Lindsay Sparks scored four goals in each of his first two seasons in a Michigan hockey uniform.

He’s on pace for quite a few more in 2011-12.

The junior forward from Oakville, Ont., recorded a hat trick in Michigan’s season-opening 5-0 win over Niagara on Tuesday night at Yost Ice Arena.

Sparks scored on all three shots he attempted during the Wolverines’ 23rd consecutive home-opening victory and added an assist on a Chris Brown goal.

Freshman Travis Lynch added a goal for the No. 9-ranked Wolverines.

"It's huge for my confidence,” Sparks said. “Our line was clicking tonight and everything seemed to be shot and find the back of the net. So, when you have games like that, where it seems to fall into your lap, you run with it and build off of it."

After the graduation of high-scoring forwards Louie Caporusso and Carl Hagelin, the biggest question surrounding the Wolverines this season was where goals would come from.

It took Sparks just 62 seconds to throw his name into that conversation, when he scored an early goal against the Purple Aces. Sparks added two more goals during a 65-second stretch of the second period.

Michigan coach Red Berenson said “defensive lackadaisicalness” kept Sparks from being a full-time contributor last year. He was in-and-out of the lineup during the regular season and did not play during the Wolverines’ postseason run to the Frozen Four.

“I have seen it right from day one; he has looked like a better hockey player,” Berenson said. “He might be one of our most skilled players and if he can continue to produce, he is going to help our team a lot."

Michigan goalkeeper Shawn Hunwick stopped all 30 shots he faced. Sophomore Adam Janecyk played the final 9:32 in goal, making eight saves, to share the shutout.

Michigan has now 14 straight games at Yost Arena and 15 consecutive in Ann Arbor (including the Big Chill at Michigan Stadium), the longest streak since the Wolverines won 16 straight home games in 1961-62.

They’ll look to extend the streak when they host Bentley University on Friday and Saturday. Both games start at 7:35 p.m. at Yost Ice Arena. It’ll be the season opener for Bentley, which was picked to finish 10th in the 12-team Atlantic Hockey Association.