After 20 minutes, senior captain Kevin Porter realized he had seen this episode.

Michigan trailed Minnesota, 2-0, after one period of the Ice Breaker Championship game.

As a Wolverine, Porter had never been on the winning end of the storied rivalry. In those four games, the Wolverines had been outscored 23-8.

Sitting in the locker room as the Zambonis circled the ice at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, a thought might have crossed Porter's mind: He didn't have to be there. The choice had been his.

The reality quickly set in. Michigan's season ended with an 8-5 loss to North Dakota in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Minutes after that game, the fate of the 2007-08 Michigan hockey season lay in Porter's lap.

Many of Porter's best friends - seniors T.J. Hensick, Matt Hunwick, Jason Dest, Tim Cook and David Rohlfs - were graduating. They comprised the first group of Michigan seniors never to reach a Frozen Four since the class of 1991.

There was a hint of fear in Porter's eyes as he reflected on the disappointment with reporters.

"I feel so bad for (the seniors)," Porter said. "It's a bad thing, and, hopefully, we can make it (to the Frozen Four) next year. We've got a bunch of good guys coming in. We've got to get them to buy in right away, and I think we have a great chance of making it."

The forward-looking message was there, but the conviction didn't inspire confidence. Porter had a lot to consider.

As soon as the game ended, the early departures began. Porter barely finished talking with reporters outside the locker room before second-year defenseman Jack Johnson finalized his decision to jump to the NHL.

In the following weeks, Porter's representatives were in contact with the Phoenix Coyotes, the team that drafted him in the fifth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

"I don't think it was anything serious," Porter said. "Just conversations back and forth about what might happen."

Porter downplays the discussions now, but after a spectacular junior season, it was easy to see why Phoenix expressed interest in signing him early.

Porter had a breakout season playing alongside Hensick and Rohlfs. His 58 points were the third most in the country.

But the doubters came quickly. Can Porter do it without Hensick? Was his success just a product of his teammates' ability?

April went by quietly for the Michigan hockey team. The roster appeared to be set for the upcoming season.

At the season-ending banquet, Michigan coach Red Berenson named Porter the team captain. If Porter hadn't gotten the message before, there was no denying it now. It was his team.

Then on May 2, Andrew Cogliano, who had been named an alternate captain at the banquet, signed with the Edmonton Oilers.

"I think it did hurt when Cogliano left," said Mike Porter, Kevin's oldest brother. "They thought they were going to be in this together."

Cogliano was one of Michigan's top offensive talents and was projected to be Porter's center on the top line.

Porter said Cogliano's departure didn't factor in his decision to remain at Michigan or sign with the Coyotes. But it would have been hard to blame him if, at that point, Porter signed a contract and packed his bags, saying he wanted to leave on a high note.

"All along, I thought he was going to sign," said senior alternate captain Chad Kolarik, Porter's lone classmate. "That might have been the best move for him, but I totally respect that he's back here, and he wants to win the National Championship as a captain. Everyone follows his lead because of that. Everyone respects that he really could be in the NHL right now."

In July, Porter and Kolarik, also a Coyotes draft pick, went to Phoenix for the team's prospect camp. It was a chance to show off his talents and meet one of the world's greatest hockey players, Coyotes' head coach Wayne Gretzky.

Porter was in Phoenix for a week, and it was there he announced his intentions to return to Michigan for his senior year.

Though Porter downplays the chances he would have left early for the professional ranks, many were relieved to hear him officially declare his position.

"I know Phoenix wanted him to leave," Berenson said. "I think Kevin made a wise decision in not leaving."

There were a number of factors that went into that decision, Porter said. He didn't stress any, but two stood out when he talked about his thought process this summer. The first was getting a degree.

"Hockey has been a big part," Porter said. "But also graduating and getting a degree from here was a big part of why I came."

Porter's family also noted the importance of academics in his decision to return.