Michigan
15-8-0, 10-5-0CCHA
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Western Michigan
8-14-1, 5-11-1CCHA
Michigan Thumps NMU for Berenson's 600th Career Win
1/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team defeated Northern Michigan 5-2 on Friday (Jan. 12), earning head coach Red Berenson his 600th career victory at the helm of the Maize and Blue. Michigan's third line was key in propelling the Wolverines past the Wildcats. Tim Miller (Davisburg, Mich.) chipped in the game-winning goal along with a helper, while Brandon Naurato (Livonia, Mich.) added a goal and an assist of his own.
The Wolverines broke onto the scoreboard when Naurato scored his seventh goal of the season at 4:50 of the opening period. Jason Dest (Fraser, Mich.) scooped up a Miller feed and threw the puck toward the net. The attempt found the stick of Naurato, who walked around a sprawling Bill Zaniboni and deposited the puck in the back of the net to give U-M the 1-0 advantage.
Anthony Ciraulo (Clinton Township, Mich.) redirected a shot to extend Michigan's lead to a pair of goals midway through the period. Dest advanced the puck to Steve Kampfer (Jackson, Mich.) stationed at the half-boards on the right side. Kampfer flipped the puck into the slot, where it was tipped by Ciraulo between the NMU netminder's legs. The tally at 10:02 was the first of Ciraulo's career.
Michigan extended its lead once again 2:29 into the second period. With an assist from Naurato, David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.) took a strong shot on goal, but the shot deflected off the pads of Zaniboni and into the air. Miller -- standing in front of the goal -- spun and slapped the puck out of the air and into the net to give the Wolverines a 3-0 lead.
Shortly thereafter, Michigan continued its scoring streak with a shorthanded goal from Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) at 3:19. A pass from Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich.) to T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) set up the Wolverines' fourth score of the evening. After receiving the puck, Hensick passed to a wide-open Porter on the far side of the net. Zaniboni was unable to recover from the quick pass, and Porter pushed Hensick's helper behind the sprawling goalie for his team-leading 16th goal of the year.
Northern Michigan retaliated at 5:01 in the second stanza with a goal by Mike Santorelli to put the Wildcats on the board. Darin Olver passed the puck to Nathan Sigmund, who took a shot on Billy Sauer (Walworth, NY). Sauer was able to block the shot but as the puck bounced off his pads, Santorelli was there to push the deflection behind the Wolverines' goalie to cut Michigan's lead to 4-1.
At 18:54 the Wildcats had another scoring opportunity when Santorelli carried the puck down the ice and took a hard shot on an unprotected Sauer. Sauer deflected the shot taken by the CCHA's leading goal scorer, but Rob Lehtinen was close by to pick up the loose puck. Lehtinen attempted to push the puck past Sauer, but the goalie sprawled out in front of the net to block the shot and keep the Maize and Blue up by three goals.
Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, Ontario) added to U-M's advantage at 5:20 of the final session. Hensick relayed a pass up to Porter, who carried the puck into the NMU zone. Surrounded by Wildcat defenders, Porter slid a dish to Cogliano in the left face off circle. Cogliano's power-play slapper found the far side of the net and lit the lamp for a 5-1 U-M edge.
Northern Michigan responded just 1:41 later to make the deficit 5-2. Andrew Sarauer corralled a Pat Bateman feed and flung a shot on net that Sauer knocked aside. However, Nick Sirota was waiting at the goal mouth for the rebound, and his wrister bounced up and over the Wolverine netminder's shoulder at 7:01.
Michigan will close out the home series against Northern Michigan on Saturday (Jan. 13). The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:35 pm.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
