Michigan signs four more

Michigan announced yesterday that four more student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent, and will attend U-M beginning in the fall of 2007. The group consists of forwards Carl Hagelin, Max Pacioretty, Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills) and goaltender Bryan Hogan (Highland).

Altogether, there are nine members for the 2007 recruiting class.

Hagelin (5-11, 176) plays for his hometown team, Sodertalje SK, in the J20 SuperElit Sodra. The league is for players 20 years-old and younger. So far in 2006-07, Hagelin has seven goals and 10 assists in 17 games, and is third on the squad in scoring. Hagelin also played for Sodertalje SK in 2005-06, skating in 45 games and leading his team in points (43) and assists (22). His 21 goals were second-best. Hagelin was tied for 10th overall in league scoring.

"Carl Hagelin is a player we've been fortunate enough to have over to our hockey school and have gotten to know the family," Michigan assistant coach Billy Powers said. "His older brother came to our hockey schools. Carl came in last summer and skated at a camp in Big Rapids. So it was good to see him in a North American environment over the summer, and he did very well. He's a scorer. He's an offensive player. A very good skater. He is excited about playing the North American brand of hockey because he likes the physical game. He likes to forecheck. He's a skill player."

Pacioretty (6-2, 205) is in his first season in the USHL, skating for the Sioux City Musketeers. Through 11 games, he has racked up a 6-8-14 line. His 14 points are the second best on Sioux City and tied for 12th-best in the league. All of Pacioretty's points came during an 8-game point spree during the first month of the Musketeers’ season, which includes three game-winning tallies.

"Max is a skating, offensive, physical player," said Powers. "He's really just a high-end guy in a lot of different ways, so we're really excited with what he's done in that league already and obviously look forward to him coming next season."

Rust (5-10, 180) is in his second season with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor. With the Under-18 team this year, he has nine goals and five assists in 20 games. He has a 2-3-5 line in eight games versus collegiate opponents. With the U.S. NTDP Under-17 team in 2005-06, Rust played in 68 games and accumulated 16-13-29 totals.

"Matt Rust I compare a lot to Dwight Helminen," Powers noted. "He's an exceptional skater, a real honest centerman. He's a tough guy to play against, but a guy, like Helminen, that can produce. He's doing it over there now. He's getting opportunities with the U.S. program and he's showing that he's capable offensively. Matt Rust is going to be a shutdown centerman, an Andrew Ebbett-type player."

Hogan (6-0, 190) plays for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL. In 2006-07, he has a 7-3-0 record through 10 games, and has posted a 3.42 goals against average and .866 save percentage. Hogan also guarded the net for Lincoln in 2005-06. In 39 regular season games, he earned a 22-12-4 record with one shutout with a 2.50 GAA and .916 save percentage. In the 2006 playoffs, he was 4-5-0 with one shutout, posting a 2.60 GAA and a .912 save percentage in the postseason.

"Bryan Hogan is having a good year again in Lincoln," Powers said. "He had a strong rookie season. He's going to come in here and make the goaltending situation even more competitive than it already is, which will be good. He will compete with the idea that he has a chance to play."

Earlier this week, the Wolverines inked forwards Louie Caporusso, Aaron Palushaj, Ben Winnett and defensemen Tristin Llewellyn and Kevin Quick to National Letters of Intent for the 2007-08 season.

Huskies add five for '07-08, one for '08-09

Michigan Tech announced the signing of six student-athletes to National Letters of Intent today.

Jordan Baker, Deron Cousens, Eric Kattelus (Houghton), Casey Pierro-Zabotel and Bennett Royer will attend and play hockey at Tech beginning in 2007-08, while Anthony Schooley (Romulus) will join the Huskies in the 2008-09 campaign.

Kattelus signed an NLI last spring and deferred enrollment until the 2007-08 season.

MTU's newest recruiting class showcases talent from three junior hockey leagues across North America, including two players from the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), two from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and two from the United States Hockey League (USHL).

Two of the incoming prospects -- Pierro-Zabotel and Schooley -- are listed as "Players to Watch" in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, according to NHL Central Scouting's preliminary report released last month.

"These players will be a joy to coach," said MTU head coach Jamie Russell. "Ian (Kallay) and Pat (Mikesch) did a great job in landing a very talented group that Michigan Tech will be proud to welcome to Houghton. These young men have all the ingredients to help us raise another championship banner in the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Not only does each player have a great resume, but each one brings great character to our program."

