Michigan
17-6-4,14-4-1-0CCHA
Alaska
10-10-4,7-9-4-2CCHA
Michigan Wins Seesaw Battle to Sweep Nanooks
1/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Jan. 22, 2011
• Boxscore 
| Notes | Photo Gallery 
• Postgame Video: Highlights 
| Head Coach Red Berenson | Carl Hagelin & Scooter Vaughan
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #6 Michigan 4, Alaska 3
Records: U-M (17-6-4, 14-4-1-0 CCHA), Alaska (10-10-4, 7-9-4-2 CCHA)
Attendance: 6,801
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 29 -- vs. Michigan State (Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich.), 8:05 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After Alaska (RV USA Today/No. 19 USCHO) answered each of the Wolverines' first three goals, the University of Michigan ice hockey team (No. 6 USA Today/No. 6 USCHO) prevailed 4-3 on Saturday (Jan. 22) at Yost Ice Arena. The victory stretches U-M's winning streak to a season-best five games. Michigan has won nine of its last 10 contests.
Senior co-captain Carl Hagelin (Sodertalje, Sweden) registered three helpers on Michigan's four goals, tying a career high, senior goaltender Shawn Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) rejected 37 shots, and senior left wing Scooter Vaughan (Placentia, Calif.) booked the first game-winner of his career.
Freshman defenseman Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) started the scoring trend at 1:15 when he rifled a shot from the high slot after receiving a bounce pass off the side boards from Hagelin. The puck evaded every defender in front and found the back of the net behind Alaska's goaltender Scott Greenham for the initial lead, 1-0.
The Nanooks answered back at 8:38 to tie the game at 1-1 when Justin Filzen tapped in a rebound on a two-on-one rush with Ryan Hohl.
At 14:21, Hagelin followed a missed U-M shot into the corner, and moved it along to sophomore defenseman Lee Moffie (Wallingford, Conn.) at the point. Senior center Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) had his stick on the ice and his back to the net as he deflected the bullet from Moffie over Greenham's shoulder and into the top shelf for the 2-1 advantage.
Alaska peppered Hunwick for the first five minutes of the second stanza, and its persistence paid off at 5:18. Jarret Granberg attacked the net, and threw a hybrid shot-pass toward the goal, where Kevin Petovello got just enough stick on it to slide it by Hunwick's right pad and knot the game at two goals apiece.
Following a penalty kill, Michigan capitalized on a power play of its own at 10:30. Junior defenseman Brandon Burlon (Nobleton, Ontario) played the puck down low to Hagelin, who spotted sophomore right wing Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas) crashing the net. Brown's initial shot was denied, but his resolve prevailed as he put the second-chance attempt between the goalie's legs to up the ante, 3-2.
A shorthanded goal for the Nanooks tied the game for the third time (3-3) at 12:17, but senior center Ben Winnett (New Westminster, B.C.) won a faceoff in the U-M zone out to Vaughan, who sniped a shot high to the goalie's glove side for the tally, improving the lead to 4-3, where it stayed for the remainder of the game.
Alaska outshot U-M, 9-1, in the third period and appeared to have the game-tying goal at 14:21 of the final frame, but video review showed a Nanook topple over Hunwick before the puck entered the net and the goal was disallowed.
During the closing minutes, the Maize and Blue were forced to kill off a five-on-three for 57 seconds, in addition to facing an extra attacker when the Nanooks pulled Greenham, but staved them off for the win.
The Wolverines travel to the Joe Louis Arena on Saturday (Jan. 29) to take on Michigan State for College Hockey at the Joe at 8:05 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
