Warriors split the Beavers

by Tom Balog / WSU Beat Reporter

So after a split with Lake Superior last weekend you might be thinking, are the Wayne State Warriors back?

Well, if the BSU series was any indication, they might very well be reversing course on their season.

The Warriors (2-7-1, 1-3-0 CHA) couldn’t keep their short winning streak intact though as they fell 3-1 to the Beavers on Friday night.

After a Matt Pope power-play marker for the Beavers, the Warriors countered with freshman Tyler Ruel’s first collegiate goal. Ruel skated down the right side and ripped a shot from the middle of the circle and beat Beaver’s goalie Matt Climie up high, just inside the post to tie the game at 1.

Jordan Inglis and Matt Krug picked up the assists.

BSU responded with a Cody Bostock goal at 18:39 that turned out to be the eventual game winner.

Matt Read added a third period marked for the Beavers who moved back to the .500 mark with the victory.

Kyle Funkenhauser stopped 20 shots in the WSU net. Climie turned aside 18 shots for BSU.

The Warriors looked like a different team on Saturday as they walloped the Beavers by a 5-2 score.

After a BSU power play marker at 3:44 of the opening period, the Warriors woke up and took control on the game.
Jon Grabarek scored on the power play with a blast from the point at 10:27 to tie the score. Then, just over six minutes later, Grabarek took a back hand pass from Tylor Michel and rifled it past Climie for his second in a row.

Defenseman Matt Krug picked up his first goal of the season and the eventual game winner on the PP at 3:39 of the second.

The Beavers responded with another extra man marker at 15:24, but that’s as close as the visitors would get.

Jared Katz scored at 18:07 to put WSU back up by two goals and then Derek Punches added an empty netter with 23 seconds left to ice the win.

Senior Mike Forgie added three assists on the night and was named the number 1 star. Fellow senior Stavros Paskaris also notched a pair of assists.

Brett Bothwell was solid in net and stopped 29 of 31 shots for his first win of the season. Climie made 16 saves on the other end.

Since starting the season 0-6-1, the Warriors have won two of their last three games.

The Green and Gold will hit the road and face St. Lawrence for a pair in Canton, N.Y. this weekend.

Top Tech recruit bolts for WHL

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Highly-touted forward Casey Pierro-Zabotel will not be coming to Michigan Tech next semester and will instead join the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League.

Pierro-Zabotel's college entrance exam test scores did not make the cut, so the Pittsburgh Penguins' draft pick (third round, 80th overall this past June) has opted to go the major junior route and forfeit his college eligibility.

“We are disappointed Casey will not be joining our program and it is certainly not for lack of trying," MTU head coach Jamie Russell said. "Casey is a terrific young man and we wish him all the best in his future."

More from the defending Memorial Cup champion Giants.

Miami doubles up MSU

Compiled by MiCHO staff

There was just one D-I college hockey game on the ice on Thursday night and that was at the Munn Arena where the #3 Michigan State Spartans hosted the top-ranked Miami RedHawks.

The RedHawks got a pair of goals from Justin Mercier and stole the Thursday spotlight with a 4-2 victory in East Lansing.

Tim Kennedy and Corey Tropp each scored second period markers for MSU (8-2-0, 4-1-0 CCHA).

Jeff Lerg turned aside 29 shots, including 16 in the first period, but lost for just the second time this season.

The RedHawks and Spartans will conclude their two-game set at with 7:05 face-off tonight at Munn.

Huskies get USHL commitment

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Waterloo Black Hawks captain Brett Olson has committed to play at Michigan Tech next season.

The Superior, Wisc., native is in his third season with the USHL's Black Hawks and has been on the injured reserve list since the beginning of the season with a shoulder injury.

In his first two seasons with the Black Hawks, the 20-year-old Olson played in 96 games, netting 18 goals and 18 assists. He was also instrumental on special teams, anchoring the Black Hawks' penalty kill.

Three other Waterloo players - defenseman Chad Billins (Ferris State) and forwards Kory Kaunisto (Northern Michigan) and Anthony Schooley (Michigan Tech) - have also committed to Michigan colleges for next season.