Baker will join Michigan Tech as a 5-7, 168-pound center. In his third year with the Olds Grizzlys of the AJHL, Baker ranks seventh in the league in scoring with 24-9--33 points through 27 games. A member of the AJHL's top power-play unit (24 percent), Baker has chipped in 17 of the Grizzlys' 56 markers with a man advantage this season. Last year, Baker helped lead the Grizzlys to a 30-22-4 regular-season record and second-place finish in the AJHL South Division standings. He was a member of the AJHL South Division All-Star Team and ended the campaign with 16-21--37 points in 40 games. During the 2004-05 slate, Baker appeared in 43 contests, scoring 9-15--24 points.

"Jordan will add a real dimension of speed and skill to our lineup," said Russell. "He is a leader and has proven he can finish, as he is averaging a goal per game in the AJHL."

Cousens, a 6-1, 190-pound defenseman, is in his second season with the BCHL's Penticton Vees. The Vees' top scoring defenseman, Cousens has notched 6-12--18 points in 19 games, including six power-play goals. Cousens is set to return to the Penticton lineup after teaming up with fellow Tech recruit Casey Pierro-Zabotel in helping Canada West to the gold medal at the inaugural World Junior A Hockey Challenge in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, last Sunday. Recognized as the tournament's best defensemen by Hockey Canada, Cousens led all bluliners in the four-game competition with 2-5--7 points. Cousens recorded 9-28--37 points for the Vees in 68 games a year ago.

"Deron has tremendous on-ice vision," said Russell. "He will be a quarterback on our power play and has the skating and mobility necessary to jump into the rush. He works hard on and off the ice and will be a team leader for us."

Kattelus, a 6-1, 183-pound forward, currently skates for the Indiana Ice of the USHL. The victim of an injury to start the season, Kattelus has rebounded to score two goals and one assist in four games. The forward was named the 2006 North American Hockey (NAHL) League Rookie of the Year after registering 35-40--75 points in 50 regular-season games with the Bismarck Bobcats. Kattelus led all NAHL rookies in scoring and ranked third in goals and points among all players. He also led the Bobcats with nine power-play goals and six game-winning markers.

Originally from Traverse City, Kattelus moved to Houghton prior to his junior year of high school, where he played one season for the Ojibwa Eagles midget AAA team. He compiled 30-45--75 points in 49 contests for the Eagles in 2004-05 and was named co-MVP.

"Eric is an extremely competitive player with a very high skill level," said Russell. "He is already a complete player who can play both ends of the ice. He is working hard to add strength to his frame which will only increase his ability to dominate games at the college level."

A 6-2, 208-pound forward, Pierro-Zabotel, will don a Husky uniform after a three-year stint with the Merritt Centennials in the BCHL. The league's third-leading scorer with 22-25--47 points in just 20 games in the 2006-07 campaign, Pierro-Zabotel leads all BCHL players with 17 power-play goals. Pierro-Zabotel missed several games with the Centennials while helping Canada West to the gold medal at the World Junior A Hockey Challenge. Canada West's second-leading scorer in the four-game tournament, Pierro-Zabotel amassed 3-6--9 points. The prolific scorer secured the game-winning goal on the power play in his team's 4-3 victory over Canada East in the gold medal game.

In 2005-06, Pierro-Zabotel totaled 29-39--68 points, including six shorthanded goals in 69 games. He also earned playing time in 63 contests in 2004-05, scoring 6-6--12.

"Casey is the diamond in what could be one of the best recruiting classes in the country," said Russell. "He excels in every aspect of the game and will play in all situations."

Royer, a 6-0, 190-pound forward, is currently a member of the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL. Through 23 games this season, Royer ranks third in the league in scoring with 17-21--38 points, including nine power-play markers. An AJHL South Division All-Star Team selection in 2005-06, he registered a team-high 26-35--61 points, along with 14 power-play goals in 67 games. Last December, Royer was one of 22 players from the AJHL South Division All-Star Team that competed at the Viking Cup in Camrose, Alberta. The forward tallied two assists as his team earned a berth in the championship game of the tournament.

"Bennett is putting up great numbers in his final year of junior hockey," said Russell. "He can shoot the puck very accurately and makes others around him better."

Schooley, a 5-9, 190-pound winger, will come to Michigan Tech in 2008-09 from the USHL's Waterloo Black Hawks. The 17-year-old Schooley has contributed two assists in four games this year. He also tallied one helper while appearing in one contest for the Black Hawks in 2005-06. Before joining Waterloo, Schooley was a standout performer for the Honeybaked midget AAA team where he compiled 43-40--86 points in 2005-06 and 40-31--71 points in 2004-05. He has participated in multiple USA Hockey Select Player Development Camps, most recently at the USA Hockey Select 17 Festival last July in St. Cloud, Minn. Schooley led Team Grey in scoring with 3-3--6 points in five games and finished in a tie for third in points among all players at the camp.

