Friday, February 4, 2000

Friday, February 4, 2000, Ewigleben Ice Arena, Big Rapids, Michigan

It was a tough weekend last week as the Wolverines ended up taking a tie in their only game of the week against the Buckeyes from Ohio State. It was a much different game than those two teams played the week before both in score and in temperament. While the Wolverines had many chances to really win that game going away, they were simply unable to put the puck in the net. The end result was a 1-1 tie. There were far fewer penalties in last week’s game, which was a pleasant surprise. After taking somewhere over 110 minutes of penalties in the previous game there were a total of 20 minutes of penalties handed out last week (10 minutes per team). Before we get into tonight’s contest lets take a look around the nation.

That tie along with some losses around the conference by other teams really hurt Michigan in the PairWise rankings this week. Going into last week we had a PairWise ranking that put us at number 4 in the country, after this past weekend we tumbled all the way to number eleven. We are still the highest ranked team from the CCHA with Ferris (tonight’s opponent) next at number sixteen. Northern Michigan and Michigan State sit at number 17 and 18 while Lake State rounds out the CCHA presence in the PairWise at number 25. We took a hit in the national polls as well after last weeks tie as we fell from number three to number five in all three polls that I look at. Both North Dakota and Boston University jumped over us in the polls (or we fell below them). This only goes to show how important these last few weekends are. These last six or seven weeks of games are the ones the pollsters remember and they are the ones that carry a little more weight in the PairWise.

Michigan State and Lake State started the action in the CCHA last night as the Spartans shut the Lakers out by a score of 3-0. Tonight we take on the Bulldogs of Ferris State that currently sits at number eight in the conference. Michigan of course is in sole possession of first place in the CCHA with 29 points. Because of their extra game last night MSU has moved back into second place with 27 points with Northern just one point behind them in third place. The Bulldogs are a good team that is looking for home ice in this year’s CCHA tournament and they always play the Wolverines close. Just when it was looking like Michigan might finally have their entire team back in uniform this week bad things happened. We do get Jillson back after he sat out last weekend’s game for his fight related DQ two weeks ago. However, Craig Murray is still out with some illness that has laid him out for the last week or so. We are also without the services of Mark Kosick who sprained his knee in last week’s game with the Buckeyes. He is day to day, but did not make the trip to Big Rapids for tonight’s game. Geoff Koch will play tonight, but he did miss some practice time this week with back spasms. Let’s hope those are all worked out and Geoff is ready to go for the weekend. We play the Bulldogs again tomorrow night down in Ann Arbor, but we must pick up this road win. The tie didn’t hurt us as much last week as it could have, but with the tournament coming up fast Michigan really needs to pick up a month of wins. Michigan and Ferris usually play a rather physical game, so it will be very important that Michigan not loose their heads and take unnecessary penalties. They especially cannot afford to loose anyone to a DQ in tonight’s game.

Michigan has been applying pressure all over the place in the early going of this game. With just 2 ½ minutes gone in the game a pass was sent across the ice toward Trainor at the blue line. Trainor sends it toward net, the puck glanced off the Ferris netminders glove, and went into the net to give Michigan the early 1 to nothing lead. It was a bit of a lucky goal for Michigan, but that is the one thing that we didn’t have any of last week. Assists on this goal were given to both Merrick and Blackburn, that’s two assists for Blackburn in the last three games. A couple of matching penalties are handed out so we now skate four on four, this should favor the Wolverines. The Bulldogs got a quick look at the goal right in front of the net, but Blackburn comes up with a huge save as he snags the puck in with the glove hand. All the Bulldog fans thought Ferris had tied this one up, but Blackburn had other ideas. Other than the one set of penalties a few minutes ago this has been an up and down, fast paced game – let’s hope it continues for the entire 60 minutes of hockey. We are midway through the first period still holding the 1 to nothing lead. There seems to be a whole lot of up and down skating, but not much on the scoring threat side of things. With about 8 minutes left in the period Michigan gets called for hooking to give Ferris their first and the games first power play of the night. Ferris is in the middle of the pack on the power play, but they have a habit of giving up short-handed goals. Let’s see if Michigan can pick up a shortie to give us a little breathing room. The puck was right out in front of the Michigan net giving Ferris a great chance, but two Ferris players collided with each other to take them both out of the play. The penalty is killed off and Michigan is once again at full strength. With just over three minutes left in the first period will get their first power play opportunity of the night. After last weeks rather anemic power play it would be a great lift if Michigan could pick up a goal on this power play. It would give their power play a lift as well as give the team a lift in this game. The power play is about half gone and it has not been anything to write home about. They are having all kinds of trouble just trying to set things up with missed passes, players offside, and some decent defense by Ferris. Michigan’s power play is now over and they couldn’t get anything going. If anything that was worse than the power play last weekend. The first period comes to an end with Michigan hanging on to their 1 to nothing lead. Ferris won the shots on goal battle by a 4 to 2 count.

