The Michigan hockey team faced a few questions heading into tonight’s CCHA quarterfinal matchup with Western Michigan.

How hot were the Broncos, winners of seven of their last ten games?

And could the Wolverines return to form after a bye weekend?

Michigan didn’t wait more than three minutes to answer the latter.

Just 2:57 minutes after the puck dropped, sophomore forward Ben Winnett slammed the puck into the back of the net off a rebound to give the Wolverines a quick 1-0 lead.

By the end of the first period, after a one-timer by sophomore defenseman Chad Langlais and a shorthanded tally by sophomore forward Carl Hagelin, Michigan had a firm grasp of the contest. It would eventually win 5-2.

The Wolverines looked like they hadn’t missed a beat after the bye weekend. After closing out the regular season with a 17-3 run, Michigan couldn’t have entered the postseason with any more momentum. Even Hagelin’s father, Boris, was in the stands, which usually means one thing — Hagelin will probably score at least a goal. And when Hagelin scores, that usually bodes well for the Wolverines.

Michigan continued to dominate in the offensive zone throughout most of the second frame, even quadrupling Western Michigan’s amount of shots on goal midway through the period. But with seven and a half minutes remaining in the second, the Broncos got hot.

First, a wide-open freshman forward J.J. Crew flicked a puck over Michigan sophomore goalie Bryan Hogan’s left shoulder to put Western Michigan on the board. Then, with 1:35 left in the frame, freshman forward Kyle O’Kane punched in an easy rebound goal from the left circle. In a period when the Wolverines clearly controlled the pace and applied constant offensive pressure, it was the Broncos who put two goals on the board and cut the lead to one.

The question had come back to haunt Michigan: Really, how hot was Western Michigan?

As hot as the Broncos’ junior netminder Riley Gill.

Even after giving up three early goals, Gill put together a jaw-dropping performance, leaving many fans in awe. He made 43 saves in total, and at least a dozen were good Michigan scoring chances.

After the three-goal first period, Gill kept the Wolverines puzzled and off the scoreboard until there was just over three minutes remaining in the contest.

The dangerous combination of sophomore forwards Aaron Palushaj and Matt Rust proved too much for Gill. Palushaj fired a wrist shot from the left circle, and the puck tipped off Rust into the net. After a brief review by the officials, Michigan’s important insurance goal stood.

Western Michigan pulled its goalie with over two minutes left in the game, but the extra skater didn’t give it much help as Hagelin added an empty-netter to bring the final score to 5-2.

The Wolverines and Broncos return to action tomorrow night at Yost Ice Arena in the second game of this best-of-three quarterfinal matchup.