Michigan
Minnesota
Wolverines Stun Top-Ranked Golden Gophers
11/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Mariucci Arena)
Score: #15 Michigan 6, #1 Minnesota 3
Records: U-M (9-6-0), UM (7-2-4)
Attendance: 10,217
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 29 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), 7:05 p.m. CT
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team toppled the top-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers with a 6-3 road victory in the opening game of the 16th annual College Hockey Showcase. Twelve Wolverines recorded points in the game, including a quartet of U-M players that had multiple points. Carl Hagelin(Sodertalje, Sweden) and David Wohlberg(South Lyon, Mich.) each notched career highs with two goals apiece with Hagelin's second tally of the night proving to be the decisive goal in the contest. Bryan Hogan(Highland, Mich.) got the start in net and made 23 saves. U-M outshot Minnesota by a 43 to 25 margin.
The Wolverines got on the scoreboard first at 5:07 on just their second shot of the night. Streaking down the left wing, Brandon Naurato(Livonia, Mich.) one-touched a Ben Winnett(New Westminster, B.C. ) crossing feed past goalie Alex Kangas. Chad Langlais(Spokane, Wash.) got the play started with a well-placed dump-in into the right corner, which is where Winnett recovered the puck and quickly fired it to Naurato.
Four minutes later, U-M took a 2-0 lead on a Hagelin marker. Travis Turnbull(Chesterfield, Mo.) stripped a Gopher defenseman of the puck and spotted Hagelin darting through the right circle. Before an oncoming defender could reach him, Hagelin ripped a wrist shot short-side past Kangas.
Minnesota's vaunted power play -- tied for eighth in the country -- got its first opportunity at 12:07. Hogan made two stops during the penalty kill, including a tough glove save on Minnesota's top scorer Ryan Stoa, who got off a low shot from just outside the crease.
Shots were 9-8 in favor of Michigan through the first period.
The Maize and Blue doubled its lead in the second stanza with goals at 2:22 and 4:01. Wohlberg went first by scoring on a nifty, short-side backhander from the low left circle. Danny Fardig(Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Chris Summers(Milan, Mich.) got the assists.
Hagelin capitalized on a series of perfect passes from Turnbull and Robbie Czarnik(Washington, Mich.) to make it 4-0. Czarnik took possession behind the Gopher net and passed to Turnbull, who was situated along the left-wing boards just a few feet above the goal line. Turnbull immediately sent a pass out towards the hashmarks where Hagelin received the puck and shot it in one motion over Kangas' trapper. Following the goal, Minnesota inserted Kent Patterson in between the pipes.
U-M allowed Minnesota's first score of the game at 10:42. Michigan committed back-to-back penalties to give the Gophers a two-man advantage. Jordan Schroeder got wide open in the right circle and sent a wrist shot past Hogan inside the left post.
Michigan and Minnesota exchanged goals in the final minute-plus of the second period. Wohlberg scored his second goal of the night at 18:49. Brian Lebler(Penticton, B.C.) got the puck to the front of the net for Wohlberg to wrist through traffic and under the crossbar. The Gophers' Stoa swept a rebound shot into the Michigan net at 19:45. The Wolverines peppered the Minnesota net with 20 shots in the middle frame; the Gophers took seven shots.
Minnesota made it 5-3 on a deflection by Justin Bostrom at 3:47 of the third period. Bostrom got his stick on a Mike Hoeffel shot, chipping the puck up and over Hogan.
Michigan expanded its lead back to three goals on Louie Caporusso's (Woodbridge, Ontario) 13th goal of the season at 10:46. Tim Miller(Davisburg, Mich.) tracked down a loose puck in the left circle of Minnesota's zone. His pass through the slot was redirected just enough by Caporusso to sail over the goalie's left shoulder.
U-M returns to action tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 29), traveling to Madison, Wis., for a matchup at Wisconsin in its second of two games in the 16th Annual College Hockey Showcase. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. CST at the Kohl Center.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
