Site: Albany, N.Y. (Times Union Center)
Score: #1 Michigan 5, Niagara 1
Records: U-M (32-5-4), Niagara (22-11-4)
Attendance: 4,175
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 29 -- vs. Clarkson (Albany, N.Y.), 7 p.m.

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ALBANY, N.Y. -- The No. 1-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team earned a decisive 5-1 win over Niagara in the NCAA East Regional at the Times Union Center Friday (March 28). Led by Kevin Porter's (Northville, Mich.) career-high four goals and Billy Sauer's (Walworth, N.Y.) 54:10 of shutout hockey, the Wolverines earned their first NCAA tournament win since 2005.

With five assists for the night, Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) tied the NCAA Tournament record for most helpers in a game. Porter's quartet of markers also made it into the record books as the benchmark for goals in regional play.

Michigan's best chance of the first period came with just over six minutes remaining in the opening stanza. On a two-on-one breakaway, Carl Hagelin (Sodertalje, Sweden) backhanded a pass to Aaron Palushaj (Northville, Mich.), who relayed the puck back to the left winger. Hagelin's quick wrister could not fool Juliano Pagliero, and the Niagara netminder absorbed the puck to negate the odd-man rush.

The Maize and Blue was awarded three consecutive power-play opportunities to close out the first period, including a two-man advantage with less than a minute to play, but could not find the back of the net despite registering a combined six shots in the span.

Carrying a power play and an 11-4 shot edge into the second session, the Wolverines remained deadlocked in a scoreless tie with the Purple Eagles.

Less than a minute into the middle period, U-M capitalized on its man advantage with Max Pacioretty's (New Canaan, Conn.) 15th marker of the 2007-08 campaign. Palushaj dumped a pass behind the net to Kolarik. The alternate captain then slid a pass through traffic to Pacioretty in the slot, and the freshman roofed a shot to put his team up 1-0 at 55 seconds.

A five-hole goal by Porter pushed Michigan's edge to a pair of goals at 9:35. On an odd-man rush, Pacioretty hit a trailing Kolarik, who found the seam between the two Niagara defensemen and hit Porter in stride streaking through the slot. The center's shot trickled through Pagliero's legs for his 29th goal of the season.

Niagara mustered its first quality scoring opportunity of the night with just over 12 minutes remaining in the contest. Bryan Haczyk intercepted a bad pass and boomed a shot from the left faceoff circle that bounced off Sauer's shoulder.

The Wolverines pulled ahead by a 3-0 margin on Porter's second goal of the game at 8:55 of the final period. Tristin Llewellyn (Ann Arbor, Mich.) blasted a shot from just inside the blue line that Pagliero knocked down in front of the crease. Kolarik dug the puck out the ensuing scrum, relaying it to Porter down low, and the captain's shot lit the lamp for U-M.

Porter completed his natural hat-trick bid with a power-play tally at 11:02. Stationed behind the net, Kolarik picked up a feed from Palushaj, then laced a pass through traffic to Porter. The senior got enough of the one-time shot to put it behind Pagliero, giving his team the 4-0 lead with his nation-best 31st goal of the year.

The Purple Eagles spoiled Sauer's shutout bid at 15:50 when Matt Caruana scored. Caruana grabbed the puck near the left faceoff circle and backhanded a blind pass that found Vince Rocco. The left winger held the puck, relaying it back to Caruana for the tally that cut the U-M lead to 4-1.

Niagara pulled Pagliero in a final offensive effort, but Porter's fourth marker of the night put the game out of reach at 18:32, giving the Maize and Blue the 5-1 victory.

Michigan will face off against No. 10 Clarkson in the East Regional final on Saturday (March 29). The game will be televised on ESPNU and is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423