"Anthony is an offensive player and will develop in a very good program in Waterloo," said Russell. "He is a great young man and will be an impact player when he arrives here."

Photo: Casey Pierro-Zabotel (left) and Deron Cousens (right) celebrate after winning the gold medal at the inaugural World Junior A Hockey Challenge in Yorkton, Saskatchewan on Nov. 12.

Photo courtesy Sandra Cousens

Wolverines ink three forwards, two defensemen

The University of Michigan has signed five players for next fall, including two Michigan natives and an NHL draft pick.

The group includes forwards Louie Caporusso, Aaron Palushaj (Northville) and Ben Winnett and defensemen Kevin Quick and Tristin Llewellyn (Ann Arbor).

"We've had classes where there are obviously headliners, but with these five it would be very difficult to separate the three forwards or the two defensemen," U-M assistant coach Billy Powers said. "I think that may end up being the theme of this class. We think all-around and because of the numbers that this will be an impact class at Michigan."

Caporusso is a 5-10, 180-pound forward who plays for Toronto-St. Michael's in the Ontario Provincial Hockey League. Through 22 games this season, he has team bests in points (35) and assists (15). Thirteen of his points have come on the power play (2-11-13). Caporusso also played for St. Mike's in 2005-06, earning the OPJHL's South Division Rookie of the Year honor. He skated in 48 regular season games, earning 29-44-73 totals. In 25 playoff games he had eight goals and 10 assists as St. Mike's won the OPJHL championship.

"Louie Caporusso is a forward playing for the same organization that brought us Andrew Cogliano -- St. Michael's," said Powers. "He's a skilled centerman. I kind of compare him a lot to Andrew Ebbett. Though he doesn't have Cogliano's flat-out speed, he has the intelligence and stick skills."

Caporusso recently participated in the inaugural Junior A World Challenge, which was put on by Hockey Canada from Nov. 6-12. He had a 1-3-4 line in four games, as his Canada East squad garnered a silver medal, falling to future teammate Ben Winnett's Canada West team in the final. Caporusso was named to the tournament All-Star team.

Palushaj (6-0, 185) is a member of the United States Hockey League's Des Moines Buccaneers. Through the first 12 games of the season he has seven goals and six assists. Six of his goals have come on the power play, which leads the team. Palushaj also spent the 2005-06 season with Des Moines. He accumulated 10 goals and 23 assists in 58 regular season games. En route to the Buccaneers' USHL championship last year he picked up two goals and four assists in 11 playoff games.

"He has a great stick," Powers said of Palushaj. "He's a goal scorer, an offensive player. I believe a lot of his goals right now are on the power play, so he should be able to come in and compliment our power play. Aaron has always been a kid who scores goals. I would say recently, a player like Brandon Kaleniecki comes to mind. He is somebody who's very smart, very passionate around the net, with a great stick and a great nose for the net. He's going to be a guy who's going to contribute offensively."

Winnett (6-1, 180) skates for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League. He is currently fourth in the league in goals (20) and ninth in points (37) in just 18 games played. Winnett also spent the 2005-06 season with Salmon Arm, tallying 18-31-49 in 60 regular season contests and 1-1-2 in 10 playoff games.

"Ben Winnett is a top scorer in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League," noted Powers. "He has great speed, great hands. He's been a prolific scoring player at pretty much every level he's played. We expect that Ben will be an impact player from day one."

Winnett competed last week at the World Junior A Challenge, playing for Canada West's gold medal-winning squad. He scored three goals and added two assists, defeating future teammate Louie Caporusso's Canada East team in the final.

Llewellyn (6-1, 178) is a blueliner for the Tri-City Storm in the USHL. In seven games so far this season he has a 2-2-4 line and a +5 rating, and has also received 26 penalty minutes. He split the 2005-06 season between the Indiana Ice and Tri-City Storm -- altogether, Llewellyn played in 49 games, posting a 5-5-10 line and a -2 rating and earning 119 penalty minutes. As a 15 year-old in 2004-05, Llewellyn played in 40 games with Indiana while earning a 1-7-8 line, +1 rating and 103 penalty minutes.

"(Llewellyn) has good size and he's mobile," Powers said. "He's an all-around defenseman. He reminds me of Mark Mitera. He's not 6-3 like Mitera, but he's a big kid and he plays big. He loves to play physical. He also has an offensive upside, so we look at him as a really good two-way addition to our back end."

Quick (6-0, 175), who plays at Salisbury Preparatory in Connecticut, has yet to start his senior season. As a junior, he recorded three goals and 20 assists, combining for 23 points in 28 games played. In 2004-05, he had a 3-9-12 line in 27 outings. Quick was drafted in the third round (78th overall) by the Tampa Lightning in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

"(Quick)'s a highly-skilled, skating, puck-moving, offensive defenseman that knows how to play with the puck," said Powers. "He reminds me of a guy like Chris Summers. He's really smooth and good in all zones. Kevin will be a nice addition to our blue line."

