DETROIT - Much like a conductor attempting to lead an orchestra without its top musicians, Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson was forced to work with a team that had lost two defensemen, freshmen Jack Johnson and Mark Mitera) and two forwards (sophomore Kevin Porter and freshman Andrew Cogliano), to the IHHF World Junior Championships.

But one day after a devastating loss the Wolverines gave themselves momentum for the second half of the CCHA season by taking third place out of four teams in the Great Lakes Invitational with a 5-3 win over Michigan Tech at Joe Louis Arena on Dec. 30.

Michigan arrived in the consolation game after a 6-1 loss to No. 7 Colorado College the night before.

"We really needed that one," said Berenson of Friday's win over Michigan Tech (3-10-1 WCHA, 4-17-1 overall). "Especially when we were behind going into the third period. Sometimes you can become unraveled. It was not turning out to be the weekend that we wanted, but we stuck together."

At 16:56 in the third period of Friday's game the Wolverines (7-3-1 CCHA, 12-6-1) took their first lead of the tournament when sophomore Chad Kolarik ended his nine-game goal-less streak. Freshman Tim Miller collected a Kolarik pass behind the Huskies' net and slid the puck back to Kolarik on the right post. Kolarik quickly wrapped the puck around Michigan Tech goaltender Rob Nolan and nailed the inside of the left post to light the lamp and give Michigan a 4-3 lead.

Kolarik's goal was the third of a four-goal flurry by the Wolverines that began with junior defenseman Matt Hunwick's goal at 12:37 of the second period. Just more than two minutes prior to that goal it looked as if Michigan would lose both games of the GLI for the first time since 2001 - after Michigan Tech defenseman Lars Helminen's shot from the right point beat freshman Billy Sauer topshelf and gave the Huskies a 3-1 lead. Following Hunwick's goal, freshman Jason Bailey was in the right place at the right time to change the momentum of the game.

Just five minutes into the third period, alternate captain T.J. Hensick skated to the left corner of the offensive zone to get to the puck. From there, he slipped a pass toward the front of the net. Bailey was there to punch it in past Nolan and tie the game.

"I think we needed that tying goal," Berenson said. "That was huge."

According to Berenson, both teams were fragile after their Thursday losses - the Huskies suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss to Michigan State. He went on to say that the team, "needed (some) life," and that Bailey's goal gave the team a boost to propel it to victory.

Michigan struggled to show any signs of life throughout most of the Michigan Tech game and all of Thursday night's game against Colorado College. Lines of fans leaving the game during the second intermission and others amusing themselves with "Fire Millen" chants provided evidence that the Wolverines' opening game of the tournament became ugly in a hurry.

Despite outshooting Michigan 18-5 in the first period, the Tigers (9-4-1 WCHA, 17-6-1) held a slim one-goal lead thanks to solid goaltending by Sauer. But special teams killed the Wolverines the rest of the way and they gave up two more power-play goals and two short-handed goals.

The floodgates opened early in the second period after Colorado College's Marty Sertich - last season's Hobey Baker winner - was whistled for obstruction-hooking at 3:29. Just 20 seconds later, Tigers forward Joey Crabb picked up a loose puck that was mishandled in Michigan's zone and flicked it over Sauer's shoulder to give Colorado College a 2-0 lead. The Tigers never looked back, scoring two more goals in the second period and two goals in the third.

The tournament split gives the Wolverines a little momentum heading into this weekend's CCHA matchup against Alaska-Fairbanks.

This time, Berenson will have all the pieces of his orchestra, and he will be able to conduct what has at times been a symphony on ice.