No. 4 Wolverines take opener at No. 18 Indiana Tech

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn men's ice hockey team hit the road for a crucial early-season Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference weekend series against Indiana Tech starting Friday in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Sterling Cooper scored late in the second period and added another in the third to lead the No. 4 Wolverines to a 3-1 win over the No. 18 Warriors. The win moves UM-Dearborn to 4-0-1 overall and 3-0-0 in the WHAC.

Dawson Richard started the scoring for UM-Dearborn 12 minutes into the game on assists from Cooper and Kyle Schnettler to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead after one.

After the Warriors tied the score early in the second, Cooper put the Wolverines back in front late in the middle frame on assists from Michael Hodgson and Mathieu LaForest. Cooper's second goal of the game came early in the third on the power play with assists to Silas Johnson and Schnettler.

Two-time reigning WHAC Defensive Player of the Week Thomas Proudlock continued his strong play in net for the Wolverines, stopping 24 shots as UM-Dearborn narrowly outshot Indiana Tech 26-25.

The teams close the weekend series at 5:30 pm Saturday in Fort Wayne.