DEARBORN, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn (7-0-0, 5-0-0) welcomed the Cleary Cougars (3-8-0, 2-5-0) to the UM-Dearborn Ice Arena on Friday (Oct. 27) for WHAC play. The Wolverines continued their winning streak, winning the first of a home-and-home 4-2.
The Wolverines scored twice in the opening stanza, first from the stick of Mikhail Khudenko, who buried an open attempt after Blake Petterle won the faceoff back to him. Three minutes later, after the Cougars were sent to the penalty box, the Wolverine powerplay unit went onto the ice and made quick work of the Cougars penalty kill. The Wolverines won the faceoff back to Ryan Stanley, who worked the puck down to Declan Flanagan, who found Bailey Byrd waiting in the slot to make it 2-0 on the powerplay goal.
The Wolverines extended their lead to three as the Wolverine Big Three connected again. This time off of the stick of Joey Cullinan, who was waiting for a pass from Bailey Byrd to bury it first time past the Cougar netminder. The Wolverines surrendered a short-handed goal late in the period to give the Cougars life.
Max Hartwell put the Cougars away for good five minutes into the final period as he rocketed a puck home from the point as Blake Petterle and Khudenko cycled the puck to the open Hartwell waiting on the blue line.
The Cougars would get a goal back late to make it 4-2, but the Wolverines would not allow anything else in the remainder of the contest. Tanner Beals played a solid game in the net, making 24 saves on 26 shots.
The Wolverines will travel to Howell on Saturday (Oct. 28) to finish the home-and-home series.