The Wolverines expect to receive five more National Letters of Intent from players before the early signing period ends.

Michigan will graduate seven players at the conclusion of the 2006-07 campaign. The class of 2007 includes forwards T.J. Hensick, David Rohlfs and Morgan Ward, defensemen Tim Cook, Jason Dest and Matt Hunwick and goalie Mike Mayhew.

Wildcats doomed by second period

Northern Michigan's three-game unbeaten streak came to quick end in Marquette on Wednesday night as the Wildcats were tamed by the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, 6-4.

Darin Olver started the scoring for NMU (6-5-2, 3-2-1 CCHA) at 14:26 of the opening period and the two teams were tied at 1 after twenty minutes of play.

The game was decided though in approximately the first 11 minutes of the second period when the Bulldogs scored five unanswered goals to take a commanding 6-1 lead.

The 'Cats battled back with power-play goals by TJ Miller, Matt Maunu and Nick Sirota to cut the Bulldogs lead to two, but that was as close as the home team would get.

Josh Johnson held off the attack in the UMD net, making 22 saves for the win.

Bill Zaniboni and Brian Stewart swapped time between the pipes for NMU with each giving up a trio of goals.

The Wildcats are now 1-3-1 against WCHA opponents this season. They'll conclude their extended home-and-home series and non-conference schedule with a rematch against the Bulldogs in Duluth on Jan. 24.

Northern will now pack up and head south to Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo for a pair of CCHA battles with Western Michigan on Friday and Saturday night.

Michigan State adds to incoming class for fall 2007

Michigan State announced today the signing of three players to National Letters of Intent to attend the university next fall.

Corey Tropp (Grosse Pointe), Dustin Gazely (Novi) and AJ Sturges will join Jeff Petry (Farmington Hills) and Andrew Rowe (Muskegon) in the incoming class for the Spartans in the fall of 2007.

"I think this class will well complement the elements we will have in our returning players," noted MSU head coach Rick Comley. "I think that it will fit our needs to round out what we expect to be a very competitive team in 2007-08."

Tropp, a July 1989 birthdate, is in his second season playing for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League. A 5-10, 180-pound right winger, Tropp is the squad's current leading scorer with four goals and nine assists for 13 points. Five of his points have come on the power play (1g, 4a). He is well on his way to bettering his offensive numbers from a year ago, when he recorded seven goals and eight assists in 46 games - he had five points in 12 playoff games last spring as well.

Gazely is another offensive-minded winger. Standing at 5-8, 150 pounds and in his second year with the Sioux City Musketeers, Gazely has seven points (3-4-7) in 11 games, and is second on his team in penalty minutes (20). He is an October 1988 birthdate.

"Corey has gained some great experience playing in the USHL, and I really think that he will be able to step in right away and provide some offense for us," noted Comley. "I think that Dustin is a very hard worker with a great intensity, and he also possesses some speed to his game. I think he will be another addition who will be able to be productive offensively and add to that area of our game."

Tropp and Gazely join Rowe as committed forwards for the Class of 2011. Rowe is a teammate of Gazely in Sioux City, and currently has a goal and three assists for four points in 11 games. A January 1988 birthdate, Rowe stands at 6-1, 180 pounds, and will bring a great defensive presence to the Spartan roster.

"Andrew has great size and is a good skater with a great understanding of the game. He really brings a well-rounded game onto the ice, which will be a complement to our roster," notes Comley.

The addition of Sturges to the Spartans continues that family's ties to the Michigan State program - he joins his older brother, Dan, on the roster, and their father, John, was a four-year letterwinner for the Spartans (1972-76) who still stands eighth all-time in career assists (132). Sturges is currently in his second season in Ann Arbor with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program (NTDP), where he currently has three goals and four assists for seven points. A big (6-4, 190) defenseman, Sturges is on the cusp of bettering his numbers from last year, when he posted four goals and four assists. He helped the Team USA to a silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge a year ago, and has played an everyday role for the U-18 squad which owns a 3-4-0 overall record (with two overtime losses) to NCAA Division I programs this year.

Sturges and Petry (6-3, 200) add two big, skilled defensemen to the Spartan roster. Petry has made an impressive start for the defending Tier 1 National Champion Des Moines Buccaneers as the team's top-scoring defenseman (12 GP, 6-4-10). He recorded 15 points (1g, 14a) during his first season in Des Moines, helping that team to the Clark Cup Championship. Petry, a December 1987 birthdate, was the Edmonton Oilers' first selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in the second round at No. 45 overall. Edmonton did not hold a first-round pick.

