Notes & Quotes: #2 Michigan 4, Ohio State 2
12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
N O T E S
With a 14-2-0 record, the Wolverines are off to their best 16-game start since the 1996-97 campaign when they were 14-1-1. The total is also U-M's fourth best in program history, tying the 1963-64 and 1961-62 squads.
Aaron Palushaj tallied three assists on the night (0-3-3). He is the first freshman on the team this year to notch more than two points in a single contest.
The last time that a U-M player notched a playmaker occurred on February 24, 2007 when defenseman Mark Mitera tallied three assists at Ohio State.
U-M's record against Ohio State improves to 61-28-11. The Wolverines snapped their two-game losing streak to OSU. Michigan is 31-12-6 in Ann Arbor against the Buckeyes.
Before tonight, the last time a penalty shot was attempted against the Maize and Blue was March 16, 2007, when U-M faced Michigan State in the CCHA playoffs. However, the last time an opponent scored on a penalty shot was March 2, 1997, 451 games ago.
Freshman Bryan Hogan made his career debut in tonight's match. The goalie played 59:36 minutes, and acquired 26 saves. He also stopped OSU's Tommy Goebel on a first period penalty shot.
Steve Kampfer played in his 50th career game for the Maize and Blue. The sophomore has acquired a 3-10-13 line during his tenure.
With an assist on the fourth goal of the evening, Kevin Porter extended his point streak to six games (7-7-14). The center has tallied a point in all but two of Michigan's sixteen contests this season. He leads the nation with 26 points.
Carl Hagelin earned two points during tonight's match (1-1-2), giving the freshman ten career points.
The all-freshman line of Carl Hagelin (1-1-2), Matt Rust (1-1-2) and Aaron Palushaj (0-3-3) tallied seven points. In all, five freshmen combined for four goals and six assists -- Max Pacioretty had two goals, including the game winner, and Chad Langlais had one assist to round out the rookie scoring for the night.
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Red Berenson
On starting freshman goalie Bryan Hogan... "I liked his game. I do not think you would want a goalie to play this first game when the second shot of the night is a penalty shot, but he was up to it, and I thought he looked good out there. I think it was time for Hogan to start a game at Yost; he missed the entire fall, and he has been working hard at practice. He looked good, and I have had it in the back of my mind to play him. I thought it was good to put him in, play him a game at home, and see where he is. It was a big game for our team, and he sensed the importance of the game, but he was up to it."
On tonight's game... "I can't tell you I am happy with our overall game tonight, but I liked the way we started the game. I thought there were too many penalties again, and they were costly. There could have been a change in momentum in the game, depending upon whether one team scored or the other. I thought we turned the puck over too often. We have to play better hockey, but we definitely started the game strong and gave ourselves a chance. It was good to get early goals and get a lead on Ohio State."
On playing an all-freshman line of Carl Hagelin, Matt Rust and Aaron Palushaj... "We have to be willing and able to change. We were having a pretty good [winning streak] for a while, and I think we have to be able to adapt, depending on who is playing well, who is improving, and who is not. I do not think it will be the last time we change anything."
U-M Freshman Forward Max Pacioretty
On what the team had to do differently tonight after the loss yesterday... "We knew that we had to score. We came out and played pretty well yesterday, but then we let up that early goal. So, we knew we had to get one quick. They are a hard-working team and we couldn't give them any confidence."
On the freshmen tonight... "It was a great day for the freshmen. In terms of Hogan, he has to have a lot of confidence after a great game. And then in the lineup we had Matt Rust and Carl Hagelin (on a line with Palushaj) and they played unbelievably. They had two quick goals that got us going. So it gave us some confidence and we need to build off that."
U-M Freshman Forward Aaron Palushaj
On other players scoring besides Kevin Porter and Chad Kolarik... "It was huge. They have been doing most of the load, scoring-wise. We have been stressing that every line needs to get involved. So, it was great to step up and get a couple lines going."
On the power play... "I thought we had a lot of chances the other night, and obviously tonight we had some chances too. I think the bounces weren't going our way. We just have to keep moving the puck around and getting shots through."
U-M Freshman Goaltender Bryan Hogan
On his first game at Michigan... "The nerves got to me. I do not think I have played a game in about six months, so I was really nervous getting out there."
On the penalty shot... "I just tried to calm myself down. It was getting pretty crazy; I couldn't believe what was happening. I just had to calm myself down. I told myself that it was just a penalty shot, and I have taken them before."
