Club defeats Michigan 6-3

The club hockey team won its first home game of the season Saturday, beating Michigan 6-3.

Central came into the game with a 1-4 record after being swept by rival Western Michigan last weekend.

“We got better pressure. Everyone was just working harder today,” said coach Mike Jakubik. “Playing against Michigan, everyone knew it was a big game.”

Sophomore goalie Zak Knauss stopped 34 shots for Central.

Michigan (1-3) scored the first two goals of the game in the first period. With less than a minute remaining in the period, freshman center Kody Strong entered the offensive zone and slapped a shot past Michigan goalie Kasey King’s blocker.

Down 2-1 in the second period, junior center Nick Badder tied the game six minutes into the period. Badder scored two more goals, both on the power play, that gave Central the lead in the second period. Jakubik said the team had difficulties with its breakout last weekend against Western Michigan and said the improvement was a key change during the week.

“I think we were just better on our first pass,” Jakubik said. “By making the first pass on the tape in our zone, it saved us time.”

Less than seven minutes into the third period, left winger Joe Vandermarliere scored Central’s sixth goal, his first of the season.
He said the goal was a big weight off his shoulders as he returned from a partially-torn medial collateral ligament.

“I had to leave last practice because my knee was messed up,” Vandermarliere said. “Coach asked me if I could play, and the knee is far away from the heart, so I decided to get out there and get dirty.”