MiCHO Power Poll 11.14.2007

Make it eight wins in a row for the Michigan Wolverines who pounded Alaska in pair of games at Yost over the weekend. The set of victories keeps the Maize and Blue on top of the MiCHO Power Poll for the fifth straight week.

Billy Sauer stopped all 22 shots for the Wolverines as they posted a 4-0 whitewash in Ann Arbor on Friday night. Chad Kolarik posted a pair of goals on Saturday to help Michigan to a convincing 4-2 knockout of the Nanooks.

Defending National Champion Michigan State is keeping perfect pace with the boys from Ann Arbor and have also won 8 straight contests. Tim Kennedy kept his hot hand going and notched two goals in the Spartans 6-2 win on Friday and another in Saturday’s 6-2 triumph over Mercyhurst at Munn.

Complete Poll

1) Michigan, 9-1-0 (swept Alaska)
2) Michigan State, 8-1-0 (swept Mercyhurst)
3) Michigan Tech, 5-5-0 (swept by SCSU)
4) Ferris State, 4-5-1 (swept by BGSU)
5) Lake Superior 2-5-1 (split w/ WSU)
6) Northern Michigan 2-8-0 (split w/ WMU)
7) Western Michigan, 3-5-0 (split w/ NMU)
8) Wayne State, 1-6-1 (split w/ LSSU)

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. (National rankings and rankings in parenthesis reflect the USCHO/CSTV Division I Men's Poll)

Northville's Buttery commits to Spartans

The USHL’s Chicago Steel announced today that defenseman and Northville native Tim Buttery has committed to the Michigan State Spartans for the 2008-2009 season.

The 19-year-old Buttery, who currently has seven assists in 12 games, played in 59 games last year and finished with a 2-17-19 line. He previously played for Detroit Catholic Central, graduating in 2006, before going to Chicago last season.

“Tim has made great strides from last year to this year and it has been noticeable on and off of the ice” said Steel coach-GM Steve Poapst. “His commitment to Michigan State is a well-deserved accomplishment for him. Tim has become one of our most consistent defensemen on our team.”

Buttery, 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, is the tenth member of the Steel to commit to a NCAA Division I school this year.

Bulldogs drop pair to Bowling Green

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Ferris State lost both ends of a home two-game set last weekend to Bowling Green.

The Bulldogs got goals from Brendan Connolly, Justin Lewandowski and Cody Chupp in a 6-3 loss Friday night. FSU gave up a 3-1 lead after Connolly, Lewandowski and Chupp scored in a 1:41 span to open the second period.

Pat Nagle started in goal and made 13 saves through 40 minutes before Mitch O’Keefe played the third period and stopped another dozen.

Saturday night, Lewandowski’s power-play goal early in the second period was all FSU could muster as the Bulldogs fell by a 3-1 count.

Derek Whitmore scored all three goals for the Falcons while Chesterfield native Jimmy Spratt made 30 saves.

O’Keefe finished with 25 saves for Ferris State.

The Bulldogs (4-5-1, 3-3-0 CCHA) travel to Nebraska-Omaha this weekend for games Friday and Sunday.

Poyton tabbed Player of the Week

Wayne State junior forward Sam Poyton was named College Hockey America (CHA) Offensive Player of the Week after a nine point weekend at Northeastern.

Poyton led Wayne State with nine points (four goals and five assists) helping the Warriors to a series sweep of Northeastern.

In game one, Poyton scored her second career hat trick (including the game winner) with two assists for a team and game high five points in WSU’s 6-2 victory. In the Warriors’ 7-2 game two win, Poyton continued her impressive offensive output with four points, scoring the game-winning goal with a team-high three assists.

She also finished with a plus/minus rating of +7 for the two games.

Poyton (10-11--21) is tied for third nationally with 21 points in just 9 games. Teammates Melissa Boal (15-10--25) and Lindsay DiPietro (5-17--22) ranked 1-2 nationally in scoring.

The Warriors (6-4-0) will take on the Rensselaer Engineers in pair of games at the Coliseum in Detroit this Friday and Saturday.