"AJ not only continues a strong family connection to Michigan State University and our hockey program, but also brings a stability and good experience playing against collegiate competition to our defensive corps," revealed the head coach. "We're very excited to add two large, skilled defensemen to the mix for next year. Petry has a tremendous future - he has great size and offensive skills, and will help us in all areas of our game."

Michigan State will lose five players to graduation from the 2006-07 squad - defensemen Tyler Howells, Chris Snavely and Ethan Graham, forward/defenseman Brandon Warner and forward and captain Chris Lawrence.

WSU women to host food drive this weekend

The Wayne State women's hockey team will face Clarkson this Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at City Ice Arena. Tickets are only $5 and parking is free.

Bring non-perishable food items and get FREE admission as part of the Warriors' annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

WSU students get in free with their OneCard.

MiCHO Power Poll 11.14.06

The Michigan Wolverines will hold on to the top spot in our weekly MiCHO Power Poll after sweeping Nebraska-Omaha out of the Yost Arena. Michigan State, Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech and Western Michigan also had solid weekends by taking three out of a possible four points from their opponents.

1) Michigan, 7-3-0 (swept Nebraska-Omaha, won three in a row)
2) Michigan State, 5-2-1 (took three of four points from FSU)
3) Northern Michigan, 6-4-2 (took three of four points from Alaska)
4) Michigan Tech, 6-3-1 (defeated, tied Minnesota-Duluth)
5) Lake Superior State, 6-4-0 (split with Miami)
6) Western Michigan, 4-4-1 (took three of four points from Ohio State)
7) Ferris State, 3-6-1 (winless in five games)
8) Wayne State, 2-7-0 (split at Brown)

Each week, MichiganCollegeHockey.com editors Matt Mackinder and Tom Balog will compile the MiCHO Power Poll. The poll will comprise the eight Division I teams in the state of Michigan.

GVSU takes 3 of 4 points from Missouri State

The Grand Valley State University Lakers were at home this past weekend for two games with the up-and-coming Missouri State Ice Bears, who were ranked No. 5 in the Central region. It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams and GVSU came away with a win and a tie.

Game one of the two-game series was one of the most uninspired performances of the year for GVSU. After the success of the past few weeks, it appeared that the Lakers assumed the game would just fall into their laps and it showed on the ice. Even so, GVSU managed to pull a 2-1 lead after one period and a 4-3 lead after two on goals by Phil Murray, Dean Watkins, Nick Biondo and Greg Kehr.

After Jake Erway added a fifth goal early in the third, GVSU played on the defensive for the rest of the game allowing the Ice Bears to get pressure on the Laker net and make it a one-goal game going into the last 10 minutes.

With 90 seconds left, Missouri State scored again to tie the game. Neither team was able to score in overtime and the game ended in a 5-5 tie. GVSU outshot Missouri State, 33-32. Chris Moore was in net for the tie.

The second game of the series was a different game. The game started out close with the two teams exchanging first-period goals including Biondo scoring on a penalty shot for the Lakers.

GVSU started to play up to their potential in the second, outshooting the Ice Bears 17-2 in the period. Despite this effort, the Lakers were only able to manage one goal, a blast from Biondo for his second of the game.

The momentum was enough to carry over into the third when Nate Beverwyk and Adam Zobl scored to give the Lakers a 4-1 win. Keven Chapman picked up the win in net making 22 saves. The Lakers dominated the shot total, with the final shots being 50-24 in favor of GVSU.

Grand Valley State travels to Yost Ice Arena to take on Michigan this weekend for one game on Friday.

News and Notes:
GVSU is still unbeaten in their home rink this season, with a record of 6-0-2...Biondo added three goals this weekend for a season total of 14 in 12 games...The Lakers have outscored their opponents 36-19 in the third period...Chapman now has four wins on the season, two more than his freshman year total.

Finlandia men open season with split

The Finlandia men's team opened their season at home last weekend splitting with Marian.

Finlandia lost 4-3 Saturday night, but rebounded for a 2-1 win yesterday afternoon.

Saturday, Travis Hanson's hat trick wasn't enough for the Lions, who also got a 22-save outing from Joe Juntilla. Corey Blake added two assists for FU.

Marian goaltender Jason Jadczak stopped 43 for the win.

Josh Paquette and Ryan Sullivan scored Sunday for Finlandia and Lukas Alberer made 26 saves in net.

Nick Cinquegrani ruined Alberer's shutout bid 7:12 into the third period.

The Lions (1-1-0, 1-1-0 MCHA) travel to Northland this Friday and Saturday.

