Michael Hage Assists as Michigan Routs Anchorage 10-1

Michael Hage did not need to fill the net on Friday to leave his mark, picking up the primary assist on Will Horcoff’s goal as No. 2 Michigan crushed Alaska Anchorage 10-1 at Yost Ice Arena, according to the official Michigan box score. Elsewhere in the college ranks, Alexis Cournoyer posted a shutout for Wisconsin, Quentin Miller won again for Western Michigan, Hayden Paupanekis scored his first NCAA goal and Logan Sawyer piled up three assists for Providence.

For the bigger picture on Montreal’s pipeline, our Habs prospects watch list covers 15 names to follow this season, and every recap lands on the Hockey Informers homepage.

Michigan 10, Alaska Anchorage 1

The Wolverines never let this one breathe. Cole McKinney scored 23 seconds after the opening faceoff, and Michigan led 3-1 after one period with a 14-4 edge in shots, per the Michigan Athletics recap. Alaska Anchorage’s only goal came on an Ethan Warrener breakaway at 4:11 of the first, as noted in the Seawolves’ game story.

Michael Hage’s moment came at 5:34 of the second period. Working with linemates Jayden Perron and Horcoff, he got the first assist on a close-range finish that made it 4-1, with Perron credited with the second helper, according to the box score. Michigan’s write-up describes a pair of quick touch passes from Hage and Perron setting up Horcoff in tight (Michigan Athletics). Hage was also on the ice for Perron’s goal at 8:03 of the third, which left him at plus-2 for the night (box score).

Michael Hage was part of the power play as well. During Michigan’s second man advantage of the night, a quick passing sequence from Landon DuPont and Hage sent Horcoff in for a shot that rang off the right post, per the school recap. Michigan finished 1-for-4 on the power play and outshot the Seawolves 47-22 (Alaska Anchorage Athletics).

The scoring came from all over the lineup. McKinney and Nick Moldenhauer each finished with four points, and Jack Ivankovic stopped 21 of 22 shots (Michigan Athletics). Jack Nesbitt scored twice, and Ivankovic turned away two late breakaways in the second period, as 247Sports noted. The win moved Michigan to 3-0-0, per the Big Ten Conference results page.

Highlights

Michael Hage by the numbers

Goals: 0 (box score)
Assists: 1, the primary helper on Horcoff’s second-period goal (box score)
Shots on goal: 2, both in the second period (box score)
Faceoffs: 10 won, 4 lost, or 71 percent (box score)
Plus-minus: plus-2, with no penalty minutes (box score)
Season: eight points in three games, after a seven-point opening weekend against Bowling Green (Michigan Athletics, Yardbarker)

What it means for the Canadiens

A one-assist night looks quiet only next to the opening weekend. Perron and Hage earned Big Ten First and Second Star of the Week honours, respectively, after each posted seven points against Bowling Green, per Michigan Athletics, and Michigan’s recap still calls them the nation’s co-leading scorers (Michigan Athletics).

The detail Montreal should like most is in the faceoff column. For Michael Hage, winning 10 of 14 draws in a game where his team controlled the puck from the first shift was a center doing the unglamorous part of the job, and it fits the two-way profile the Canadiens drafted in the first round in 2024. Michael Hage chose to return to Michigan for a third season instead of signing his entry-level contract, as HockeyBuzz noted when ranking him as Montreal’s top prospect.

The likeliest timeline has not changed. Bleacher Report expects Michael Hage to join the Habs once Michigan’s season ends, while stressing that nothing is set in stone. With Michael Hage leading the way, RotoWire ranks Montreal’s farm system first in the NHL. The real test comes next weekend, when Michigan visits Denver on Oct. 16-17 in a rematch of the 2026 Frozen Four (247Sports).

Other Habs prospects in the NCAA

Alexis Cournoyer (G, Wisconsin): The sophomore made 13 saves in a 4-0 win at No. 19 Minnesota State, his first shutout as a Badger, per the Wisconsin Athletics recap. He saw four shots in the first, five in the second and four in the third (box score). The Cornell transfer now has two career shutouts, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Quentin Miller (G, Western Michigan): One night after a 26-save shutout at home, Miller stopped 21 of 22 shots in a 5-1 win at Ferris State, per the Broncos’ box score and the Thursday recap. The lone goal against came on a Ferris State power play, and the Denver transfer is now 2-0 with a .979 save percentage (WMU season stats). RotoWire also logged the 5-1 final.

Hayden Paupanekis (F, St. Cloud State): The freshman scored his first college goal, a power-play strike at 4:25 of the second period that he roofed for a 2-0 lead, per the St. Cloud State recap. Michigan Tech answered with three straight goals and won 3-2 in overtime (Michigan Tech Athletics, St. Cloud Live). He finished with three shots and went 3-for-8 on faceoffs (box score).

Logan Sawyer (F, Providence): Sawyer set a career high with three assists in a 6-2 opening-night win over St. Lawrence, per the Providence recap. Two of them came on power-play goals by Ryder Cali and John Mustard, and he added three shots (box score). RotoWire also flagged the three-assist night.

Maxon Vig (D, Bemidji State): Bemidji State lost 3-2 to No. 4 North Dakota (KFGO, NCHC). We could not find an official box score, so his line is not confirmed.

Did not play Friday: Sam Harris’s Denver plays an exhibition Saturday (Denver Athletics). LJ Mooney’s Minnesota has a bye week, and he has been out with a muscle injury (Minnesota Athletics, Habs Prospects). Timmy Runtso’s Miami opens at home Oct. 15 (Miami Athletics). Ben Merrill’s Boston University was idle, and Dartmouth, with Emmett Croteau and 2026 third-round pick Cooper Cleaves (NHL.com), has not started its season (BU Athletics, Dartmouth Athletics).

Up next

Michigan hosts Alaska Anchorage again Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, giving Michael Hage another look at the Seawolves (Michigan Athletics).
Wisconsin plays at Minnesota State Saturday at 6 p.m. CT (Wisconsin Athletics).
St. Cloud State hosts Michigan Tech Saturday at 6 p.m. CT (St. Cloud State Athletics).
Providence hosts Clarkson Saturday at 6 p.m. (Providence Athletics).
Bemidji State visits North Dakota Saturday at 6:07 p.m. CT (KFGO).
Denver hosts the U.S. Under-18 Team in an exhibition Saturday at 6 p.m. (Denver Athletics), and Boston University hosts Brown at 7 p.m. (BU Athletics).