WMU, NMU split up north

By Kyle Whitney/NMU Beat Writer

Over the weekend, the Western Michigan Broncos and the Northern Michigan Wildcats split a pair of contests in Marquette.

After leaping out to a 4-0 lead, the Broncos glided to a victory on Friday. One night later, the Broncos looked to have another win in hand, before a pair of NMU underclassmen stole the show - and the win.

On Friday night, Northern Michigan (2-8-0 overall, 1-7-0 CCHA) dropped a 4-2 decision to the visiting Broncos (3-5-0, 1-3-0).

“They beat tonight. They gave it to us,” NMU head coach Walt Kyle said. “I thought we did a lot of things really well and had a lot of horrible breakdowns.”

Northern fell behind early, as freshman netminder Reid Ellingson allowed three goals on four Bronco shots in the first nine minutes of his second career start.

“You can’t spot anybody in college hockey three goals and expect to win a game,” Kyle said.

After falling behind 3-0, sophomore netminder Brian Stewart relieved Ellingson in the crease.

Kyle said that, in his opinion, none of the goals were Ellingson’s fault and that he didn’t have much of a chance on any of them. Nonetheless, he felt that switching goaltenders might help to swing the momentum in the contest.

“We had to try to do something to change our mentality a little bit and we did that,” Kyle said.

As the second period opened, the Broncos went up 4-0 on Cam Watson’s second goal of the evening.

Northern cut the deficit to 4-2 on second-period goals by freshman Phil Fox and junior Nick Sirota.

Despite picking up the momentum and getting numerous offensive opportunities in the final stanza, the Wildcats were unable to score again.

On Saturday night the Wildcats won their first conference game of the year in dramatic fashion, topping the Broncos, 4-3, in overtime.

After the two teams skated off the majority of the overtime period, the Wildcats had the puck behind their own cage and headed down-ice with 20 seconds remaining.

Sophomore forward Matt Butcher took the puck across the blue line and fought through a crowd in the offensive zone before flipping the game-winning goal past Bronco netminder Riley Gill with just 3.3 seconds remaining in the overtime period.

Butcher’s goal was the first of his career.

“It’s obviously been a long time waiting,” Butcher said. “They don’t come any bigger than that.”

The win came just minutes after another dramatic Wildcat goal launched the two teams into overtime.

Trailing 3-2 in the closing seconds of regulation, Northern pulled Stewart from the net and utilized an extra attacker.

Just when it looked as though the game was over, NMU freshman forward Mark Olver grabbed a fluttering puck in front of the net, dropped it to the ice and knocked it in to square the game.

The clock read 00:00.7.

The goal was also the first of Olver’s career.

“It’s an unreal feeling right now,” Olver said after the game.

The Broncos will now prepare to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-4-0, 5-2-0) in a home-and-home series, while Northern Michigan will head to Bowling Green (5-2-0, 4-1-0) for the weekend series.

WSU's Funkenhauser awarded

Wayne State goaltender Kyle Funkenhauser was named College Hockey America Rookie of the Week for his efforts last Saturday against Lake Superior State.

In his fifth start this season, Funkenhauser earned his first career victory, a 2-1 triumph over the Lakers. He made 24 saves, 20 of which came in the final 40 minutes, and held the Lakers to just one power-play goal in seven opportunities while taking a potential shutout into the third period. Ten (10) of his 24 saves came when LSSU held a man advantage.

Wayne State will host league rival Bemidji State this weekend, Nov. 16-17, at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum as part of a doubleheader with the WSU women's hockey team.

Wolverines sweep winless Nanooks

By Matt Mackinder / Michigan Beat Writer

The Michigan Wolverines extended their winning streak to eight games by sweeping the still-winless Alaska Nanooks over the weekend at Yost Ice Arena.

Michigan started the weekend by shutting out Alaska, 4-0 on Friday and then getting a 4-2 win Saturday night.

Chad Kolarik, Travis Turnbull, Aaron Pulashaj and captain Kevin Porter scored for the Wolverines, while Billy Sauer made 15 saves to earn the shutout.

"It is a tough game when you only get 15 shots,” said Sauer. “It is hard to stay in the game and stay focused. There were only a few chances that I really had, so there was not a whole lot that I had to do tonight. But the penalty kill did a great job, and that really made a difference in the game."

