Ice Hockey: A Jack of all trades

The No. 11-ranked Michigan ice hockey team won its third straight with a convincing 9-4 win over the Ferris State Bulldogs on Friday night at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor. Jack Johnson, the Wolverines top defenseman, led the Michigan offense with his first career hat trick, and T.J. Hensick and Kevin Porter each contributed two goals of their own.

Jack Johnson picked up the loose puck in the neutral zone with just over 6:30 left on the clock. Leading 7-4 in the final period, and with a pair of goals already to his credit, the talented U-M defenseman coasted into the Ferris State zone all alone and slipped the puck past Ferris State goalie Derek MacIntyre.

“It is great to see the puck go in when our defensemen are jumping up and getting shots,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said after the game. “And Jack (Johnson) scored different types of goals. Our defense can be dangerous, and obviously Johnson can be. Good for him, it is a good place to have your first hat trick."

Michigan jumped on top of the Bulldogs quickly. Travis Turnball made it 1-0 Michigan just 1:27 into the first period. Crashing the Ferris State slot, Turnball took a pass from Tim Miller and flipped it past MacIntyre into the left side of the net to put the Wolverines on top.

It was 2-0 1:15 later. David Rohlfs threw the puck towards the crease from behind the right post and a redirection off the back of a Bulldogs skate beat MacIntyre for the second time in the opening moments.

The Wolverines kept the pressure on with a power-play goal just over the midway point of the period. Kevin Porter scored his 17th goal of the season on his own rebound to make it 3-0.

Jack Johnson made it 4-0 with his first of the night moments later, a blast from between the circles, again on the power play.

Ferris State scored their first of the night in the opening minutes of the second period. Brendan Connolly pushed a rebound past Billy Sauer to end the Wolverines shout bid.

Three minutes later Michigan answered with a goal from T.J. Hensick. Hensick beat the sprawled out FSU goalie on a two-on-one with Kevin Porter.

Porter added his second goal of the night near the middle of the frame. Hensick returned the favor and sent the puck to a slashing Porter who scored on a breakaway to make it 6-1 Michigan.

Johnson scored his second of the night, his first of two shorthanded on the night, off a pretty feed from Andrew Cogliano that made it 7-1 Michigan.

Ferris State added one more goal in the final moments of the period.

The Bulldogs continued to draw closer in the opening minutes of the third. A pair of goals made it 7-4 near the middle point of the third, but Jack Johnson added his third goal of the night and T.J. Hensick added his second goal of the contest with just over three minutes left on the clock.

Despite the 9-4 win, the Wolverines were outshot 40-30 in the win. Michigan and Ferris State resume the weekend series at Yost Ice Arena on Saturday night.