Maize and Blue open with split

by Matt Mackinder / Michigan Beat Writer

The Michigan Wolverines started off the season with a split at the Ice Breaker Invitational last weekend in St. Paul, Minn.

Freshman Louie Caporusso's first collegiate goal was a memorable one, as his centering pass deflected into the net in overtime Friday to give No. 9 Michigan a 4-3 upset over No. 2 Boston College.

The season-opening win was driven by the play of Travis Turnbull, who notched a second-period goal, an assist and earned a +3 rating in the victory. Carl Hagelin gave U-M the early lead with a first-period tally and Billy Sauer had 19 saves for the Wolverines.

"I think you’re lucky when you win in overtime,” Michigan head coach Red Berenson said. “I don’t know if it was a great scoring chance or not, but if you play in their zone you have a chance of scoring. That line (of Hagelin, Caporusso and Turnbull) had a pretty good game for us, so I think they ended up with three goals for the night, so when they’re on the ice they definitely have a chance to score."

Danny Fardig scored the other goal for the Wolverines.

The last time Michigan defeated a team ranked as high as No. 2 Boston College was March 30, 2003, when U-M beat No. 2 Colorado College, 5-3, in the NCAA West Regional Final at Yost Ice Arena. Michigan was 4-8-1 against ranked teams in the 2006-07 season.

Saturday night, freshman Matt Rust scored his first two collegiate goals as U-M dropped a close contest to No. 6 Minnesota, 4-3, in the Ice Breaker finale.

"The first goal was pretty much we got a good forecheck in and some solid offensive-zone play,” Rust said. “We worked it down low and eventually got the puck in front. I got a couple whacks at it and it went in."

Steve Kampfer also scored for Michigan and Tim Miller had two assists. Sauer made 18 stops in the loss.

"For the second college game for these freshmen, I thought it was great,” Michigan senior captain Kevin Porter said. “Obviously, we didn't come up with the win, but I thought battling back was great. We fought back and we scored a couple of goals, but we couldn't come up with it in the end though."

Freshman Ben Winnett tallied his first career point, an assist, in the second period on Rust's first goal.

Michigan (1-1-0) opens CCHA regular-season play Friday and Saturday with a road series against Northern Michigan (1-1-0). Both games will be played at 7:35 p.m. at the Berry Events Center.