ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A pair of first period goals proved consequential as No. 7 Michigan outlasted Minnesota State 4-1 in non-conference men's hockey at Yost Arena Saturday evening.
 
The Wolverines took command 1:13 into the contest when Jackson Hallum powered past a defenseman and lifted a backhander past netminder Alex Tracy. Michael Hage and Nick Moldenhauer assisted.
 
Moving in from the left circle, Hage carried the puck backhand to forehand and made it 2-0 at 11:48, assisted by Moldenhauer and Dakoda Rheaume-Mullem.
 
Minnesota State generated opportunities in the second period, including a puck off the crossbar. Rhett Pitlick set up Campbell Cichosz for a scoring chance in the final minute but the Mavericks failed to convert, despite an 11-4 shot advantage in the second stanza.
 
In the third, Luigi Benincasa broke for the far post and redirected a pass toward the crease to cut the deficit to 2-1 at 3:59. It was Benincasa's first goal in a Purple and Gold sweater. Nearing the five-minute mark, the Mavericks went on the power play but a shot on goal failed to materialize.
 
The Mavericks called timeout with one minute and 36 seconds remaining and an offensive zone faceoff. With Tracy on the bench, Josh Eernisse sent it the length of the ice for the empty net marker. The Wolverines added a second empty-net goal with under five seconds on the clock.
 
Minnesota State (1-1-0) split the weekend series with Michigan (1-1-0) after it collected a 5-2 win on Friday night in game one. MSU finished 0-5 on the power play while the Wolverines went 0-6. Each team totaled five shots in the third period and Kameron Korpi made 24 saves in goal for Michigan. Tracy finished with 13 saves for the Mavericks.
 
The Mavericks host Merrimack College on Oct. 11-12 at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, beginning a six-game non-conference homestand.