M Icers Display Potent Offense, Sputtery Defense

M Icers Display Potent Offense, Sputtery Defense

By Larry Sullivan

Pre-season speculation and last year’s leading scorer appear true to form for Michigan’s hockey squad as it moves today toward its second game at the Michigan Rink.

As predicted by Coach Al Renfrew, the Wolverines looked potent on offense but sputtery on defense in a free-scoring, 9-5 win over Queens University of Kingston, Ont., last night. The two teams—with Queens still looking for its first win in a series dating back to 1948-meet again at 8 p.m. today.

Gary Butler, who led Michigan in scoring and was second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association last year as a sophomore, scored three goals and was credited with three assists for a fine start on the new campaign. Tom Polonic and Jack Cole each scored two goals.

But the busiest man on the ice was Elwin Derbyshire, who had the seemingly hopeless task of defending the Golden Gael's net.  Although nine got past he managed to save 72 others.  Michigan's Bob Gray was called upon to make only 21 saves and when he skated out to his own blue line twice he looked like he was trying to make up for his inactivity in the net.

The Blue played much of the entire first period in the vicinity of the beleaguered Derbyshire.  In all, they fired 29 times with three good for scores.  The Golden Gaels, by contrast, took only six shots at Michigan's net but managed to connect on two of them.

And for a brief period at the start of the second period it looked like a close game was in the making as Ron Kinney of Queens University scored at 1:28 to tie the score at 3-3.  Michigan's Wilfred Martin, however, took only 39 seconds to put his team back into the lead for good.

Butler scored two more and Capt. Gordie Wilkie and Cole one apiece as the second period ended with the hosts in front, 8-4.

Queens had trouble breaking up Michigan’s offensive maneuvers but had better luck getting clear shots at the Wolverine net.

Last night's game summary:

MICHIGAN                                                            QUEENS

Gray------------------------------------G-------------------Derbyshire

Polonic---------------------------------D-------------------Cunningham

Coristine-------------------------------D-------------------Mitchell

Wilkie-----------------------------------C-------------------Colvin

Cole------------------------------------W-------------------Kinney

Butler----------------------------------W-------------------Jones

ALTERNATES

MICHIGAN:  Bieber, Day, Henderson, Dechaine, Martin, Hood, Wakabayashi, Ferguson, Galipeau, MacDonald, Forrest, Read, Newton.

QUEENS:  Jackson, Stevens, Kolesnik, Dinsmore, Lough, Windover, VanBrunt, Jodin, Weston, Hay.

FIRST PERIOD

SCORING:  1-(M) Polonic (Cole, Wilkie), 3:21; 2-(M) Cole (Wilkie, Butler) 7:40; 3-(M) Butler (Polonic, Cole), 13:26; 4-(Q) Lough (Dinsmore, Windover), 15:07; 5-(Q) Weston (VanBrunt), 16:45.

PENALTIES:  1-(Q) Jones (tripping), 2:24; 2-(Q) Kolesnik (hooking), 18:17.

SECOND PERIOD

SCORING:  6-(Q) Kinney (Kolesnik), 1:28; 7-(M) Martin (DeChaine, MacDonald), 2:07; 8-(M) Butler (Coristine), 6:06; 9-(Q) Mitchell (Colvin, Cunningham), 14:45; 10-(M) Butler (Polonic), 15:55; 11-(M) Wilkie (Butler, MacDonald), 17:18; 12-(M) Cole (Butler, Wilkie), 18:33.

PENALTIES:  3-(M) Read (hooking), 10:24; 4-(M) Hood (holding), 14:25; 5-(Q) Stevens (roughing), 14:25; 6-(Q) Colvin (tripping), 15:31.

THIRD PERIOD

SCORING:  13-(M) Polonic (Martin, MacDonald), 2:44; 14-(Q) VanBrunt (unassisted), 14:40.

PENALTIES:  7-(M) Butler (boarding), 1:10; 8-(M) Ferguson (cross checking), 3:47; 9-(M) Dechaine (high sticking), 8:29; 10-(M) Coristine (high sticking), 19:50.

SAVES

Gray----4---10---7-21

Derbyshire----26---23---23-72