Around the Country - 10/29

Each week, the WCHA Blog will take a look at action from around the nation that doesn't involve WCHA teams.

In the biggest series not involving a WCHA team this week, the Michigan Wolverines took on the Boston University Terriers at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Red Berenson's team came out on top in both games. On Friday night, Michigan freshman Matt Rust continued his hot start as he notched a pair of goals, including the game-winner on the power play midway through the third period. Rust now has four goals on the season. In Saturday's rematch, the Wolverines had six different goal-scorers in a 6-2 thumping of BU. Rust had an assist on the night, while fellow freshmen Ben Winnett, Max Pacioretty, Louie Caporusso, and Carl Hagelin all scored for the Maize and Blue. Michigan will no doubt have some ups and downs this season with such a young team, but if Billy Sauer can just be "above average," the Wolverines will be a very dangerous team.

Northern Michigan was swept by the Wolverines last weekend, losing one game by one goal and the other by two. This weekend, they traveled to East Lansing, Mich. to take on the defending NCAA champion Michigan State Spartans, and the Wildcats would again suffer a pair of close losses. On Friday night, NMU was down by a 5-1 score entering the third period, but scored three times to give themselves a chance at the end. On Saturday, the teams combined for five power play goals, and NMU outshot MSU by a 35-26 margin, but a Mike Ratchuk power play goal with just under 12 minutes left gave Sparty the 3-2 win. Things don't get any easier for the Wildcats this weekend, as they return home to play the Miami Redhawks, who are the current No. 1 team in the country.

Notes: RIT upended Cornell by a 4-1 score in a mild upset ... Notre Dame was able to take two points back to South Bend with them after splitting with Ferris State ... Maine won a pair of one-goal games to sweet the Northeastern Huskies on the road.