Michigan should feel lucky to have a goal in this game, as that first period should have ended in a zero to zero tie. Let’s hope they get things going on the offensive end of the game in this period. Michigan gets a quick 2 on 1 break with Koch and Hilbert, but Koch’s shot goes wide and an early chance is lost. Ferris picks up a penalty with just over 3:22 gone in the second period to give Michigan their second power play chance of the night. Michigan finally moved the puck into the Ferris zone and got off a good shot. The shot got blocked, but at least they got a shot off while on the power play. Michigan really putting some pressure on the Ferris goal, but the power play ends with no goal scored. Blackburn comes up with another very good save to end a Ferris scoring chance. This time Michigan picks up the penalty to give Ferris their second power play of the night. This is a tricky point in the game; we haven’t put Ferris away or even really threatened to. We can’t let them get any kind of real confidence by picking up a power play goal at this point in the game. Ferris comes up with a quick shot that Blackburn stops, but it was Huntzicker who saved the day as he kept the rebound from trickling into the corner of the net. Ferris putting all kinds of pressure on the Michigan goal and Michigan is unable to clear the puck. Blackburn finally gets the puck frozen to give Michigan a chance to regroup and hopefully get that puck out of our zone. Michigan did all they could to try for a short-handed goal, but they come up short. Michigan now back at full strength and on the attack. Ferris turns it right around and gets off two big shots and Blackburn turns them both away. Once again the difference in this period, at least for the last couple of minutes, has been Josh Blackburn. Both teams continue to race up and down the ice, trading shots at each end of the ice. We are going to get some penalties, as tempers seem to be fraying just a little bit, let’s keep it under control. We don’t want a special team’s game; we want five on five. It looked like there were going to be a pair of penalties, as Cammalleri went into the penalty box, but the Bulldogs were the only team to pick up the penalty. Michigan back on the power play and needing a goal to get things going their way in this game. Well the only pressure being applied on this Michigan power play is by Ferris. Finally that pressure bears fruit as Ferris picks up a short handed goal to tie this game, give themselves a boost of confidence, and get their fans back into the game. Just to add a fuel to the fire Michigan picks up a penalty to end their power play. In just a few seconds Ferris will be on the power play looking to take the lead in this game. The power play continues to be an anchor around the neck of this Michigan team. Michigan kills off the penalty without suffering any more damage. Langfeld had a perfect shot at the goal, but it sailed high over the goal. Josh just seems to be having all kinds of trouble getting into any kind of scoring groove this year. With time running out in this period Comrie gets a chance all alone in front of the net, but he gets turned away. Langfeld and Huntzicker almost gave Ferris gift as they cause the puck to clang off the Michigan goal post that would have been terrible. Langfeld limps off the ice in pain from something. With then seconds left in the period Michigan gets called for a penalty to put Ferris back on the power play. The period ends with the game all tied up at 1 goal apiece. Neither team has been an offensive powerhouse as Ferris still holds the edge in shots on goal with a 12 to 10 count. This is Michigan’s lowest shots on goal count of the season through two periods.

Ferris will start the third with about 1:50 of power play time. Michigan has to stay sharp and kill this off and then they need to generate some offense. A road win here is not just important it would be a great confidence booster after the slow offensive production so far in this game. Ferris got off a save that Blackburn stopped, but he didn’t cover the rebound. The end result was a power play goal for Ferris to give the Bulldogs the lead early in the third period. Michigan almost picked up the tying goal, but they lost sight of the puck and were unable to put the puck in the net. Ferris picks up a penalty to Michigan back on the power play. The Wolverines really need to get one here to back on even ground against the Bulldogs. Ferris comes into the Michigan zone with a two on one break, but the Ferris player fans on the puck ending the scoring chance. Michigan putting all kinds of shots at the Ferris goal right now, but again none of them are getting past the netminder. Michigan is just not getting any kind of break here as they clang a shot off the goal post. Ferris kills of the Michigan power play and they still hold the one goal lead as Michigan really put some heat on the Ferris goal, but were unable to make anything happen. Ferris gets another great chance and Blackburn comes up with another great save. As we reach the midpoint of this period Michigan picks up yet another penalty to put Ferris back on the power play. Michigan kills off the penalty, but they really need to crank it up a notch as time begins to run out on the Wolverines. Ferris comes up with another break away, but they lost control at the last minute to end the scoring threat. There are now just five minutes left in the game and Michigan is looking for that all-important second goal. WOW!! That was a hard shot by Langfeld as he gets free and puts the puck in the net to tie this game up giving the Wolverines new life as time runs down in this game. Shouneyia and Huntzicker pick up assists on that goal and we now have 3:40 to try and win this game in regulation. Blackburn comes up with a huge save to keep the Wolverines even with the Bulldogs. Ferris picks up a roughing penalty in the late going of this game to give Michigan a power play chance. Michigan hasn’t scored a power play goal in their last nine attempts – are we due or what? Come on Blue, let’s get this job done! HUGE, HUGE, HUGE!! Michigan comes up with a power play goal to take the lead with just under a minute left in this game (54 seconds to be exact). Hilbert comes up with the goal with assists going to Mink and Cammalleri. Ferris calls time out to figure out how they wan to play the last seconds of the game. You can bet they will pull their goalie to give themselves the extra attacker. If Michigan can hold on here to win this game that would be just amazing. Ferris goaltender is pulled as Ferris gets the extra attacker. Matzka breaks free toward the open net and gets pulled down, no penalty. After several attempts at the empty net by different players Hilbert finally puts Michigan’s fourth goal on the board into the empty net to ice this game away. Comrie gets an assist on this goal and Michigan wins a game they maybe should have lost. Michigan wins the game by the score of 4 to 2. They do, however, get out shot in this game by a 24 to 18 count.

I don’t know what to say about this game. They didn’t play very well as their offense seems to be in kind of a slump as does Comrie. Their power play really stinks. I know they got four goals, but they got them with only 18 shots. I know they got the winning goal on the power play, but that was their first power play goal in their last ten attempts. The biggest thing I can say about this game is that with things not really clicking for them on the ice tonight, they found a way to win. That’s all anyone or I can ask as we push toward tournament time. Just when it looked like they might give back what little breathing room they had in the CCHA race they come up with a huge road win to maintain their three point lead (provided Northern wins their game tonight). Well these two teams hook up again tomorrow night, but this time they play in Ann Arbor, game time 7:05 PM. Until then, C-ya!