Saturday night, Michigan built a three-goal lead before Alaska could respond in the 4-2 victory. Kolarik and Brandon Naurato each scored in the first period for the Wolverines. Kolarik added his second goal of the night on a second period power play and Palushaj extended Michigan's lead in the third period.

"It is good to see Kolarik's line rewarded, because they have been a strong line all weekend,” U-M head coach Red Berenson said. “Kolarik is playing his best hockey right now, and the line is playing really well. So I was not surprised when one of them scored. They took advantage of loose pucks and opportunities. Chad Kolarik is an opportunist. He is a playmaker, he is a goal scorer and he is a smart player. I think you saw a lot of that this weekend. He is very vocal with his teammates and he is able to back it up on the ice."

Sauer assisted on Naurato's first period goal and finished with 18 stops.

U-M is 9-1-0 to start the season for the first time since 1999-2000. That season, the Wolverines got off to a 10-1-0 start.

Michigan (9-1-0, 6-0-0 CCHA) will visit Lake Superior State this weekend.

Michigan State brooms Mercyhurst away

By Matt Mackinder / Michigan State Beat Writer

Michigan State welcomed non-conference foe Mercyhurst into Munn Ice Arena last weekend and sent the Lakers back home with two losses.

The Spartans have now won eight straight.

Friday night, Justin Abdelkader had a goal and two assists and Tim Kennedy scored a pair in a 6-2 win.

Corey Tropp, captain Bryan Lerg and Matt Schepke rounded out the scoring for the Spartans.

Jeff Lerg made 22 saves for MSU.

“We came out and played really well,” said Abdelkader. “I was kind of worried, because coming back from the Alaska trip is always difficult. I think Coach giving everyone the day off on Monday really helped everyone get their feet under them. I think we came out the first 10 minutes and played really well.”

Four Spartans scored their first tallies of the season Saturday night and Bobby Jarosz made 24 saves in his first collegiate start as Michigan State captured another 6-2 decision.

“It was an unbelievable feeling,” Jarosz said. “All of the guys have really had confidence in me, so that helped me a lot, and they really played well in front of me.”

“You look back there and you don't see Lerg and it's a little weird, because for two years now, I've seen a little guy back there who's head doesn't go over the crossbar,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said. “We don't want to play more aggressive when Lerg is in there, because we know he is the best goalie in the nation. Our game is defense first, and whether it's Bobby or Jeff back there, we're going to start on defense and move to offense.”

Kennedy and Chris Mueller each had a goal and three assists for MSU. Tim Crowder, A.J. Sturges (first NCAA goal), Jeff Petry (first NCAA goal) and Abdelkader also scored.

The Spartans outshot Mercyhurst, 80-46, in the two-game set.

MSU (8-1-0, 4-0-0 CCHA) has a short week before hosting league-leading Miami in a two-game set Thursday and Friday in East Lansing.

MTU Huskies swept

By Andy Bourdeau / MTU Beat Writer

The Michigan Tech Huskies were swept on the weekend, by the Huskies from St. Cloud State. MTU came out of the gate slow both nights and could not come from behind. SCSU received 4 WCHA points, with 5-2 and 4-1 wins over MTU.

Tech could not generate much on the offensive side, scoring 3 goals on the weekend. The goals came off of the stick of Peter Rouleau (2) and Jordan Baker.

Robbie Nolan played both nights in net, as Michael Lee Teslak sustained an injury that kept him out of the net this weekend.

Nolan made 23 saves on Friday and 12 saves in Saturday's game.

Michigan Tech looks to rebound when they travel to Duluth for it's second road series of the year.

Lakers and Warriors split

By Tom Balog / Wayne State beat writer

Being an optimist, it was a good weekend for both the Wayne State Warriors and Lake Superior State Lakers at the Coliseum in Detroit.

After getting thumped in South Bend last weekend, the Lakers (2-5-1, 0-2-0 CCHA) rebounded nicely and battled to a 3-2 win on Friday night.

The Warriors (1-6-1, 0-2-0 CHA) finally had some bounces go their way and got their first win of the season with a 2-1 squeaker on Saturday night.

