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The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | October 19, 2016

LaFontaine’s debut

Jack LaFontaine lifted 

Michigan in his debut with 
exactly the kind of showing 

the Wolverines needed

» SportsWednesday Column, 

Page 2B

Dead heat

Michigan held firm at home 
with a 0-0 tie against No. 
15 Minnesota on Sunday, 
staying at fourth place in the 
Big Ten
» Page 3B

BIG RAPIDS — It was the 

perfect storm: a hungry team 
searching for its first win in 
front of a rambunctious home 
crowd, a young team making its 
first road trip of the season and a 
freshman goaltender making his 
first start.

But the No. 13 Michigan 

hockey team weathered the 
storm, emerging with a 2-1 win 
over Ferris State Friday night at 
Ewigleben Arena.

The Wolverines (2-1) were 

tested early and often by the 
Bulldogs (0-5), who set the tone 
with an aggressive forecheck 

and physical play. Ferris State 
kept 
the 
Michigan 
attack 

mostly in check and outshot the 
Wolverines in all three periods, 
finishing with a 29-16 advantage 
for the game.

But a young Michigan team 

hung tight behind strong play 
from freshman netminder Jack 
LaFontaine, who dealt with odd-
man rushes all night en route to 
making 28 saves.

“I thought Jack played great 

the whole game,” said Michigan 
coach Red Berenson. “They 
put pressure on us in the first 
period, more pressure in the 
second period — especially when 
we were two men short — and 
then in the third period when 
the game was on the line. For a 

freshman goalie to come in here 
and win a game like that is really 
impressive.”

Added LaFontaine: “As the 

game progressed, I kinda found 
my groove. I think our entire 
team found their groove. We got 
better as the game went on, and I 
think as much as the fans played 
a factor, we blocked it out and 
played our game.”

Michigan made the most of the 

few scoring chances it created 
— the Wolverines could not 
generate a consistent even-man 
attack, but were able to convert 
when given a man advantage.

After coming away empty-

handed on its first two power 
plays 
in 
the 
first 
period, 

Michigan did not let the third go 

to waste. Nearly seven minutes 
into the second period, junior 
forward Dexter Dancs threaded 
a pass between two Bulldogs 
to find freshman center Jake 
Slaker, who put it past the Ferris 
State goaltender for the first goal 
of his career.

“It wasn’t a set play or 

anything,” Slaker said. “I think 
everyone was just kinda puck-
watching. (Alex Kile) ended 
up passing to Dancs, and then 
Dancs saw that I was behind 
everyone and I had a little 
mini-breakaway. So I thought 
it turned out to be a read-and-
react, and we ended up doing 
well with that.”

The Bulldogs came roaring 

back in the third, opening up 

the period with several grade-A 
chances. 
LaFontaine 
made 

several impressive stops to hold 
Michigan’s lead, but was unable 
to prevent Ferris State forward 
Andrew Mayer from burying 
one in the back of the net during 
a Bulldogs power play with 11:23 
left in the third period.

Ferris 
State 
regained 
all 

the momentum with a tying 
goal, and it looked to have 
Michigan on the ropes. But 
the Wolverines regrouped and 
responded with just 4:28 left 
when junior defenseman Sam 
Piazza rifled a shot into the net 
off a pass from Kile.

The 
goal 
came 
during 

Michigan’s sixth power play of 
the game and proved to be the 

game-winner 
as 
LaFontaine 

made several crucial saves over 
the final few minutes to preserve 
the victory.

It may not have been pretty, 

but the result was nonetheless 
impressive for a young team 
that was repeatedly tested in a 
hostile environment.

“I can’t tell you this was a 

good road game in terms of our 
execution,” Berenson said. “As a 
coach, you look at too many shots 
against, too many outnumbered 
rushes, too many penalties and 
so on. We’ve got to get better 
every week, and tonight was a 
tough game to play, but our team 
stayed with it. We never got 
behind, and we found a way to 
win the game.”

CLAIRE ABDO/Daily

ORION SANG

Daily Sports Writer

Ferris State 1
Michigan 2

WEDNESDAY

