Michigan
21-9-0, 16-6-0CCHA
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Western Michigan
12-15-1, 9-12-1CCHA
Michigan Sweep of WMU Successful on Senior Night
2/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team completed the sweep of Western Michigan, 3-1, on Saturday (Feb. 3) at Yost Ice Arena. David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.) tallied the shorthanded game winner to cap off a successful Senior Night performance for U-M. Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) stopped 19 of the 20 shots directed his way. The victory extends Michigan's winning streak to six games -- U-M is 8-1-0 in 2007.
Michigan was given the first power-play opportunity of the night when Mike Lesperance was whistled for charging at 4:45 of the opening period. The Wolverines kept constant pressure on the WMU defense but were unable to convert, registering a single shot with the man-advantage.
The Maize and Blue defense did its job throughout the first stanza, not allowing the Broncos to get off a shot until 9:10. Western Michigan did mount a scoring opportunity later in the frame on a two-on-one breakaway, but Sauer made a quick kick save to deny Jeff LoVecchio.
Western Michigan got its own power play at 15:12, but was stifled by the Michigan penalty killing unit and could not manage a shot on goal. In stark contrast to Friday night's (Feb. 2) meeting, each team was called for a single penalty in the opening session. On Friday, U-M was called for four penalties, and the Broncos were whistled for five of their own.
Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) gave U-M its best scoring chance of the period when he picked up a Jason Dest (Fraser, Mich.) thread and skated in on Riley Gill. Kolarik's shot sailed over Gill's shoulder but just wide of the net at 18:19.
With time about to expire in the first period, LoVecchio again had a chance to put his team on the scoreboard. The WMU sophomore scooped up the puck, skating in alone on Sauer and deked around the sprawling netminder, but his backhand attempt missed the net and pinged off the glass.
Following a first period dominated by defense, Michigan kicked off the middle stanza with a goal 40 seconds in. A botched clearing attempt allowed Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) to grab the bouncing puck in the right faceoff circle. Porter steadied it and flipped a pass to Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich.) in the slot. Johnson's slapshot was past the WMU goalie before Gill had a chance to react. The goal -- Johnson's 14th of the season -- gave the Maize and Blue the 1-0 edge.
Western Michigan was able to knot the score at a goal apiece at 8:38. Shorthanded, Mark Letestu snagged the puck along the boards in the neutral zone and, joined by LoVecchio, crashed in on Sauer. Letestu's crossing pass was blocked by Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, Ontario), but the freshman forward was able to reach back and stuff the puck shortside under Sauer's skate for the 1-1 tie.
A three-on-one breakaway gave the Broncos a chance to take the lead, but Sauer made a pair of goal-mouth saves to keep the score tied. The line of Brian Bicek, Paul Szczechura, and Jeff Pierce streaked in with only Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich.) and Sauer to beat. Pierce slid a pass to Bicek, whose shot was stopped by the U-M goalie. Bicek scooped up his own rebound and carried the puck to the other side of the net, but his wraparound try was denied by Sauer's left skate blade at 12:01.
Michigan was given a two-man advantage with less than two minutes remaining in the second period when Szczechura and LoVecchio were each sent to the box. The Maize and Blue was unable to convert on the opportunity, tallying just a pair of shots.
The Wolverines put 25 shots on goal to Western's 10 in the middle frame, outshooting the Broncos by a 31-14 margin after 40 minutes of play.
A shorthanded tally by Rohlfs gave Michigan the 2-1 lead at 5:29 of the third period. Rohlfs gobbled up a clearing pass by Matt Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) and chipped it ahead to himself. Rohlfs flicked the puck through a WMU defender's legs before lifting a backhand shot above Gill's outstretched glove for his 15th goal of the year.
Western Michigan pulled Gill at 19:09 in an effort to tie the score, but Chris Summers' (Ann Arbor, Mich.) first career goal put the game out of reach for the Broncos. Cogliano dished to Kolarik, who relayed it to Summers for the tally and the 3-1 final score.
Michigan travels to Bowling Green on Friday (Feb. 9) and will then face Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Saturday (Feb. 10). Friday's game is scheduled for a 7:05 p.m. faceoff and will be broadcast on Comcast Local. Saturday's contest will be televised by FSN Detroit and is slated to begin at 7:35 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
