Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- University of Michigan's Chad Kolarik lit the lamp four times and the Western Michigan men's hockey team fell to the No. 1 ranked Michigan Wolverines, 5-1, in front of a sell out crowd of 4,024 fans at Lawson Ice Arena on Saturday night.
Kolarki's four goals and three assists by Michigan (20-2-0, 13-1-0 CCHA) center Kevin Porter, along with 31-saves by Michigan goalie Billy Sauer were too much to handle for Western Michigan (6-15-1, 2-12-0 CCHA) Saturday night.
"Well I thought we played really hard and competed really hard tonight," said Bronco head coach Jim Culhane. "I think we are gonna see on tape that we generated a lot of chances to score and I think the difference of the game is Kolarik scoring four goals and Sauer in goal for them."
Western Michigan went down early 1-0 just 30-seconds into the first period on the first of four goals by Kolarik. Michigan center Kevin Porter picked up his first of three assists on the night and Chris Summers earned his sixth assist of the season. Kolarik scored again to put the Wolverines up 2-0, mid-way through the first period on a power play, beating WMU goalie Riley Gill (4-12-0) for his second goal on the night. Porter picked up his second assist on the night and 16th on the season and Brandon Naurato picked up his fifth helper on the season.
The Broncos answered back during a 4-on-3 power play with 2:20 remaining in the first on a one-timer by Bronco defensemen Nathan Ansell. Ansell fired the shot on a pass from junior winger Dave Krisky and the placed the puck in the top left corner of the goal, just above Michigan goalie Billy Sauer's shoulder. The goal was the second on the season for Ansell, with Krisky picking up his sixth assist and Kevin O'Connor adding his second assist on the season to bring the Broncos within one, 2-1. Michigan quickly answered back on the power play on a goal by Kevin Quick just 19-seconds later. Quick's goal was his second on the season and Travis Turnbull and Brian Labler picked up assists on the goal to put the Wolverines up, 3-1. Michigan went 2-for-2 on the power play in the first period and the Broncos went 1-for-3 and out-shot the Wolverines 13 to 11.
Kolarik added his third goal of the game and 16th on the season 3:17 into the second period. Kolarik and WMU center Brian Bicek were on a face off, Kolarik won the face off and quickly fired the puck in on net to beat Gill to put the Wolverines up, 4-1. Western Michigan was unable to capitalize on two power plays in the second period, but fired off nine shots on net.
Kolarik added his fourth and final goal of the game mid-way through the third period on a power play. Naurato and Porter picked up assists on the goal, and the Wolverines went up, 5-1. Michigan finished 3-for-4 on the power play and Western Michigan finished 1-for-6. The Broncos were out shot 38-32 and Sauer made 31 saves for the Wolverines. The Broncos had as scoring chance late in the third period when Ansell skated between two Wolverine defenders to go on a break away but Sauer made a quick save with his glove.
The Broncos face Bowling Green in a home-and-home match up on Jan. 18 and 19. The Broncos travel to Bowling Green on Friday Jan. 18 for the 7:05 p.m. puck-drop and then host the Falcons the following night at 7:35 p.m.
