BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - All season, Red Berenson has stressed the importance of playing 60 minutes of hockey.

On Thursday night, Michigan's hockey team was forced to fight off Bowling Green the entire way, but held on for a 2-1 victory. With the win, the Wolverines moved into fourth place into the Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings.

But it certainly wasn't easy.

Michigan (16-12-1, 11-9-1 CCHA) made two first-period power play goals stand up to send the Wolverines into Saturday's outdoor showdown against No. 2 Wisconsin on a two-game winning streak.

Goals by Matt Rust and Chris Brown gave the Wolverines a two-goal lead before Bowling Green's Tomas Petruska drew the Falcons to within 2-1 at the 15:50 period of the first period.

"We realized that we needed to capitalize on the five minutes of man-advantage," Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer said. "We've been working on it all week. Obviously we were fortunate to pop two in there."

Despite outshooting the Falcons 30-13, the Wolverines were unable to score the rest of the way. Michigan goalie Bryan Hogan made 12 saves in the victory and needed to scramble to preserve Michigan's lead when the Falcons had a wide-open wrap-around chance with 1:29 when the puck took a strange bounce off the boards and ended up in the crease.

Hogan was behind the net trying to clear the puck, but managed to get back as a defender knocked the puck out, allowing Michigan to pick up a key three points with the win. The Wolverines began the night one point out of fourth place behind Lake Superior State and Notre Dame.

"We're trying to get open shots maybe. We're trying to make the perfect play," Berenson said. "It's not just us. That's the way the game was played. Both teams played well defensively. I think we were a little lucky.

"That one play where the puck hit the boards in the third period and came out front, it was a miracle they didn't score on it. Hogan went behind to play it and it hit the boards and came out front. That might have been the closest chance of the period."