DENVER - The goals came early, often and from every angle.

Side of the net, blue line, behind the net, power play, even strength, rebound, crossbar, you name it, this game had it.

By the end of the first period, one of every three shots had resulted in a goal. By the end of the game that number had fallen to a still astronomical one goal in less than five shots.

With so many goals on the board, it was somewhat surprising that the nation's top-scoring team wasn't the winner.

But that's exactly what happened tonight the NCAA West Regional No. 2 seed Michigan fell to No. 3 seed North Dakota, 8-5.

It was the second consecutive year the Wolverines' season has concluded with a tournament loss to the Fighting Sioux. The eight goals were the most Michigan has given up in a NCAA Tournament game since an 8-1 loss at Boston University in 1991.

Things looked bright for Michigan early as it jumped out to a 2-0 lead in just 58 seconds. Junior Kevin Porter scored on Michigan's first shift, freshman Chris Summers on its second.

But North Dakota answered.

For the first of their five power-play goals on the night, the Fighting Sioux got on the board courtesy of a Chris Porter's goal just more than three minutes into the game.

It's the most power-play goals Michigan (18-9-1 CCHA, 26-13-1 overall) has allowed since it also gave up five to Minnesota on Nov. 25, 2005.

Porter's tally gave the Sioux-leaning crowd of 11,171 its first chance to be heard. But after a quiet first three minutes, the fans became more and more vocal as the game progressed.

After senior T.J. Hensick gave Michigan a 3-1 less than two minutes later, North Dakota answered with three straight goals to close the first period with a 4-3 lead.

Michigan benefited from an ill-advised post-period North Dakota penalty to tie the game just 14 seconds into the second period.

Hensick skated toward the North Dakota net as the first-period horn sounded. When he crossed the goal line, Fighting Sioux goalie Philippe Lamoureux slashed him and was called for a penalty.

Hensick returned the favor by scoring his second goal of the game on an unstoppable top-shelf shot that rattled in off the crossbar.

Just like the first period, Michigan scored 58 seconds into the second frame. Sophomore Andrew Cogliano took advantage of Lamoureux's misplay of a dump-in and put the Wolverines in the lead, 5-4.

Unfortunately for Michigan, North Dakota (13-10-5 WCHA, 22-13-5 overall), which will face No. 1 seed Minnesota in tomorrow's regional final, was more than happy to repeat the first period.

Once again, the Fighting Sioux responded with three unanswered goals, including two on the power play, to go into the second intermission with a 7-5 lead.

The seventh goal was the most unsettling.

On the power play, T.J. Oshie corralled a rebound just behind the goal line and facing the end boards. From a negative angle and without even looking, Oshie threw the puck toward Michigan goalie Billy Sauer who didn't react and allowed the puck to bank in off his pads.

Oshie added an empty-net goal in the third period for a hat trick.

Perhaps it was the altitude, perhaps North Dakota's neutral-zone trap, but there was no doubt that by the third period the game's manic pace had taken its toll Michigan. The Wolverines looked tired and frustrated. Nothing proved this more than Hensick's 10-minute misconduct with just more than 12 minutes remaining.

The penalty forced the senior to watch all but the last two minutes of his final game from the penalty box and robbed him of a chance at being the first Wolverine to score 70 points in a season since Brendan Morrison had 88 in the 1996-97 campaign.