DEARBORN, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn (13-10-0, 11-6-0) men's ice hockey team got off to a fast start against the Cleary Cougars (7-17-0, 5-13,-0) on Friday (Jan. 27) at the UM-Dearborn Ice Arena. Bailey Byrd's two first-period goals were the difference maker in the contest, boosting the Wolverines to a 3-2 victory.
Cleary netted the game's first goal seven minutes into the opening period after a bad turnover in the Wolverine defensive zone left netminder Kayden Pickles out to dry, and the Cougars buried one over his right shoulder to make it 1-0. However, the Cougars couldn't even catch their breath before Joey Cullinan won the faceoff back to Josh Makarchuk, who found a streaking Bailey Byrd wide open in the slot, and Byrd buried the open chance 20 seconds after the Cougar goal.
Dearborn would answer with two more goals in the period on an unassisted goal from Cullinan at the 16:20 mark and Byrd's second of the period on a Max Hartwell assist.
Cleary would get one back in the third to make the game close, but Pickles and crew stopped the attack and prevailed 3-2 in the first game of a home-and-home series.
Pickles made 29 saves in the contest to get his fourth win on the season.
Up Next
The Wolverines travel to Cleary on Saturday (Jan. 28) to conclude the season series against the Cougars, with the puck dropping at 7:30 pm at 140 Ice Den.