Huskies remain unbeaten at home

Michigan Tech remained unbeaten at home, taking three points from Minnesota-Duluth. The two teams skated to a 0-0 tie on Friday, the first time since 1968 at Houghton, and then MTU won 4-1 on Saturday.

Michael-Lee Teslak (pictured right) recorded his second consecutive shutout at home as he stopped all 16 shots faced on Friday. MTU outshot UMD, 27-16.

Saturday, Malcolm Gwilliam broke the stalemate, when he scored the lone goal of the opening period.

Tyler Shelast was able to put MTU up by two in the second, but three minutes later, UMD brought the game to within one.

Tyler Schworchinski was the thorn in the Bulldogs side as he scored a pair in the third, one on the power play and the other in an empty net.

Rob Nolan improved his record to 3-2-0 and made 20 saves on the night. MTU outshot UMD again, 27-21.

Next weekend MTU (6-3-1, 3-2-1 WCHA) travels to Denver to take on the Pioneers, who swept Wisconsin this past weekend.

Boal sets record in Warriors' split weekend

After a disappointing 6-1 loss at the hands of Minnesota State on Friday night, the Wayne State Warriors rediscovered their offensive energy and defeated the Mavericks 7-3 on Saturday.

Saturday's contest was particularly sweet for sophomore Melissa Boal, whose goal not only aided the Warriors' victory effort, but also moved her into first place in goals on Wayne State's all-time scoring list.

Friday's game started solidly for the Warriors as they outshot the Mavericks 13-6 in the first period and goaltender Tiffany Thompson played a perfect period. However, Minnesota State broke open the scoring midway through the second period and notched five straight goals before Boal got the Warriors on the board. Lindsay DiPietro earned an assist on Boal's goal.

Thompson finished with 26 saves.

Saturday's game also started strong for the Warriors. Junior co-captain Ashley King set up sophomore Emily Berzins's first goal of the season. Tina Vanderhoeven was also credited with an assist. Christine Jefferson then scored an unassisted goal.

But it was Boal's goal--which would put the Warriors ahead 3-0--that was the period's most notable. Vanderhoeven and DiPietro helped Boal notch the power-play goal that would allow her to set a new program record for most goals scored. Boal passed former Warriors skater Kelly Zamora with her 35th collegiate goal.

The Warriors kept rolling through the second period. They again capitalized on the man-advantage when Sam Poyton set up DiPietro for her second goal of the season. Poyton then got a goal of her own, with Boal and Chelsea Burnett assisting, to increase the Warriors' lead to 5-1. It was then King to Burnett for the sixth Wayne State goal of the night.

Minnesota State's Lindsay Macy scored twice to narrow the scoring gap, but Amanda Hungle's goal, with some help from Poyton, late in the second period would be the final tally and the 7-3 score stood till the game's end.

Goaltender Valery Turcotte was a major factor in preserving the Warriors' sizable lead. She made 12 of her 25 saves in the third period en route to her second win of the season.

The Warriors improve their record to 4-7-0 and remain at home next week hosting Clarkson.

Wayne State splits at Brown

The Wayne State Warriors' seven-game, non-conference road trip continued with pair of games against the Brown Bears in Providence, Rhode Island last weekend.

The Warriors (2-7-0, 1-1-0 CHA) got the weekend off to a solid start by biting the Bears 5-3 at the Meehan Auditorium.

The win broke a three-game slide in which the Warriors were outscored 10-1.

Wayne's top line did the majority of the damage. Jason Bloomingburg (pictured) led the charge with a goal and two assists, while Mike Forgie and Jared Katz also turned on the lamp.

Jason Baclig and blueliner Dan Illiakis scored their first goals of the season for the Warriors.

Freshman Brett Bothwell got the start in net for the Green and Gold and stopped 36 of 39 shots for his second win of the year.

Farmington Hills native Jeff Prough led the Bears with a pair of goals.

Things got uglier for the visitors in game two with the Bears capturing an easy 7-3 victory.

Brown dominated the series finale and led at one point 7-1. Sean Muncy paced the Bears with two goals and an assist and his centerman, Sean Dersch, registered three helpers.

It was the Bear's first win in five games this season and their first "W" since beating St. Lawrence, 3-2, in game 2 of the ECACHL first round playoffs on March 4.

Wayne State freshman Ryan Bernardi scored his first two collegiate goals and Baclig notched his second of the weekend in the loss.

Will Hooper 26 of 33 shots in the Wayne State net.

The Warriors will continue their road trip "up north" with a pair of games against the Lake Superior State Lakers in Sault Ste. Marie this weekend.

Wildcats swipe three points against Alaska

The Northern Michigan Wildcats (6-4-2, 3-2-1 CCHA) took care of business at home over the weekend by grabbing three of four points from the visiting Alaska Nanooks.

