Jan. 11, 2008

Stats

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Wayne State men's hockey team (4-15-2) snapped its eight-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory at Northern Michigan (9-13-1) on Friday night.

With their second-highest scoring total this season and just their third game with three goals or more, the Warriors earned its first win in eight meetings with the Wildcats.

Wayne State's leading scorer Jeff Caister (Mississauga, Ont./Milton Icehawks) had two assists, while Mike Forgie (Scarborough, Ont./Stouffville Spirit) and Tylor Michel (Sudbury, Ont./Owen Sound Saugeen Greys) each notched a goal and two helpers, etching their names into the record book in the process.

Forgie put the Warriors on the board with his sixth goal of the year just 11 seconds into the first period, the second-fastest goal to begin a game in school history. It also marked only the third time this season Wayne State has been the first team to light the lamp.

Michel's fourth tally of the season, from Forgie and Jared Katz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Baystate Breakers), gave Wayne State a 2-0 lead eight seconds into the middle stanza, breaking Jason Durbin's previous mark of 13 seconds set in 1999.

Mark Olver cut the Wildcats' deficit in half with his seventh goal of the year at the 17:19 mark, but the Warriors regained their two-goal advantage at 4:26 of the third period as Katz scored his fifth of the season from Forgie and Michel.

Derek Punches (Manchester, Mich./Texas Tornado) netted an insurance goal, with assists from Ryan Bernardi (Etobicoke, Ont./Milton Icehawks) and Caister, at 15:29 to put the Warriors ahead by three.

In his first collegiate start, Mike Devoney (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Bridgewater Bandits) registered 35 saves for the victory. Reid Ellingson totaled 22 saves for the Wildcats.

Wayne State and Northern Michigan will meet at the Berry Events Center again Saturday night at 7:35 p.m.