DEARBORN, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn men's ice hockey team held its spot in first in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference standings with a win over Lawrence Tech in the first of three in three nights Thursday at the UM-Dearborn Ice Arena.

The No. 6 Wolverines jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the second period and after the Blue Devils got on the board, UM-Dearborn added two in the third to pull away for a 5-1 win. The victory moves UM-Dearborn to 19-6-2 overall and 13-3-0 in the WHAC, two points ahead of No. 8 Indiana Tech, which traveled Rochester University on Thursday.

Nic LaBurn scored two goals for the Wolverines in the opening period, pushing his team-leading season total to 24. Kyle Schnettler and Billy Brock got the assists on the first goal just 37 seconds into the contest. Brock and Justin Dunn earned the assists on LaBurn's second later in the period on the power play.

Brock put UM-Dearborn up 3-0 five minutes into the second on an assist from Dakota Potter, but LTU answered with its lone goal of the game on the power play to cut the deficit to two after two periods.

Dunn scored midway through the third on a feed into the slot by LaBurn, while Brendan West gathered a loose puck behind the net after a miscue by the LTU goal, as he was able to wrap around to the empty net to make it 5-1 with just over eight minutes to play.

Thomas Proudlock made 24 saves in the win in net for UM-Dearborn.

The series continues for the Wolverines and Blue Devils at 5:45 pm Friday at the Farmington Ice Arena in Farmington Hills, Mich.