Mike Santorelli and Darin Olver both scored on Friday as the 'Cats and Nanooks skated to a 2-2 tie at the Berry Events Center.

Bill Zaniboni stopped 21 of 23 shots in net for NMU.

After going 0-for-6 the previous night, the Wildcats' power play woke up on Saturday as Northern picked up a narrow 3-2 win.

Matt Maunu and Andrew Sarauer each scored with the man-advantage and Nick Sirota added an even-strength marker to lead the Wildcats.

Zaniboni had little to do in net, stopping just 12 shots for his fifth victory of the season.

The Wildcats are now unbeaten in three straight games and will embark on a busy week of action.

The 'Cats will host the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in non-conference action in Marquette on Wednesday night.

Then, Northern will pack up and head to the Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo for a pair of CCHA battles with Western Michigan on Friday and Saturday.

Western Michigan beats, ties Ohio State

Western Michigan rallied from two goals down to post an 8-5 win over Ohio State Friday night and then battled to a 2-2 tie last night on the road.

The eight goals Friday were the most scored by the Broncos since an 8-6 win over Notre Dame on Dec. 5, 2003.

OSU's Andrew Schembri scored his second goal of the night just 32 seconds into the second period to give the Buckeyes a 4-2 lead before WMU responded with five straight goals, including a pair on the power play, as Western Michigan finished 4-for-9 on the man advantage.

"We didn't get rattled," said Broncos' head coach Jim Culhane. "They (OSU) had the momentum but we were able to respond. We had contributions from a lot of different people and were able to stick to our game plan."

A total of 13 Broncos recorded points, highlighted by three-point efforts from Brian Bicek (two goals, assist), Paul Szczechura (two goals, assist) and Jeff Pierce (three assists). Bicek notched his second straight multiple-goal game. Freshman Chris Clackson scored his first collegiate goal, while Mike Lesperance recorded the game-winner, scoring on a breakaway at 8:04 of the third period. Kevin Labatte and Jeff LoVecchio also tallied for the Broncos.

Freshman goaltender Riley Gill (pictured from '05-06 with the NAHL's Texarkana Bandits) made 19 saves in the process.

Last night, Gill stopped 35 shots to gain the stalemate.

All four goals were scored in the second period as Kevin O'Connor and Pierce scored for the visitors. O'Connor's tally was the first of his collegiate career and Pierce, who assisted on the goal, has compiled eight points in his last three games.

"We played well on special teams, and we're especially pleased to get three points during this road series," Culhane said. "I thought we competed hard and played with discipline and you have to do that to be successful on the road in this conference."

WMU (4-4-1, 3-4-1 CCHA) plays host to Northern Michigan this weekend.

LSSU settles for split with Miami

Lake Superior State University split with Miami over the weekend, posting their fourth series split of the season and third in CCHA play.

A pair of goals from Derek A. Smith was all that they Lakers needed for a 2-1 win over the RedHawks on Friday night. Smith scored his first goal of the season banking it off of a Miami defenseman in front of the net early in the second period. Miami tied the game three minutes later when Brian Kaufman put a shot behind Lakers goaltender Jeff Jakaitis.

Smith added his second goal of the game a couple minutes later off after a faceoff win by freshman Matt Martello.

Jakaitis recorded 25 saves, while RedHawks' goaltender Charlie Effinger finished with 20 saves.

Saturday night, Miami took the lead with national scoring leader Nathan Davis scoring his tenth goal of the season just minutes into the second period. LSSU's Jeff Rainville scored just over two minutes later to give the Lakers a 1-1 tie. Justin Mercier scored on the power play to give Miami a 2-1 lead just over midway in the second period, but Troy Schwab was able to tie the game back up for the Lakers less than a minute later with a shorthanded goal.

Miami then took a one-goal lead early in the third period with Lansing native Marty Guerin putting the puck past LSSU goaltender Pat Inglis. LSSU pulled Inglis with just under a minute remaining and Miami added an empty-net goal with 13 seconds remaining in the game to give them the 4-2 win.

The story of the weekend was Lake Superior State's inability to score on the power play. LSSU was 0-for-9 with the extra man. Most notably on Saturday night, LSSU was unable to score on a five-minute power play in the first period and they where also unable to capitalize on a two-minute two-man advantage midway through the second period. The lone bright spot for LSSU's special teams was Schwab's shorthanded goal, LSSU's first of the season.

Next weekend, the Lakers play host to Wayne State University.

Photo courtesy LSSUHockey.com.

Finlandia women off to solid start

The Finlandia women's team got off to a hot 3-1-0 start before faltering a bit this weekend.

