Michigan
13-7-0, 8-5-0CCHA
Michigan Tech
8-9-2, 5-7-2WCHA
Hunwick Leads U-M Past Michigan Tech Into GLI Final
12/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
DETROIT, Mich. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team advanced to the championship game of the 42nd annual Great Lakes Invitational thanks to a 4-1 win over Michigan Tech on Friday (Dec. 29) at Joe Louis Arena. The Wolverines, looking for their first GLI title since 1996, will face No. 14 Michigan State, a 5-2 winner over Harvard earlier in the day.
Senior captain Matt Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) scored U-M's first and third goals of the game. Kevin Porter's (Northville, Mich.) two assists extended his career-best point streak to 16 games. Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) stopped 27 of the 28 shots he faced to improve to 12-7-0.
Michigan got on the board late in the first period on Hunwick's first goal of the season. After being hauled down with the puck at his feet, Porter was able to recover and skate through three Michigan Tech defenders before passing the puck to Hunwick who had a clear path to the net. Hunwick skated unabated into the right circle where he roofed the puck over the left elbow of the MTU netminder into the net.
U-M held a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. Sauer made 8 saves in the opening stanza.
U-M extended its lead to 2-0 at 4:14 of the second period. Porter held off a check along the boards at center ice and broke into MTU territory with a two-on-one. Porter fed Travis Turnbull (Chesterfield, Mo.) in the middle and Turnbull deked forehand before flipping the puck into the net on his backhand. T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) drew his team-leading 35th point with an assist on the play.
Skating four-on-four, the Maize and Blue took a 3-0 lead on Hunwick's second marker of the night. While Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) and David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.) swarmed the MTU goal, the puck eventually was swatted out to Hunwick in the slot. Hunwick waited out the Huskies' defense and ripped a shot high into net at 10:11.
Brian Lebler (Penticton, B.C.) widened the gap to 4-0 at 14:34 of the second period. Tim Miller (Davisburg, Mich.) knocked down a loose puck just inside the Huskies' zone. After settling the puck on his stick, Miller fed the puck to Morgan Ward (West Redding, Conn.) in the slot where it was redirected to Lebler's stick on the right side of Nolan. Lebler fired the puck on the stick side for his sixth marker of the season.
After two periods of play U-M held a 4-0 lead and a 23-17 shots advantage.
A Michigan Tech power-play goal spoiled Sauer's shutout bid with 1:16 on the clock. Tyler Shelast benefited from a barrage of shots, taking a Jimmy Kerr rebound off of Sauer's left pad and popping it into the net.
The Wolverines will take on Michigan State at 7:36 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 30). The game will be broadcast live on FSN Detroit.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
