Michigan
1-1-0
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Western Michigan
2-2-0
Michigan Overcomes Early Deficit to Defeat No. 19 Western Michigan
10/19/2018 11:36:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» The Wolverines had six different goal scorers in the come-from-behind victory.
» Back on the same line for the first time this year, the Pastujov brothers ignited the Michigan offense with a goal apiece, with Michael Pastujov adding an assist.
» The Wolverines will finish the home-and-home series on Saturday evening (Oct. 20) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #11 Michigan 6, #19 Western Michigan 5
Records: U-M (1-1-0), Western Michigan (2-2-0)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 20 -- at Western Michigan (Kalamazoo, Mich.), 7:05 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team earned its first victory of the season after it defeating No. 19 Western Michigan, 6-5, on Friday night (Oct. 19) at Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena.
"One thing I really liked was our bounce-back," said head coach Mel Pearson. "They (Western Michigan) came back and we'd get another goal to extend the lead, so it was some good bounce-back from our guys tonight."
After a scoreless first 15 minutes, Western Michigan was first to open up the scoring when Hugh McGing found the back of the net off a rebound off a feed from Ethen Frank.
Michigan evened the score off a power-play goal by junior forward Nick Pastujov at the 18:29 mark. The goal came after senior defenseman Nicholas Boka's shot from the point was deflected by sophomore forward Jack Becker, with Pastujov on the right side of the net to bury the loose puck.
Western Michigan would regain the lead 30 seconds later on a power-play goal Ethen Frank after Paul Cotter won a critical faceoff before passing to Corey Schueneman, who then found Frank for the goal.
The Maize and Blue evened the score 7:34 into the second period when sophomore forward Michael Pastujov gathered the puck after his brother, Nick, fired a shot that deflected off a defender's stick for his first marker of the 2018 campaign.
The Wolverines would score less than a minute later. Sophomore forward Josh Norris gave Michigan its first lead of the night when he weaved through the Bronco defense and brought the puck through the zone to find senior captain Joseph Cecconi, who then found junior forward Will Lockwood in front of the net for U-M's second power-play goal of the night.
To cap off a dominant period, at the 10:23 mark, while on another power play, sophomore defenseman Quinn Hughes found Norris on a cross-ice pass,. Norris' shot was redirected by junior forward Jake Slaker to give U-M a 4-2 lead heading into the final intermission.
Western Michigan capitalized on a Wolverine turnover 13 seconds into the final period to cut the deficit to 4-3, when McGing found Austin Rueschhoff in front of the net for a goal.
Later in the period, with both teams playing four-on-four due to penalties, redshirt sophomore forward Luke Morgan put his speed on display, going goal-line to goal-line before passing it back to junior defenseman Griffin Luce, who buried a shot in the top-left corner for his first goal of the season, bring U-M's lead back to two (5-3).
The Broncos found themselves on a two-on-two break at the 9:57 mark when Frank found Cam Lee who ripped a shot in the bottom-left corner to make the score 5-4.
Michigan would respond when senior forward Brendan Warren collected his own rebound from a deflected shot before he spotted sophomore forward Dakota Raabe wide open, and he one-timed it past the sprawling Bronco netminder.
Western Michigan would tack on one more to cut the Michigan lead to one at the 17:49 mark, but the Wolverine defense held strong in the final minutes of play to preserve the 6-5 score and earn their first win of the season.
"I think it comes from practice and chemistry," said junior assistant captain Jake Slaker. "We've had a few weeks together now so we're starting to figure some things out and it showed tonight and I think we looked good."
The Maize and Blue will conclude its weekend series with Western Michigan on Saturday (Oct. 20) when it travels to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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