Michigan
18-4-4, 9-2-2-1B1G
Wisconsin
6-13-6, 1-8-2-1B1G
Racine Helps Wolverines Roll at Wisconsin
2/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Feb. 12, 2016
» Cristoval 'Boo' Nieves (assist) needs one point to become the 83rd U-M player with 100 points.
» After a 1-1 first period, Michigan scored three unanswered goals and is now unbeaten in its last 10 games (8-0-2) against Wisconsin.
• Boxscore 
Site: Madison, Wis. (Kohl Center)
Score: #6 Michigan 4, Wisconsin 1
Records: U-M (18-4-4, 9-2-2-1 Big Ten), WIS (6-13-6, 1-8-2-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 13 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), 8 p.m. EST
MADISON, Wis. -- Led by another standout performance by its top line and a great performance by goaltender Steve Racine, the sixth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team earned a 4-1 win at Wisconsin on Friday night (Feb. 12) at Kohl Center.
Junior forward Tyler Motte (G, A) scored his NCAA-leading 26th goal of the season, his 10th straight game with a goal, freshman forward Kyle Connor added a goal and an assist, and junior captain JT Compher had three assists to lead Michigan. Compher and Motte now have points in 15 straight games.
Sophomore forward Dexter Dancs and junior forward Alex Kile added goals, and Racine made 25 saves on 26 shots to improve to 13-2-2 on the season. Michigan is now 7-1-2 in road contests this season.
The Wolverines outshot Wisconsin 40-26 for the night, as Badgers goaltender Matt Jurusik made 36 saves on the night.
Motte gave Michigan an early lead at 4:25 of the first period on a beautiful pass from linemate JT Compher. Motte fed cross-ice to Compher and then cut to the net. Compher fired a slap pass through traffic to Motte in stride, and Motte found an open net for the goal.
Wisconsin tied the game late in the frame on a controversial play. Ryan Wagner shoveled a shot on net as the Michigan goal lifted up from its moorings with traffic in the goal mouth. Wagner's shot went underneath the lifted post and in at 17:19, and the goal was confirmed after a length review.
Midway through the second period, the Wolverines regained the lead on a 2-on-2 rush up the ice thanks to a great effort by Dancs. Senior forward Cristoval 'Boo' Nieves fired a shot on net from the right circle that Wisconsin goaltender Matt Jurusik kicked to the slot. Dancs beat his man to the rebound and scooped a backhander over the shoulder of the Wisconsin goaltender at 8:20 to put Michigan up 2-1.
Michigan appeared to take a two-goal lead at 14:18, when sophomore forward Tony Calderone beat Jurusik with a quick wrist shot in the slot, but the puck deflected off the inside of the post and across the goal line. The play was reviewed and confirmed as no goal.
Kile gave the Wolverines a 3-1 lead with Michigan on the power play. Connor held the puck at the point and found Kile in the slot, who redirected the puck past Jurusik at 6:21.
Racine made two great stops in the span of a minute midway through the third period to keep Michigan ahead by two goals. He turned away a net front chance for Matt Ustaski with at 8:30, then smothered Kevin Schulze's shot from the slot on a 3-on-2 rush for the Badgers at 9:11.
With the Wisconsin net vacant, Connor sealed the win for Michigan with an empty-net goal at 19:36.
We win the series opener at Wisconsin! Great game for the boys. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/DK8wwwL7YB
-- Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) February 13, 2016
Michigan returns to Kohl Center tomorrow night (Saturday, Feb. 13) for the series finale at 8 p.m. EST.
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Communications Contact: Jeffrey Weinstein
