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Haltinner gets 100th win, Wolverines complete sweep

Haltinner gets 100th win, Wolverines complete sweep

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Early on against No. 16 Davenport, it seemed as though University of Michigan-Dearborn men's ice hockey coach Chris Haltinner would perhaps need to wait one more game to reach a career milestone in the finale of a weekend series Saturday in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Down 3-1 after the first period, the No. 8 Wolverines stormed back with four goals in the second period to take a 5-4 lead. The Panthers tied the game at 5-5 heading into the third, where Andrew Palushaj (SR/Livonia, MI) found the back of the net for UM-Dearborn for the game winner.

The 6-5 win gave the Wolverines the two-game weekend sweep and moves UM-Dearborn to 3-0 against Davenport this season. The Wolverines improve to 16-4-2 overall and 6-3-1 in the Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League this season.

The win marked the 100th in the career of coach Haltinner, as he reached the milestone in just his fifth season at the helm of the Wolverines.

The first period saw Davenport score three times, but Sean McLaren (FR/Oakville, ON) kept the Wolverines in the game with his first-career goal on a feed from Billy Brock (FR/Woodhaven, MI). Tyler Groat (JR/Wyandotte, MI) continued his strong play on the man advantage for the Wolverines, netting a goal just 34 seconds into the second period, with Marcus McSweeney (SR/Chandler, Ariz.) and Billy Brock picking up assists.

Davenport regained a two-goal lead 90 seconds later, but UM-Dearborn responded with three-straight, including a goal from Palushaj assisted by Troy Saunders (JR/Canton, Mich.), the first-career goal from Brock assisted by Palushaj, and an unassisted tally from Justin Dunn (SO/Trenton, MI).

Tied at 5-5 in the third, Palushaj netted his second of the game on an assist from Groat to put the Wolverines up for good. Goaltender Thomas Proudlock (JR/Southgate, MI) entered the game at the start of the second period for the Wolverines and picked up the win, making 15 saves.

The Wolverines return to Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play against Rochester College at 7:30 pm Friday at the UM-Dearborn Ice Arena.