[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Michigan Wolverines return to Yost Ice Arena after a bye week to rejuvenate after suffering their first loss of the season to Robert Morris University on Halloween.
The Wolverines (4-1-1) took on The Niagara Purple Eagles of the Atlantic hockey league (0-5-2; 0-1-1). This is the first meeting between the two schools since 2013. Michigan now holds a 9-1-0 record over the Purple Eagles with the 7-3 win Friday night.
Coach Berenson started senior goaltender Steve Racine, while Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder started freshman Josh O’Brien.
The Wolverines opened the game taking many quality chances. Freshman Kyle Connor opened the scoring for Michigan at the 7:05 mark when he hammered home his first goal of the game and fourth goal of the season.
Two minutes later, Senior Justin Selman netted his third goal of the season when he deflected a shot from freshman defensemen Nicholas Boka to put Michigan up by two. Less than a minute later Kyle Connor added his second goal of the game and fifth goal of the season.
Within the first ten minutes of the game, the Wolverines bombarded the Niagara freshmen goaltender Josh O’Brien. Coach Burkholder pulled his starting goaltender after he let in three goals in less than four minutes. He was replaced by freshman goaltender Guillaume Therien.
The Wolverines came out in the first period and made a statement in those first ten minutes of the first period. At the end of the first Niagara and Michigan were almost even in shots on goal 14-12 in favor of the Wolverines.
Michigan started the second period as they did in the first. Michigan freshman Cooper Marody added his fourth goal of the season at the 1:45 mark of the second to put Niagara down 4-0. Senior Tyler Motte added his fifth goal of the season on the power play off a deflection from JT Compher. Michigan was about to take a 5-0 lead into the third period when Niagara’s freshman left winger Tanner Lomsnes finished off a 2 on 1 to beat Racine at the 18:11 mark to try and add momentum to enter the third period.
Michigan’s offense added another 17 shots in the second while Niagara only had 7.
As the third period got underway you could tell that Michigan came out with the momentum but Niagara’s defensemen Niko Kovachis added a goal at the 4:07 mark to cut the Wolverines deficit to three. After Kovachis goal, teammate Tanner Lomsnes went to the box. Tony Calderone capitalized on the power play goal just thirteen seconds later to bring the score 6-2. Sophomore Zach Werenski added a beautiful goal from the blue line to make it a 7-2game.
Coach Berenson pulled goaltender Steve Racine and put freshman Chad Clatt in net who saw his first ice time of his career as a Michigan Wolverine. Clatt let in one goal in the final 8 minutes of the game.
The Wolverines will be heading to Boston University to take on the Terriers. The puck will drop will be at 6PM EST next Friday night.
