ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Michigan Wolverines knew that they couldn't let St. Cloud State and its explosive offense get rolling on Friday night.

So the Wolverines made it a point to come out aggresively, grabbed an early lead and beat the Huskies 4-2 in an NCAA Tournament opening round game Friday.

	Michigan forward Milan Gajic, left, shoots and scores against St. Cloud State in the first period.

"We knew that if they got the upper edge, with the players that they have, it would be a long night," said Michigan's Milan Gajic, who had a goal and an assist.

St. Cloud State has seven players with over 30 points this season.

Michigan's Jason Ryznar scored just 4:19 into the game. The Huskies tied it with a power-play goal just 1:10 later. But a power-play goal by Craig Murray at 13:20 and a spectacular effort by Gajic just 1:01 later, which saw him elude Ryan Malone behind the St. Cloud net, walk out in front and put a shot through Dean Weasler's pads as Gajic was being hauled down by Colin Peters.

"We were able to keep them on their heels for two periods," said Michigan coach Red Berenson.

"I felt we needed a couple of big saves there," said Huskies' coach Craig Dahl. "But we got it back to 1-1. But that's just part of athletics. Battling back from a deficit."

Weasler was pulled in favor of Jake Moreland to start the second period.

St. Cloud State (29-11-2) pulled to within 3-2, 4:19 into the third period when Jon Cullen backhanded a loose puck into an empty net from the slot for a power-play goal. The Huskies had played the previous 27 seconds five-on-three and Cullen scored just as Dwight Helminen's hooking penalty ended.

Moments later, as the Huskies killed a four-minute shorthanded situation, the team's leading scorer Greg Hartigan (37 goals and 38 assists) had a breakaway. He deeked Wolverine goalie Josh Blackburn, had an empty net but slid the pukc wide.

"Things just don't want to fall for us now," said Hartigan. "It's been tough. We've been getting chances. I don't know if we're making the goalies hot or the goalies are actually playing well against us."

The Huskies then had the apparent goal waved off at 7:17 because of an in-the-crease violation. Ryan Malone had backhanded the puck into the net.

"I stand by the video replay," said Dahl. "They certainly have a better view of it than I do. If they say he had his foot in the crease, he had his foot in the crease. I've see it enough in the NHL."

Helminen restored the Wolverines' (27-10-5) two-goal lead when he put in a Gajic rebound with 5:20 left. It was set play between the pair off a face-off. Gajic pushed the puck forward and stepped around St. Cloud State center Peter Szabo off the draw and took a shot. It hit the goal post but the rebound came right to Helminen who put it.

"Me and Dewey (Helminen) kind of talked about it," said Gajic. "The first plan was to give it to him right away. But I didn't see him, so I shot it and it went right to him."

Michigan played a physical game that left Huskies Joel Peterson and Matt Hendricks with concussions after second period hits by Wolverines J.J. Swistak and Jed Ortmeyer, respectively.

It's the second season in a row that Michigan has beaten St. Cloud State in the West Regional.

The Wolverines defeated the Huskies 4-3 last season in a NCAA quarterfinal game at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena.

Colorado College beat Michigan State earlier Friday 2-0 to advance to a quarterfinal against Minnesota.