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Mitten Hockey story card: Michigan Wolverines, NCAA Division I

Michigan Game Preview: vs. Western Michigan (Oct. 23) — The nation’s top offense meets its stingiest goalie

Top-ranked Michigan hosts No. 5 Western Michigan at Yost on Friday night, with Jayden Perron’s scoring streak up against Quentin Miller’s 0.50 GAA.

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Top-ranked Michigan (6-0) hosts No. 5 Western Michigan (4-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Yost Ice Arena, a one-game nonconference meeting between two of the country’s last unbeaten teams. For the bigger picture on the matchup and the rivalry, see our storyline preview.

Game info

Goalie matchup

Neither school had announced a starter Friday morning, but both teams have leaned on one goalie all season. Michigan sophomore Jack Ivankovic has a .933 save percentage (168 saves on 180 shots) and made 60 saves in last weekend’s sweep at Denver, earning Big Ten First Star of the Week. Western Michigan sophomore Quentin Miller, a transfer from Denver, is 4-0 with two shutouts, a 0.50 goals-against average, and a .976 save percentage, second in the nation in both categories. He has allowed two goals in four starts.

Players to watch

Michigan: Senior Jayden Perron leads the country with nine goals and 15 points and brings a 12-game point streak and an eight-game goal streak. Junior Michael Hage leads the nation with 11 assists and has 14 points, and sophomore Cole McKinney has five goals and a three-game goal streak. Malcolm Spence scored twice in the series opener at Denver, and Asher Barnett had the game-winner in the finale. The Wolverines lead the nation at six goals per game and allow two.

Western Michigan: Freshman Adam Benák (two goals, five assists) and junior defenseman Joona Väisänen (2-5-7) share the team lead with seven points; Väisänen is back after missing most of last season with an injury. Bobby Cowan leads the Broncos with three goals, and 11 different players have scored. Western Michigan scores 5.25 goals per game, fourth nationally, allows 0.50, first nationally, and has killed 13 of 14 penalties (92.9%).

Lineup notes

Neither team had published line combinations or an injury report as of Friday morning. Michigan’s scoring has come from well beyond its top line: Perron, Spence, McKinney, Garrett Schifsky, Adam Valentini, and Barnett all scored at Denver. Western Michigan has gotten goals from up and down its roster, including first-period goals from Nicholas Sykora, Ty Henricks, and Cowan in last Saturday’s 4-0 win at Notre Dame. We’ll add confirmed lineups to the recap.

Also at Yost

Michigan will mark the 30th anniversary of its 1996 national championship team, with former players returning for the night. This is the 127th meeting between the former CCHA rivals; Michigan leads the series 78-38-10. The Broncos head home for a Saturday exhibition against No. 6 Wisconsin at Lawson Arena, which is in its final season as Western Michigan’s home rink.

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