Michigan
0-0-0
Bowling Green (ex)
0-0-0
Michigan Lights Up Scoreboard, Bowling Green in Exhibition Win
10/2/2021 10:37:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Brendan Brisson scored three times from the right dot to record a hat trick.
» Kent Johnson scored and added three assists for a four-point game.
» Nick Blankenburg scored twice in his debut as Michigan captain.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #3 Michigan 7, Bowling Green 1 (exhibition)
Records: U-M (0-0-0), BGSU (0-0-0)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Oct. 8 -- vs. Lake Superior State (Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team came out firing on all cylinders Saturday night (Oct. 2) as they rolled to a 7-1 exhibition win over Bowling Green to kick off the 2021-22 schedule inside a frenzied Yost Ice Arena.
Fans, who filed through the doors for the first time since February 2020, were treated to an offensive display from the opening whistle, while sophomore netminder Erik Portillo was sturdy in net, turning aside 17 shots to pitch a shutout in his two and a half periods of play.
Early on, a pair of top-five NHL draft picks linked up to kick off the scoring when Matty Beniers sprung classmate Kent Johnson for an early breakaway 1:28 into the contest. Johnson accepted the pass in stride as he broke into the Bowling Green zone and fired a wrist shot into the back of the net.
Brendan Brisson doubled the U-M lead just before the halfway point of the opening period with a power-play strike from the right dot on Michigan's first opportunity. Assists went to Johnson, positioned on the far wall, and Owen Power running point up top.
Just 22 seconds later, Brisson scored once again with a slick shot off of a toe drag from inside the right dot. Last year's leading scorer, Thomas Bordeleau, picked up the assist after creating space in the corner to pop out and find Brisson gliding toward the net for Michigan's third goal.
Finishing off a stellar first period for Michigan was senior Jimmy Lambert, who finished off a rush to bury the team's fourth goal with 48 seconds left. Freshman blue-liner Luke Hughes picked up the primary assist while Jacob Truscott received the secondary.
With one period in the books, Michigan had bolted out to a 4-0 lead, while leading in shots 18-6.
After Michigan killed off an early penalty, Bowling Green was called for too many men to put U-M on the power play for the second time. Just over a minute later, Nick Blankenburg scored from the point with 12:07 left to give the Wolverines their second PPG in as many tries and a 5-0 lead. Johnson and Eric Ciccolini were credited with the assists on Blankenburg's strike.
Several minutes later, it was Blankenburg again, scoring a five-hole goal to make it 6-0 with 8:34 remaining after he called for the puck while flying into the Falcons zone on the right wing. Philippe Lapointe picked up the secondary assist for pushing the puck up the ice to his linemate, Johnson, who set up the cross-ice feed to the captain.
After two periods, the Wolverines held a 6-0 lead and a commanding 33-15 advantage in shots.
U-M kicked the extra point to go up 7-0 early in the third period when Brisson notched a hat trick. Freshman forward Dylan Duke created a turnover in the BGSU end before slipping the puck to Bordeleau in the slot. Brisson settled into open space to Bordeleau's right, called for the puck, and wasted no time after receiving the pass. All three of Brisson's tallies came from the same vicinity, in a familiar patch of ice near the right dot.
Goaltender Jack Leavy came on in relief of Portillo after the halfway point of the third period. Bowling Green got on the board to make it 7-1 with 5:38 left to play when Coale Norris, brother of former Wolverine, Josh, pounced on a bouncing puck in front of Leavy and buried a rebound.
As the buzzer sounded, U-M celebrated a 7-1 exhibition win. Special teams were outstanding all night long for the home team, which converted both of its power-play opportunities and killed off all three penalties.
The Wolverines will open the regular season on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 8-9) as Lake Superior State comes to town for a two-game series. Puck drop on Friday (Oct. 8) is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., while Saturday's (Oct. 9) contest will start at 7 p.m. Both games will be streamed live on B1G+.
