By Michael Florek, Daily Sports Editor
Published January 8, 2011
After a seven-goal game last night that included four power play goals, 50 combined penalty minutes, and may have had equal punches thrown and shots on goal, the No. 7 Michigan hockey team and Michigan State played in Yost again on Saturday night. This time, the Wolverines’ 4-0 win was a slugfest, but of an entirely different matter.
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With both teams recovering from a sloppy third period Friday and a short overtime, they came out playing their best hockey, resulting in a back and forth first period, but no goals.
Senior goalie Shawn Hunwick went toe-to-toe with his counterpart, Michigan State’s Drew Palmisano. The tale of the tape didn’t reveal much with both standing 5’10” or under. But both were up to the challenge. Hunwick had a succession of shots he stopped from the slot. And Palmisano was forced side-to-side multiple times to stop the cross-ice pass.
There was only one slip up in the first two periods. It turned out to be the knockout blow.
With Michigan on the power play, senior forward Carl Hagelin took the puck on the boards near the hashmarks. Hagelin threw the puck on net and it slipped in between Palmisano’s five-hole to give the Wolverines a lead they would never relinquish.
Hagelin added the team’s second goal as well, deflecting senior defenseman Chad Langlais’ shot early in the third period.
Even with the lead, Hunwick wasn’t done. As the puck bounced over junior defenseman’s Brandon Burlon’s stick, Hunwick was all alone with Spartan Daultan Leveille midway through the third period. Hunwick challenged and made the save, putting the game further out of reach.
Michigan's insurance goals came in rapid succession as the third period winded down. First it was a cross-ice pass from senior forward Louie Caporusso to sophomore forward A.J. Treais.
The final goal came from freshman defenseman Mac Bennett — his first career goal, Bennett took a feed and buried a wrist shot into the top corner.
That would be more than enough for Michigan (9-4-1 CCHA, 12-6-4 overall) to get a win over a rival. More importantly, the Wolverines salvage a split with the 10th-place team in the conference and keeps Michigan within reach of first place Notre Dame.
