DEARBORN, Mich. – The No. 20 University of Michigan-Dearborn (11-7-1, 10-3) men's ice hockey team shutout the No.24 Concordia (MI) Cardinals (11-11-1, 6-8-0) 4-0 on Saturday (Jan.7) thanks to a 26 save performance from goaltender Eric Polzin. Mikhail Khudenko added a four-point performance in the victory.
Despite being outshot 11-9 in the first period, the Wolverines took advantage of their scoring chances as Khudenko and Chance Mathews set up Brendan West for the opening goal. The Wolverine top line buried the open chance after Mathews worked his way up the right wing and slid a pass to West, who was driving into the slot and chipped it past the Cardinal netminders blocker to make it 1-0. Khudenko earned the secondary assist after starting the breakout for the Wolverines.
The Wolverines would add a second goal in the second frame as West walked into the offensive zone and found Khudenko working up the left wing. Khudenko had just the goalie to beat and lifted a firm shot over the netminder's left shoulder to give Dearborn a 2-0 lead less than 120 seconds into the period.
Just past the halfway mark, the Maize & Blue powerplay got their first opportunity of the night as the Cardinals were called for slashing. As the Wolverines cycled the puck in the offensive zone, Mathews threw a puck on the net, and the puck deflected off the goalie's pad to the stick of Khudenko. Khudenko fired another shot off the goalie's left pad, but this time the puck fell to the stick of Kieran O'Connell, who sniped it past the netminder and gave the Wolverines' special teams unit another point.
With the 3-0 lead and the game seemingly out of reach, Mathews added his third point of the night when the Wolverine top line linked up for their third goal of the night.
Polzin (2-2-0), who saw his first action since Oct. 21 after recovering from an injury, stopped 26 en route to his first shutout of the season and earning himself the game's third star.
Up Next
Polzin and the Wolverines welcome Aquinas to the UM-Dearborn Ice Arena on Friday (Jan.13). The puck drops at 7 pm for a crucial WHAC matchup.
