Saturday, December 5, 1998

Saturday, December 5, 1998, BGSU Ice Arena, Bowling Green, OH

Well bummer, due to circumstances beyond my control I missed the first two periods of this game and a few minutes of the third. While I can’t give you first hand information on those periods I have been roaming around a few other places and have put together at least the who scored what and when information for those periods.

The first period was a bit slow and very hard hitting. There were a total of 12 penalties called in the first period alone. Langfeld gets a shot at the goal around the fifteen-minute mark of the period and hits the post (where have we heard that before?). But again Michigan putting pressure on the BG goaltender and at 17:31 of the first period Kosick puts the puck in the net for the first goal of the night. This was a power play goal and assists were given to both Langfeld and Comrie. The period ended with Michigan leading one to nothing and both teams getting ten shots on goal.

The second period was a much faster period with fewer penalties and both teams flowing up and down the ice, really skating. At the 4:02 mark of the period BG’s Jones ties the game when he slips the puck past Blackburn. Assists were given to Edinger and Price. Then at the 11:19 mark Langfeld puts Michigan back on top when he redirected a shot into the BG net. Assists were originally give to Berenzweig and Hayes, but this was later corrected to give the second assist to Peach (as it should have been in the first place). Now at the 15:36 mark of the period, with Bowling Green on the power play, BG’s Price puts the puck past Blackburn to tie the game a two apiece. This is how the period ended, both teams with two goals but Michigan outshot the Falcons 15 to 12 in the period.

I picked up the action in the third period with about fifteen minutes left in the game. Mike Van Ryn had just scored the go ahead goal, putting Michigan up 3 to 2. Assists were given to Koch and Matzka. Now just about one minute later Comrie and Kosick work the puck down into the BG zone, Comrie takes the pass from Kosick, shoots, SCORES. Michigan now has a little breathing room by adding this fourth goal of the night. There is a lot of action in this game, both in terms of skating and checking. Bowling Green gets pressure on Blackburn who comes up with two fantastic saves. Bowling Green has had many very good scoring chances through the night, but Blackburn has stoned all but two of those shots, causing BG a great deal of frustration (way to go Josh!!). Players from both Michigan and Bowling Green get tied up behind the goal and both teams end up losing a player, now we’re skating four on four. About 25 seconds into the four on four stretch Koch gets a penalty giving Bowling Green a four on three advantage. Bowling Green trying to get pressure on the Michigan net. Everywhere they turn Trainor is there going down low to stop a shot, making a steal, clearing the puck out of the Michigan zone. Now BG is called for a penalty putting both teams on even footing again, but it means Michigan will have a man advantage for 1 minute 30 seconds as soon as the original penalties expire. Now to go along with the hot action on the ice, the fog begins to form on both ends of the ice. The building is very hot this night, with the temperature reported to be ten degrees higher in the building than when the game started, at the midway point of the third period. The original penalties expire and now Michigan has there shortened power play. They are putting big pressure on the BG goaltender with shots coming from several Wolverines. Comrie tries the Legg lacrosse goal move, but cannot get the puck up on the stick to slide it into the net. Action moves back and forth from end to end, both teams skating hard and checking harder. Michigan again is putting pressure on the BG goaltender with Berenzweig, Ritchlin, and several others getting shots off. On one of the last shots in this little stretch everyone appeared to think that play had been whistled dead, but it had not. The puck was just lying there in front of the net. Now the teams realize the puck is still live and everyone goes for it. Now we have penalties and a little scrum develops. Well the building is hot tonight, but I think the tempers are even hotter. Each team looses a man to a penalty and play resumes. Now action resumes and in no time at all play is whistled dead again with everyone matching up with a BG player. Things are getting ugly out there. After sorting this out apparently a BG player said something to the referee as he passed the bench. He was given a ten minute major and removed from the game. This was Jones, probably BG’s best scoring threat. We now have about five minutes left in the game. Both teams continue to move the puck actively up and down the ice, Michigan keeping their 4 to 2 lead. Comrie gets a pass, he walks it in, gets a pass to Kosick who fans on the shot, but the puck was bouncing a bit. Comrie gets a shot, but it hits the post. Langfeld has the puck, moving it around the ice, now Kosick gets hit from behind and pushed into the back of the net. BG gets called for interference, putting Michigan on the power play with only about two minutes left in the game. Oh my, the BG fans are leaving the building. Matzka gets a pass from Peach, but the shot goes over the crossbar. Now Koch gets a shot, but misses. Now Matzka takes a shot, it deflects off a BG player, gets to Ritchlin who takes a shot and it goes into the net. The power play goal comes at 19:08, giving them a 5 to 2 lead. Now with about 5 seconds left in the game Merrick and a BG player tangle and both get penalties. Well it’s finally over. Michigan gets their second win of the weekend and extends their unbeaten string to eight games. The Wolverines have a huge third period, scoring three goals after BG had come back to tie things up. The game ends, Michigan 5, Bowling Green 2. Michigan outshot BG in the third period 10 to 7 and held a shots on goal advantage for the game of 35 to 29.

