ST. LOUIS — Red Berenson produced another Frozen Four for Michigan on the same slab of ice where he was honored by the St. Louis Blues earlier this month.
Scooter Vaughan’s end-to-end rush gave Michigan the lead on the game’s first shot and the Wolverines bottled up Colorado College throughout, earning a spot in the Frozen Four with a 2-1 victory in the NCAA West Regional final Saturday night.
Lee Moffie had a goal and an assist in the first period for Michigan (28-10-4), which will face Denver or North Dakota in the national semifinals April 7 in St. Paul, Minn. It’s the 24th Frozen Four and first since 2008 for a school that leads the nation with nine national titles and has made 21 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under Berenson.
The Blues paid tribute to Berenson, Joe Mullen, Garry Unger and Keith Tkachuk for wearing No. 7 with distinction on March 7. Berenson, who scored a franchise-record six goals in a game in 1968 and later coached the Blues, said winning in St. Louis was special.
“And yet this was about our team and the University of Michigan, putting our best foot forward,” Berenson said.
Michigan grabbed a two-goal lead in the first period and kept the pressure on despite leaning heavily on the penalty kill.
Rylan Schwartz scored a power-play goal with 3:35 to go for Colorado College (23-19-3). The Tigers were 1-for-7 on the power play, and opponents were 1-for-13 in the tournament.
