Michigan Hockey Michigan beats Western Michigan

Posted at 4:00pm -- 1/9/2010


Michigan Icers Edge WMU, 4-3

Another soft goal: check. More defensive breakdowns: check. Four power play goals. Huh? What? Yes, that last opening teaser is not a misprint. Michigan outlasted WMU last night on the strength of converting four out of seven power play chances. It wasn’t a work of art by any means, especially considering both teams started play near the league cellar, but Michigan won a game that they typically have found a way to lose this season. It couldn’t have come at a better time, either.

The Wolverines got outstanding offensive support from some unlikely sources: defensemen Brandon Burlon and Steve Kampfer notched a goal and two assists, while Lindsay Sparks added the same to lead the Maize and Blue. Louie Caporusso also scored and assisted on Kampfer’s goal.

Both teams came out firing in the first period, but neither squad was able to change the scoreboard. Michigan outshot the Broncos 13-9.

The second period started fast, as both netminders turned away early chances. WMU struck first, though, on an innocent looking play. Western carried the play into the Michigan end and dumped the puck into the corner to Bryan Hogan’s right. Hogan lost sight of the puck as Jared Katz raced in, recovered it, and lifted a soft backhander toward the net. The puck caromed off of Hogan’s back and then dropped behind him at 3:02. Coach Berenson on that first goal: “I thought he (Hogan) made a couple of great saves in the second period. He gave up a bad goal, a lucky goal, but he came back with a couple good saves. That’s what a goalie has to do-just put it behind him.”

Michigan came back six minutes later on the first of four power play tallies. Steve Kampfer and Brandon Burlon passed the puck between them at their point positions until Burlon decided to move in and snap a shot from between the circles. WMU’s goaltender, Riley Gill, never saw the shot until it glanced off of his left post and into the net. A little less than three minutes later, WMU untied the game, also on the power play. Senior Chris Clackson rushed into the Michigan zone, pulled up just inside the blue line and fed a perfect pass to a trailing J.J. Crew. Crew was allowed to split the defense and walk right in on a prone Hogan. He spotted fellow Sophomore Greg Squires to his left and fed him for an easy tap-in.

Michigan re-tied it at 14:56, notching a second power play goal in the process. Lindsay Sparks cruised through the neutral zone and fed Louie Caporusso as he was entering the Bronco zone. Caporusso used a Western defenseman as a screen and whistled a perfect 30-foot top corner shot past Gill’s glove side.

The period ended 2-2 with Michigan outshooting Western 30-16.

Michigan was awarded another power play opportunity very early in the third period and Lindsay Sparks made good on the opportunity. Burlon and Kampfer took turns with the puck at the blueline. Kampfer fed a perfect pass to Sparks skating down the slot and labeled a wrister from the left circle top shelf to give the Wolverines the lead for good at 1:12.

Kampfer added the game winner at 6:39 with helpers from Caporusso and Sparks. Sparks began the play circling deep into the Bronco zone, cycling the puck with Caporusso. Western’s defense collapsed on the two forwards allowing Kampfer to sneak in from the left point. He accepted a perfect feed from Caporusso and one timed a shot near post past Gill.

The Broncos responded in the last ten minutes, as Max Campbell capitalized on a poor change as Michigan’s defense was caught up ice. He accepted a pass in the neutral zone, skated in unmolested, deked Hogan, and sent a backhander along the ice behind him with a little over seven and one half minutes left. The goal energized the Broncos, but they couldn’t tie the game. Michigan out-shot the Broncos 17-6 in the period, mostly due to a long five-minute CFB penalty. The game ended with Michigan holding a 47-22 shot advantage. Referees Wilkins and Hall called a combined twelve penalties in the game, eight of which were called on WMU for 27 minutes.

Coach Berenson commented on the success of the Michigan power play:

“The power play is a funny thing. We work hard on it and it doesn’t seem to make much progress and then every so often you see a bright light and tonight was one of those nights where the puck went in, where as another night it might not. They all weren’t great plays. You get the puck at the net. Louie (Caporusso) is a goal scorer; I’m not surprised, that was a good shot. Louie made a great play to Kampfer on one. Sparks made a great shot on his, good play. We moved the puck a little better and we got rewarded.”

Michigan (11-10-0, 6-7-0) moved up in the standings to 8th, tied with idle NMU and UNO, who lost to Alaska on home ice last night. Michigan and Western battle again tonight at Yost ice arena.

YOST Bits

Michigan has now won eight straight games at Lawson Arena.

The Wolverines posted season highs in shots (47) and PPG’s (4) last night. They have now ripped 40 or more shots in three consecutive games. The last time the team scored 4 PPG’s was last February in a 6-2 home victory versus UNO. They also have scored a PPG in 10 of their last 11 games.

Lindsay Sparks recorded back-to-back points in games for the first time in his career.

Brandon Burlon notched his first multiple point game this season and Steve Kampfer scored a career high three points. He now has 1-10-11 on the season and leads the blueliners in assists and points.

Carl Hagelin quietly assisted on Michigan ’s first goal to extend his point string to three games. He leads the team in assists with 11 and in points with 21. He also extended his points total to every series played this season.

Michigan has now allowed seven PPG’s in their last five games. The Wolverine’s overall defensive coverage last night was subpar, albeit with Hogan’s bizarre mental error on the first goal. They should get credit, though, for only taking four penalties last night.

Yostmeister three star selections:

1. Michigan- Brandon Burlon- 1G and 2A in a strong special team’s effort

2. Michigan- Lindsay Sparks- 1G and 2A for the freshman who seems to be finding his offensive stride on the first line.

3. Michigan- Steve Kampfer-also had 1G and 2A in his biggest offensive presence as a Wolverine.

Honorable mention goes to Louie Caporusso, instrumental on the GWG and tallying 1G and 1A on the night. Good to see Louie finding his offense.

Written by Yostmeister

Go Blue -- Wear Maize!