Michigan remains in first place in the CCHA. This is the most goals Michigan has scored since the Anchorage game up in Alaska. We finally got some offense. This was a very good game tonight with Michigan continuing to play excellent defense and as I say we got some offense to go with the defense. Blackburn continues to play fantastically in goal. He didn’t get a shutout tonight, but he continues to play extremely well. There were plenty of players contributing to this nights win. It was just a real good, hard working, hard fought win. There were a lot of players who really stepped it up this night like Comrie, Kosick, Matzka, Blackburn, Langfeld, etc… . It’s really hard to pick specific people because everyone really worked hard. Lets take a look at where that leaves us and where we go next week.

Alaska Fairbanks split their weekend loosing to Northern on Friday, but beating Lake State on Saturday. Michigan won both of their games this weekend in two very hostile environments. Both games were very physical. After the physical game Friday to come in and play another very physical game and win it in the fashion that they won says something about this team. The only game either Miami or Bowling Green played this weekend was Michigan. Neither of them had to try to save anything for a second game, but Michigan played very hard all weekend and gets the weekend sweep. Ohio State swept Notre Dame, the Buckeyes may finally be getting on track. They’ve had a very slow start for a team that was expected to challenge for, it not win the CCHA this year. Western got badly beaten up by Lake State on Friday, but played Ferris to a 2-2 tie on Saturday. Ferris did not play Friday night, and finally in non-conference play Michigan State swept Nebraska-Omaha for two wins. By the way, for those who don’t know, Nebraska-Omaha joins the CCHA next year.

Well with the two Michigan wins and Ferris’ tie against Western Michigan is now in sole possession of first place in the CCHA. They are one point ahead of both Ferris and Ohio State, but they have two games in hand against Ferris and three against OSU. Notre Dame is next with fifteen points and Michigan has two games in hand against them. Next is Northern and MSU both with fourteen points. Michigan has two games in hand against Northern, but MSU has one game in hand against Michigan. These are the closest teams to Michigan. As you can see Michigan has reached the top of the standings even thought they have played less conference games than any team in the league, with the exception of MSU and Lake State who has played the same number. Things are looking pretty good at this point of the season, but there is still a long way to go. Michigan only has one game next weekend. A Friday night rematch against Northern at Yost Arena. This is the last home game of the year and a bit of a grudge match, as Northern really spanked the Wolverines back on October 31, 6 to 1. Look for the Wolverines to put it all on the ice Friday night and provide a small portion of payback to Northern. After Friday Michigan next plays in the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) between Christmas and New Years, before resuming league play on January 2^nd against the Buckeyes of Ohio State. This will be an emotional night for OSU, because this is the night they are opening their new rink (or at least the night they are raising their NCAA final four banner in their new arena). This will be tough contest.

A few other tid bits of information you might all find of interest. First, Jeff Jillson has been invited to the 1999 US National Junior Team training camp being held this month in Ann Arbor at the Ice Cube. After the camp 22 players will be selected to represent the US in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships being held this year in Winnipeg and five other cities around Manitoba, Canada. This tournament will begin on December 26, 1998 and run through January 5, 1999. It is my understanding that Mike Van Ryn has received the same invitation from his home country, Canada. Good luck guys!!

In recruiting news, Michigan this week has signed five players for next season that already has people saying that Michigan might very well have the best class in the nation next year. The new Wolverines are Matt Bannon from Toronto, Ontario who is primarily a defenseman, but is also a scoring threat. Mike Cammalleri, of Richmond Hills, Ontario (suburb of Toronto if I’m not mistaken), who while young – only 17 at this time, is a very skilled and explosive player. Next is Andy Hilbert of Howell, MI. Andy has been playing in Ann Arbor for the US National development team for the last two years and is considered to be one of the best, if not THE best player available in the country next year. He is a big, physical player who has a great scoring touch. He is expected to provide some much-needed punch to Michigan’s offense. Next up is John Shouneyia of Bloomfield Hills, MI. John is expected to fill the void left when Bobby Hayes leaves and plays much the same way as Bobby, much heart, grit, and determination. He is expected to work on the penalty kill and perhaps get in on the power play teams. Finally, Jed Ortmeyer will come to Ann Arbor from Omaha, Nebraska. Jed is compared to Dale Rominski for his style of play and is expected to provide the same style of play. All in all Michigan is off to really, really good start in recruiting for next season. Things continue to look very good for the program into the future. Hats off to coach Berenson and the rest of the staff for continuing to bring in the players that make Michigan a force to be reckoned with every year in college hockey.