Michigan
Miami (Ohio)
Michigan Uses Three-Goal First Period to Bury RedHawks
2/3/2012 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Feb. 3, 2012
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Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #8 Michigan 4, Miami 1
Record: Michigan (16-9-4, 10-7-4-1 CCHA), Miami (15-12-2, 11-10-2-1 CCHA)
Attendance: 6,637 (sellout)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 4 -- vs. Miami University (Yost Ice Arena), 7:35 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team (No. 7 USCHO/No. 8 USA Today/USA Hockey) rode a three-goal first period to a 4-1 win over Miami University (No. 18 USCHO/NR USA Today/USA Hockey) on Friday night (Feb. 3) at Yost Ice Arena. The victory snapped a five-game winless streak against the RedHawks.
Michigan scored four times in the first two periods -- including two power-play goals -- and staved off six Miami power plays on the way to picking up a victory in the first game of the CCHA weekend series. A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) contributed two goals in the victory, while Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) contributed two assists.
The scoring was broken at 1:40 when Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas) wove through a couple of RedHawk defenders to wrist the puck through the five-hole on a breakaway for his 10th goal of the season. Minutes later, after a big hit from captain Luke Glendening (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Treais skated in from the left side and buried the puck past Miami goalie Cody Reichard at 15:37 to bring the score to 2-0 in favor of the Maize and Blue.
Treais snagged his second goal of the night and 11th of the season at 17:23 of the period when he curved the puck into the net from a nearly parallel position on the left goal line.
The period ended with a pair of coincidental penalties assessed to the Wolverines and the RedHawks, forcing some four-on-four hockey to start the second stanza.
Though the RedHawks switched goalies at the beginning of the second period, Michigan capitalized on a man-advantage when a slap shot by Merrill from near the blue line was tipped into the net by Luke Moffatt (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) in front to bring the score to 4-1.
The early second-period goal by Miami proved to be its only tally of the game as the RedHawks failed to capitalize on any of their four power-play opportunities. Instead, Michigan showcased its defensive talent when faced with back-to-back penalty kills in the last few minutes of the second period.
The third period saw nothing but three power-play opportunities between the teams and some roughhousing on the ice, which culminated in a five-minute major penalty against the RedHawks' Blake Coleman with two seconds remaining in the period.
Shawn Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) turned aside 24-of-25 shots on goal. Reichard started in goal for Miami and allowed three goals on eight shots in the first period. Connor Knapp turned aside 12-of-13 shots in 40:00 of relief action.
The Wolverines return to game action on Saturday night (Feb. 4) to finish off the weekend series with Miami at Yost Ice Arena. Game time is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
Contact: Rob Tillotson (734) 763-4423
