Michigan
7-6-0
Rensselaer
6-9-1
Saturday Night Shutout: U-M Sweeps RPI
11/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Nov. 29, 2014
• Boxscore 
| Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: Michigan 6, Rensselaer 0
Records: U-M (7-6-0), Rensselaer (6-9-1)
Attendance: 5,442
Next U-M Event: Friday, Dec. 5 -- vs. Ohio State (Yost Ice Arena), 7:05 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team earned its first shutout of the season and a Thanksgiving weekend sweep against Rensselaer with a 6-0 win Saturday (Nov. 29) in front of 5,442 fans inside Yost Ice Arena.
Cristoval 'Boo' Nieves recorded his second career three-point night (two goals, assist), Tyler Motte added three assists, and Zach Nagelvoort made 24 saves in 55:19 of action to earn the win in net. Fifth-year senior goaltender Luke Dwyer finished off the combined shutout with two saves in the final 4:24.
The Wolverines jumped out to an early lead with three first-period goals, responding to an early push by the Engineers, who had the first five shots of the game.
Kevin Lohan scored his second of the season, as Tony Calderone won a battle for a loose puck in front for an initial shot on net that Lohan pushed through RPI goaltender Scott Diebold (27 saves) at 7:53.
On their first power-play chance of the game, the Wolverines ended a 0-for-12 drought on the man advantage. With Viktor Liljegren in the penalty box for tripping, Nieves threaded a pass from the corner to Alex Kile in the slot, where he scored his fourth goal in the last five games at 14:50.
A little more than two minutes later, Nieves made it 3-0 Michigan, as he came off the bench for a one-timer from the circle that beat Diebold low at 16:54.
Nieves scored his second of the game with the Wolverines on the power play again, finishing off a rush from the red line after Nagelvoort poke checked a potential shorthanded chance away from Drew Melanson's stick. Nieves took a pass from Andrew Copp skated around the RPI defense, cut to his forehand and flipped the puck over Diebold at 8:42.
The Wolverines added two more goals in the third period to push the game out of reach. Motte corralled a puck at the Michigan blue line and skated down the left wing for a two-on-one chance with Tony Calderone. Motte found Calderone for a tap-in goal, his first as a Wolverine at 9:02 of the third period.
JT Compher added a highlight-reel goal of his own to close out the scoring at 13:58. Compher took a pass from Max Shuart in the neutral zone, skated through two RPI defenders, cut to his forehand and beat Diebold at 13:58 to make it a 6-0 game.
The only drama remaining in the game came in the form of the shutout, which was left in the hands of Dwyer at 15:19 of the third period. Dwyer, making his second career appearance in net, made two saves in the final minutes to help Michigan earn its first shutout since a 6-0 win over Niagara on Nov. 22, 2013, at Yost.
Michigan will return to Big Ten play next Friday (Dec. 5) with a 7:05 p.m. contest against rival Ohio State at Yost Ice Arena. [ Tickets ]
Communications Contact: Jeffrey Weinstein (734) 763-4423
