ANN ARBOR- The No. 13 ranked Michigan Wolverine hockey team applied pressure early and often on BG in front of a hostile Yost Arena crowd en route to a 5-0 victory last night.
Michigan (14-8-0, 9-5-0) opened up the scoring at the 2:43 mark of the first period with on a one-timer coming from Chad Kolarik (14). The Wolverines offense would keep the pressure on goalie Jimmy Spratt and the BG defense throughout the opening period, holding a 13-1 advantage in shots for the period, but managed only the one goal.
“After the first we had a pretty good feeling as team giving up only the one goal,” said BG coach Scott Paluch. “We increased our game in the next two periods but didn’t have anything to show for it.”
The Falcons’ (5-17-1, 3-12-0) ability to avoid disaster would not last, however, as Michigan’s offense opened up for two more goals in the second period putting the game out of reach.
The Wolverines’ second score of the game came on a slap-shot off the stick of David Rohlfs (11) that bounced off of Spratt’s glove and trickled into the BG net for a 2-0 UM lead. Kevin Porter (15) of Michigan would push the lead to three goals at the 8:42 mark of the second on a beautiful give-and-go play with teammate T.J. Hensick.
Michigan would add two more in third with goals coming from Kolarik and Rohlfs again, bringing the score to 5-0.
“I thought it was a good team effort,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “We haven’t won a home game since late November and this is a good feeling. We don’t have much time to enjoy it but it was a good step in the right direction.”
On the night BG was 0-9 on the power play while Michigan converted on one of six chances with the man-advantage. Michigan finished the night with a 33-22 advantage in shots over the Falcons.
“Our inability to score goals is hurting our confidence,” Paluch said. “We have to be able to capitalize on our chances and tonight we just didn’t give ourselves a chance.”
Wolverine goalie Billy Sauer (13-8-0) stopped all 22 shots by the Falcons for the sophomore’s first shutout of the season. Spratt (4-11-0) made 28 saves in a losing effort for BG.
BG will attempt to get back into the win column in the CCHA when the team travels to Nebraska-Omaha for a pair of games.
