U-M Finishes Off Weekend Sweep of Spartans

Saturday, January 9

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:05 PM

Michigan

13-3-3, 4-1-1-1B1G

Michigan State

5-15-2, 1-5-0-0B1G

Michigan State

Michigan

1/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Jan. 9, 2016

» Michigan tallied four goals in the second period and has scored five or more goals in 11 games this season.
» Kyle Connor (G) and JT Compher (2A) have points in eight straight games.
» Michigan earned its first home-and-home sweep against the Spartans since Dec. 5-6, 2008.

• Boxscore | Photo Gallery

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #8 Michigan 6, Michigan State 3
Records: U-M (13-3-3, 4-1-1-1 Big Ten), MSU (5-15-2, 1-5-0-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Jan. 15 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 6:30 p.m.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team held serve at home Saturday night (Jan. 9), earning a series sweep against Michigan State with a 6-3 win in front of a sold-out crowd at Yost Ice Arena.

Sophomore defenseman Zach Werenski (G, A) scored for the second straight game in his return from serving as captain of the U.S. World Junior Team, leading a parade of six different goal scorers for the Wolverines. Senior goaltender Steve Racine (24 saves) improved to 6-0-0 in his last seven starts, as Michigan won its fourth straight game overall and improved to 8-1-2 in its last 11 games.

The Wolverines earned their first home-and-home sweep against the Spartans since Dec. 5-6, 2008.

One night after scoring five goals in a period (1st) against the Spartans, the Wolverines scored four in the second period tonight to take control of a game that remained tied at 1-1 after one period of play.

Michigan, which finished the night 2-for-3 on the power play, got its offense rolling on the man advantage.

Freshman forward Cooper Marody snapped an eight-game goalless skid by putting a rebound of a Werenski drive past MSU goaltender Jake Hildebrand (35 saves) at 1:46 as U-M took the lead for good.

The Wolverines struck quickly again, as junior defenseman Michael Downing beat Hildebrand with a fluttering wrist shot through traffic at 2:32.

Werenski notched his sixth of the season with Michigan on the power play again, firing a shot from straightaway through the screen of senior forward Justin Selman and into the net at 8:09.

Michigan made it 5-1 on an outstanding individual effort by junior forward Tyler Motte, who skated around an MSU defender from the right wing, cut in front of the net and scooped a shot past Hildebrand on the short side at 12:15.

MSU's Villiam Haag (14:09) scored on a wrist shot from the slot, and Michael Ferrantino added a power-play goal at 19:21 to cut the Michigan lead to two heading into the third period.

The Wolverines killed off an early third-period penalty to Downing (high sticking, 1:59) with Racine making one of his best saves of the night early on in the power play, kicking out a Ferrantino shot from between the circles.

Freshman forward Kyle Connor sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 17:38, extending his point streak to eight games. Junior forward JT Compher (2A) also has points in eight straight games.

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