Wolverines, Caporusso blast Huskies

By Matt Mackinder/Michigan Beat Writer

Louie Caporusso, snubbed for the Canadian World Junior Team, instead led Michigan to a 5-0 win over Michigan Tech this afternoon in the first game of the Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

Caporusso's natural hat trick in the first period came with linemate David Wohlberg assisting on all three and goaltender Bryan Hogan getting the win in goal with a 15-save outing for 11th-ranked Michigan.

Caporusso (pictured) took over the national goal-scoring lead with his 15th, 16th and 17th tallies of the season.

Michigan's win was also the 656th of head coach Red Berenson's career, putting him in sole possession of seventh place on college hockey's all-time wins list by passing Jeff Sauer (Colorado College, Wisconsin).

Anthony Ciraulo and Brandon Burlon also scored for U-M (12-7-0) and Luke Glendening earned helpers on both for his first two NCAA points.

Ciraulo's goal was his first since a shorthanded goal against Providence in last year's GLI.

Danny Fardig also assisted on Ciraulo's and Burlon's tallies.

"It was a game that we knew we'd need four lines with no TV timeouts," said Berenson. "Our condition, we knew, would not be 100 percent. We knew our fourth line would be important. They looked good in practice - they were excited. Ciraulo hasn't played much this year, but he came out and gave us a good game. Both Glendening and Fardig are hard workers, so they were not out of place."

Both teams were held without a power-play goal as U-M went 0-for-6 and the Huskies were 0-for-7. All of Michigan's goals were scored at even-strength.

Josh Robinson started in net for MTU (4-15-2), but was pulled after Ciraulo's goal 14:04 into the opening frame after making just two saves on six shots. Rob Nolan played the rest of the way and finished with 22 saves.

“We weren’t sharp in the first period and Josh had a tough night,” said MTU head coach Jamie Russell. “Our penalty kill was one positive, but our power play did not generate enough chances.”

Michigan advances to the championship game tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. versus the winner of tonight's second semifinal between Michigan State and North Dakota. It will be U-M's third straight GLI title game appearance.

The Huskies will face the loser of North Dakota and Michigan State in the third-place game tomorrow at 3:05 p.m.

Photo by UM Photo Services