Michigan rallies to win 46th annual GLI

By Matt Mackinder/At the GLI

DETROIT - In what was an offensive war, Michigan came away with a 6-5 win over Colorado College Thursday night to win the 46th annual Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena.

Colorado College took the lead early in the third period only to have the Wolverines rally late on goals by Lee Moffie and A.J. Treais, the latter with his second game-winner of the tournament.

“We battled hard at the start of the game to get the lead,” said Michigan head coach Red Berenson. “They came back and then it was a great game. I don’t know how the fans saw it, but that third period was a pretty exciting period.”

GLI MVP Luke Glendening had two goals for Michigan, while Ben Winnett and Louie Caporusso also scored to back Shawn Hunwick's 25-save performance.

Carl Hagelin tacked on three assists and David Wohlberg chipped in with two helpers of his own.

Stephen Schultz scored a pair for Colorado College, while Eamonn McDermott, Nick Dineen and Tyler Johnson added singles for the Tigers.

Goalie Joe Howe finished with 33 stops for CC.

“I was especially proud of our guys’ compete level and our battle level considering how young we are with three seniors in the lineup and no NHL draft picks,” said Colorado College head coach Scott Owens. “I thought we held our own and we just got a little bit unlucky—a little bit unlucky in the end. It was a very lucky goal that ricocheted in and a power-play goal to tie it, but I thought we competed and I thought we represented ourselves very well in this tournament.”

Winnett scored just 39 seconds into the game and Treais bookended the game with his unassisted goal at 15:56 of the third period.

"I went into the corner and took a peek over my shoulder and threw it at the net and hoped that it would go in," said Treais. "Lucky bounce I guess."

Winning their 13th GLI should be a confidence-booster for the second half of the season, according to Berenson.

“It’s a home rink (and) it’s good for your confidence to get back to the Joe, which our goal is to get back to the Joe in the CCHA playoffs," Berenson said. "To play in a venue like this and have success, it’s good for our young players to get a feel for what it’s like to play in these games and a little history. Then you look at our senior class and I think that’s three GLI championships in four years, so good for them—because it wasn’t always like this.”

The Wolverines (12-5-4) play a home-and-home with Michigan State next weekend, starting next Friday night in East Lansing.

GLI NOTEBOOK

All-tournament team

F - Luke Glendening (Michigan)
F - Carl Hagelin (Michigan)
F - Stephen Schultz (Colorado College)
D - Torey Krug (Michigan State)
D - Gabe Guentzel (Colorado College)
G - Shawn Hunwick (Michigan)

Colorado College was last in the GLI back in 2005 when the Tigers won the tournament. Their first appearance was in the inaugural GLI back in 1965.

Future invitee teams in the GLI are scheduled to be Boston College (2011) and St. Cloud State. (2012).

Announced attendance was 14,718.

Photos by Matt Mackinder/MiCHO