Lebler(Penticton, B.C.) added another power-play goal to the mix to make the score 7-3 at 9:21. Palushaj slid puck from near the blue line to the left corner of the ice, and the puck found its way to Lebler, who crossed a shot from the bottom of the left circle behind Dupont and into the net's right pocket for U-Ms season-high seventh goal of the game.
Burlon, from the top of left circle, flicked the puck high and into the top of the net to make the score 8-3 at 11:37. Lebler and Palushaj were credited with the assists on the power-play tally.
Billy Sauer(Walworth, N.Y.) entered the game at 13:03 and made four saves throughout the remainder of the game.
Tomorrow night (Saturday, Feb. 14), the Wolverines complete their weekend series with Nebraska-Omaha at Yost Ice Arena. The game will begin at 8:05 p.m. and will be televised by FSN Detroit.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
