Moffatt’s slump-busting night helps Wolverines top Lakers

By Matt Slovin –

SAULT STE. MARIE — After a near-silent first half to the season, junior forward Luke Moffatt emerged from hibernation with a two-goal evening, tallying just his second and third goals of the year.

As Moffatt finally awoke, so, it seemed, did the Michigan offense as the Wolverines picked up their first road win over the season, beating Lake Superior State, 6-4.

“We decided that we were going to start playing some playoff hockey,” Moffatt said after the game. “We decided to bear down and not worry about the standings, not worry about anything and just go out there and try to win some games. We were all finally clicking together. We had some good chemistry going. We were playing for each other, for the team and for Michigan. We decided that today was going to be the day that we’re starting a new season; starting our playoff run.”

Michigan peppered shots at Laker goaltender Kevin Kapalka for the entire first period, and finally got the game’s scoring started eight minutes in. That’s when Moffatt skated unnoticed toward the Laker goal and received a pass from Andrew Sinelli to put the Wolverines up 1-0.

It only took 20 seconds for Michigan to extend its lead to 2-0. Junior forward Derek DeBlois scored his third of the year after a mad dash in front of Kapalka.

“I thought we worked harder,” coach Red Berenson said. “We worked with more intensity. When everybody works hard, you’re going to get some breaks. I can’t tell you that they were tic-tac-toe goals; they were just whack and hack hard-working goals.”

Just under two minutes into the second period, however, the Lakers cut into the Michigan lead. Andrew Perrault notched his first of the season on a wrister past Michigan junior goalie Adam Janecyk. The Wolverines left freshman Steve Racine in Ann Arbor due to a high fever, though Michigan coach Red Berenson later said that Janecyk was slated to be the starter regardless of Racine’s status.

But Moffatt’s second goal of the night extended the Wolverines lead to 3-1. Sinelli assisted on that tally as well as his initial shot was turned away before Moffatt’s rebound found the back of the net.

With the Wolverines leading 4-2 in the third period, the Lakers were given a penalty shot after defenseman Mike Chiasson was ruled to have trapped the puck under his glove in the crease. Domenic Monardo fired a backhand past Janecyk to close the lead to one.

The teams exchanged blows once more with a goal apiece, but sophomore forward Alex Guptill sealed the Wolverines’ first road win of the season with an empty-net goal in the final minute.

Michigan continues its four-game road swing on Saturday night with a 7:05 puck drop at Lake Superior State.