The Lions got two wins over St. Catherine Nov. 4-5 and the other victory against Buffalo State on Oct. 28. They opened the season with a loss to Elmira on Oct. 27 and Friday and Saturday tied and lost to Concordia at home. The games with Elmira and Buffalo State were in Flint as part of the Early Bird Tournament.

Finlandia's Sara Sleik scored at 5:10 of the third period to tie the game Friday night and nothing was settled in overtime. Bree Cote and Amy Danielson also scored for FU and Kendra Benson and Danielle Syrowik added two assists apiece. Katie Markovich made 18 saves for the Lions.

Last night, Concordia took a 5-2 win. Syrowik and Stephanie Emmi scored for Finlandia and Markovich and Corinne Czekaj combined for 28 stops. Markovich started and allowed four goals for the loss.

FU hosts Lake Forest next Saturday and Sunday.

Wolverines sweep Nebraska-Omaha

The Michigan Wolverines took four key CCHA points from Nebraska-Omaha at home this weekend with a 6-4 come-from-behind win Friday and a 5-1 victory Saturday.

Friday, Kevin Porter tallied his second career hat trick, while T.J. Hensick (pictured right) chipped in a trio of assists for the second straight game. David Rohlfs tied his career high with two assists and Andrew Cogliano, Jack Johnson and Brian Lebler also scored for U-M (7-3-0, 4-2-0 CCHA).

Billy Sauer turned aside 17 shots for the win in net.

"(Porter) is hot right now," said Wolverines' head coach Red Berenson. "He is playing with one of the best players in college hockey (Hensick). He is making his chances count. He is in the right place at the right time and he is putting the puck where it belongs. Earlier in the year, he was getting those chances that weren't going in, but now they are."

Last night, Brandon Naurato scored twice and Lebler, Rohlfs and Tim Miller added singles for U-M. Sauer stopped 32 and Danny Fardig assisted on both Naurato goals.

"It feels great," said Naurato (pictured left). "Danny Fardig and I were actually talking before the game with a few guys about how, not just our line, but the third line, can contribute too. It seems like the top two lines are doing all the scoring, but whether we are getting points or just having the energy shift to get everyone going is huge for the team because, to go far in the playoffs, you need all four lines going."

"We are the energy line, the guys who grind it out and don't score a lot of goals," added Fardig. "So when we pop one in, it looks pretty good and gets the guys going a little bit. If they are having a rough game, then maybe it will give them a confidence or energy boost."

Michigan travels to Ferris State for a pair next weekend.

MSU blanks Ferris State, 6-0, Friday

Michigan State and Ferris State concluded their staggered home-and-home series Friday night in Big Rapids with the visitors coming out on top with a 6-0 whitewash.

The Spartans got three-point outings from Bryan Lerg (two goals, assist) and Chris Mueller (goal, two assists) and a a 35-save shutout from Jeff Lerg between the pipes. The Spartans snapped a three-game winless skid (0-1-2) against the Bulldogs and improved to 5-2-1 (3-2-1 CCHA) with the victory. MSU got three power-play goals in their first road victory of the season.

Tim Kennedy, Mike Ratchuk and Matt Schepke also scored for Michigan State.

Mitch O'Keefe made 20 saves for the Bulldogs, who host Michigan next weekend.

The Spartans play a home-and-home with Notre Dame starting Friday night in South Bend.

Bulldogs tie, lose to Spartans

If shots-on-goal translated into victories, the Ferris State Bulldogs would be ranked in the nation's top ten. But they don't, and despite winning the shots-on-goal battle in three of their last four games, and tying the fourth, the Bulldogs have scored only five goals in those four games.

Last Tuesday, the Bulldogs rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period to earn a hard fought 2-2 tie with the highly-ranked Michigan State Spartans at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing.

Defenseman and junior captain Adam Welch netted his first goal of the year on a pass from Eric Vesely at 13:58 of the third period to narrow the gap to one and senior Zac Pearson tied the game less than two minutes later on assists from forward Dan Riedel and defensemen Chris Zarb. The Bulldogs outshot the Spartans, 31-22.

Friday night the two teams faced off in Big Rapids and the Spartans scored two goals in each period as goalie Jeff Lerg stopped all 35 Bulldog shots in shutting out the Bulldogs as Michigan State skated to a 6-0 win. The boys in green got goals from Chris Mueller and Tim Kennedy in the first period, Mike Ratchuk and Bryan Lerg in the second and finished with Lerg's second of the night and a Matt Schepke goal in the third.

The Bulldogs (3-6-1, 1-4-1 CCHA) host the Michigan Wolverines in a tw0-game set this Friday and Saturday in Big Rapids. The Spartans (5-2-1, 3-2-1 CCHA) are at Notre Dame on Friday and host the Fighting Irish in East Lansing on Saturday.