Junior defenseman Kevin Clare returned to practice Monday after missing Friday's game with an arm injury. Head coach Red Berenson hasn't guaranteed Clare will play this weekend against Miami (Ohio), but he's on track to be in the lineup.

"He's feeling pretty good," Berenson said. "We'll see how he does this week, but it's good to see him back on the ice."

Without Clare, junior Mac Bennett played with freshman Jacob Trouba, and sophomore Brennan Serville was paired with classmate Michael Szuma. The latter did not have an offensive stat and finished even in the plus/minus category; they didn't hurt U-M but didn't really help the Wolverines either, which may have actually been a win for the Maize and Blue.

"They were good with the puck and there were times, breakdowns in our zone without the puck, but that can be the forwards too. Overall, they held their own," Berenson said.

If Clare returns this weekend, he will likely team up with Trouba again.

"His conservative game is stability to partner with Trouba," Berenson said. "Trouba is going to make mistakes so it's good to have a reliable defenseman supporting him."

Berenson reiterated Monday that he's open to using a two-goalie system, employing freshmen Steve Racine and Jared Rutledge. Racine has started two games, including Friday's 6-3 win over Bentley, but Rutledge has begun playing well in practice and could earn one of the two starts against the RedHawks.

"Miami had two goalies, and they played back-to-back for four years, and now one might have turned out better than the other in a given situation, but if you have two goalies that are equally competitive, that can work," Berenson said. "But if you have one goalie way above the other one, I'm going to play that goalie.

"I don't have a closed door on the goalie thing. I have an open mind, and I want to do what's right for the team, and I also want to help these goalies develop, and I'll never give up on them."

So far, U-M's attendance at Yost Ice Arena has been meager. Technically, Michigan has averaged 5,295 fans per game in three contests (a sellout is 5,800) but there have been huge pockets of empty seats each night.

"I know our fans would probably appreciate that, to have an earlier game, but right now it is what it is," Berenson said.