“Any time you play a team outside your conference, those are all big games,” Wayne State coach Bill Wilkinson told USCHO’s Matt Mackinder after Friday’s game. “You want to get that recognition for not only your team, but for your league. I think it’s bigger for us playing them than it is for them to come here and play lowly Wayne State. We want to go out and prove ourselves.”

Friday’s opener was a back and forth game with the Lakers drawing first blood with Steven Kaunisto scoring on a 4-on-3 power play, just 2:06 into the game. Kaunisto shot through a crowd and the puck slipped past Warrior goalie Brett Bothwell for the score.

Bryan Olds responded for Wayne State, scoring his first collegiate goal about 10 minutes later. Olds stole the puck in the WSU zone, motored down the ice on a 3-on-2 break and ripped a shot from the top of the left circle off the post and in.

After a scoreless second period, the Lakers converted twice in the third period to take a 3-1 lead.

Troy Schwab gave the Lakers back the lead with a wrister at 4:32. His shot hit Bothwell in the arm, fluttered just over his back and barely rolled over the line for his first of the season.

Leading scorer Nathan Perkovich nabbed the game winner at 10:03 with a slam dunk from just in front of Bothwell.

Tylor Michel added an extra-attacker goal for the Warriors at 19:50 to close out the evening's scoring.

Bothwell ended the evening with 17 saves and on the other end, Pat Inglis stopped 20 of 22 shots.

Lakers head coach Jim Roque also mentioned in the USCHO recap, that his goalie was the key to the win.

“Pat’s been struggling lately and he’s one of the guys we’re leaning on to get going, He made some big saves in the third period (including one of his head) and really showed the intensity we need out of him.”

After a dismal 0-5 effort in game one, the Warriors powerplay came out strong in the series finale with two extra strength goals.

Jon Grabarek opened the scoring at 16:56 of the first period, marking the first time the Green and Gold have scored first in a game all season.

Grabarek took a cross ice pass from defenseman Jeff Caister and one-timed it past a diving Brian Mahoney-Wilson for his second marker of the season.

Jared Katz put the Warriors up by two at 17:06 of the second period. Brock Meadows started the action with a blast from the blueline that missed wide of the net. Tyler Ruel grabbed the rebound and hustled to Katz who poked it in for his first of the season.

The Lakers mounted a furious third period comeback attempt in which they out shot the home team by a 12-1 margin.

Perkovich notched his second goal of the weekend with a powerplay marker at 2:33 of the third. After a Josh Sim shot, Perkovich snatched up the loose puck and rammed it in for his seventh goal of the year.

That was as close as the Lakers would get though as Warriors freshman netminder Kyle Funkehauser slammed the door for the rest of the game to earn his first collegiate win.

Funkenhauser finished the night 24 saves and Mahoney-Wilson stopped 15 on the other end.

The Warriors will try to keep the winning streak alive as they host the Bemidji State Beavers back at the Coliseum next weekend.

The Lakers will head back to the Sault and prepare for two games against the high flying and second-ranked Michigan Wolverines.

Sirota named NMU assistant captain

By Kyle Whitney/NMU Beat Writer

When junior Wildcat forward Nick Sirota took the ice against the Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday night, there was a new addition to his green and gold uniform: a capital 'A.'

Sirota was named an assistant captain for the Northern Michigan Wildcats prior to the game and joins defenseman T.J. Miller and forward Billy Smith as Wildcat assistant captains.

"It's definitely an honor. My mindset - I don't think it's really going to change," Sirota said. "As long as I just keep working hard, hopefully people are going to follow."

After picking up a goal and an assist in Saturday's game, Sirota leads the Wildcat team with seven goals and six assists through ten games.

"Does it surprise me that he is having the success that he is having? Not really," said NMU head coach Walt Kyle. "We knew Nick was going to score his goals."

Kyle added that Sirota's biggest asset may be the jump and energy that he brings to the team every night.

"When he does that," Kyle continued. "The goals are just a bonus."

The coach added that Sirota will continue to get more opportunities this season after the departure of a large senior class last year and that the junior is no longer just a spot player.