Sauer Named CCHA Player of the Month

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association named Michigan goalie Billy Sauer as the CCHA Player of the Month for the month of December earlier this week. Sauer went 3-0 in goal for the Wolverines, including a pair of shutouts to lead Michigan to its first GLI title since the 1996 season. Sauer made 87 saves in the weekend holiday weekend tournament.

FARMINGTON Hills, Mich. -- Michigan goalie Billy Sauer was named the RBC Financial Group CCHA Player of the Month for the month of December the league announced on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008. In three games between the pipes for the Wolverines, Sauer notched a 3-0-0 record with a goals against average of just 0.59 and a save percentage of .983.

He's also extended his career best shutout streak with a time of 166:07 dating back to the last goal Bowling Green State scored against the Wolverines in the second period of their December 7th game in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Last weekend Sauer recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time in his career. Blanking Providence 6-0 and Michigan Tech 1-0 in double-overtime, Sauer brushed aside 87 shots on the weekend to help him improve his career best numbers on the season.

In 18 games this season, Sauer's recorded a record of 16-2-0 with a goals against average of just 1.80, down from 3.03 last year. He's also raised his save percentage from .896 in 2007-08 to .930 the year.

In the month of November, senior Kevin Porter was named the RBC Financial Group Player of the Month, making it two straight months the conferences top performer has come from Ann Arbor.

No. 1 Michigan returns to the ice on Tuesday night to skate against the U.S. NTDP Under-18 in an exhibition contest that features two current Wolverines commitments. Start time is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.