Michigan
15-3-4, 6-1-2-1B1G
Penn State
16-6-3, 6-3-0-0B1G
Michigan Puts Up Seven Spot in Win at Penn State
1/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Jan. 28, 2016
» Michigan scored five goals or more for the 14th time this season.
» The Wolverines improved to 6-0-1 in their last seven games.
• Boxscore 
Site: State College, Pa. (Pegula Ice Arena)
Score: #6 Michigan 7, #15 Penn State 4
Records: U-M (15-3-4, 6-1-2-1 Big Ten), PSU (16-6-3, 6-3-0-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 30 -- vs. Penn State (New York, N.Y.), 7 p.m.
• Kornacki Postgame Feature: CCM Line Continues to Roll
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Led by another standout performance by its top line, the sixth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team earned a 7-4 win over No. 15 Penn State on Thursday night (Jan. 28) at Pegula Ice Arena.
Junior forward Tyler Motte and freshman forward Kyle Connor each had two goals and three assists, and junior forward JT Compher added a goal and an assist to lead Michigan up front. Connor and Compher have points in 11 straight games, while Motte has scored a goal in six straight contests.
With the win, Michigan improves to 6-0-1 in its last seven games and upped its scoring average to 4.95 goals per game.
Senior goaltender Steve Racine made a career best 46 saves in the win, as Penn State outshot Michigan, 50-49, in a fast-paced back-and-forth contest.
The "CCM Line" helped Michigan race out to a three-goal lead in a dominant second period that began with the two teams tied at 2-2.
Connor scored his first of the night to give Michigan the lead at 3:46 of the second period. Motte chipped the puck to himself off the boards and made a diving pass to Connor, who skated in alone on a breakaway. Connor cut to his forehand and beat Penn State goaltender Matthew Skoff (41 saves) to give Michigan the lead.
Later in the period, Motte chipped the puck up to Connor for a two-on-one with Compher on the left wing. Compher finished the play, jamming a shot past Skoff at 10:48.
Then Connor notched his second of the period, as Motte followed his own rebound on a shot from the right circle, pushing pass across the crease to Connor for a tap-in goal at 13:50 to make it 5-2. Connor's goal is his 20th of the season, a mark that Motte later matched.
Tommy Olczyk cut the Michigan lead to 5-3 at 15:48 to keep Penn State in it heading into the third period.
But the Wolverines responded in the third period.
On a 5-on-3 power play, Connor skated down the left wing, behind the net and fed junior forward Alex Kile in the slot, where he found the top corner for his eighth goal of the season at 7:33.
At 9:15, Motte forced a neutral-zone turnover, skated around a Penn State defender and beat Skoff between the pads for his 20th goal of the season.
Luke Juha added a goal from straightaway for Penn State at 11:22, but Racine helped the Wolverines kill off two late PSU power plays to seal the win.
A wild first period set the tone for the game. Motte scored his first of the night after a shot by Connor deflected high into the air and right into the slot. Motte then jammed the puck past Skoff at 8:55 to put the Wolverines ahead.
Chase Berger finished off a 2-on-1 down low to tie the game at 13:49. But on the following shift, sophomore forward Niko Porikos scored his first goal at Michigan with a quick shot off a faceoff win by junior forward Evan Allen at 14:26.
A fluky goal by Penn State's Vince Pedrie at 18:56 -- the puck deflected off the glove of Racine into the net -- tied the game. But the Wolverines came out firing in the second period to regain momentum.
2 G and 3 A for Wolverine Tyler Motte. The Connor-Compher-Motte CCM line is playing as well as any line right now. pic.twitter.com/iSdAl9N8s4
-- John Buccigross (@Buccigross) January 29, 2016
Michigan will travel to New York for a Saturday night (Jan. 30) contest against Penn State at Madison Square Garden. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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Communications Contact: Jeffrey Weinstein
