Friday, March 16, 2001

Friday, March 16, 2001, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan

The Wolverines started this game playing with great intensity as they peppered the Nebraska goal with several shots in the early going of the game. Both teams would also send players to the penalty box with a fair amount of regularity in the early going of this game with the hitting coming early and often. It would be with players in the sin bin when the first score of the game would be notched by the Wolverines. With both teams skating with four players apiece David Huntzicker got the puck to Joe Kautz, who slipped it over to Craig Murray. Murray would let a one-timer loose from the top of the face off circle that would find it’s way into the Nebraska goal.

The second goal of the game would come about two minutes later, shortly after the Wolverines killed off a penalty returning to even strength. This time it would be Mike Roemensky who would get the puck over to Andy Hilbert just as he was being pulled down. Hilbert would take the puck through center ice and into the Nebraska zone. Hilbert would pass the puck over to Mike Cammalleri who would fire a wrist shot into the Nebraska goal to extend Michigan’s lead to two goals.

Both teams would trade penalties for the next several minutes until the Wolverines would strike for the third and final time of the first period with time running down. Michigan had once again finished a penalty kill when they took the puck away in the Nebraska zone. John Shouneyia passed the puck up the boards to David Huntzicker who would fire a shot from the point. While this shot was blocked Joe Kautz was in position to tip the puck back toward the net where it would bounce off one post, over to the other post, and finally into the goal.

The first period came to an end with Michigan leading by a score of three to nothing. The Wolverines also ended the first period with a decent lead in shots on goal with a 13 to 7 count.

While the Wolverines carried the play in the first period, the second period would be a very different story. Hilbert and Cammalleri almost worked some magic in the early seconds of this period, but just missed scoring the Wolverines fourth goal. That was about the last real threat the Wolverines would mount for the remainder of the second period. The Mavericks came out early looking to get back in the game and they never really let up on the pressure for the entire period. It would take them half the period to get a shot past Blackburn, but they would finally do it. After taking the puck away from Michigan behind their own goal, Nebraska would pass it out front and chip it into the Michigan net over a sprawled Blackburn.

The Mavericks would continue to apply pressure and it would take them another six minutes before they were able to get the puck into the Michigan goal for a second time. This time Nebraska would win a face off in the Michigan zone getting the puck back to Greg Zanon. Zanon would fire the puck from out by the blue line and it would make it past Blackburn, who was largely screened when the shot was taken.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan hanging onto a one-goal lead with a score of three to two. While Michigan would still hold the edge in shots on goal after two it was much closer with the Wolverines holding a 17 to 14 edge.

Michigan would start the third period with about 1:30 of power play time, but they would be unable to capitalize on the opportunity. The Mavericks would continue to apply some pressure of their own and Michigan would take a delay of game penalty with just over four minutes gone in the period when Vancik knocked the goal off the posts. Michigan would kill that penalty off, but not without Nebraska coming very close to tying the game. It appeared that Nebraska had gotten the puck into the Michigan net when the Mavericks Jay O’Keefe deflected the puck at the goal line and it bounced out of the net.

Both teams would have their chances in the middle of the period, but neither team would be able to crack the opposing goaltender again. Nebraska probably had the best chance of the final period with just 2 ½ minutes left to play when Nebraska’s Dave Brisson stole the puck on a short handed play. He broke in on the Michigan goal and let loose a shot, but Blackburn got just enough of it to deflect it high where it would hit a post and bounce harmlessly away.

Nebraska would finally get their goal tender pulled with about 30 seconds left in the game, but they would not be able to get the puck past Blackburn. The game would come to an end with Michigan getting the victory by a score of three to two. The Wolverines would end the game with a 34 to 18 advantage in shots on goal.

The victory over the Mavericks sends the Wolverines to the CCHA tournament championship game where they will take on rival Michigan State. This will be the first time since 1997 that these two teams have met in the tournament finals. The Wolverines have won the CCHA tournament four times in the last eight years, while the Spartans have won a total of nine tournament championships. With the Spartans getting the better of the Wolverines during the regular season this should be a great championship game as the Wolverines look to get the CCHA’s lone automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Amazingly enough if Michigan should win the CCHA tournament over the Spartans they might find themselves in position to receive a first round bye in the NCAA tournament. They are now ranked fifth in the power rankings, one spot away from that first round bye. If St. Cloud gets beat by North Dakota and Michigan defeats the Spartans that may be enough to move them up in the power rankings.

Week in Review

Michigan goes into the final weekend of CCHA tournament play holding down the sixth position in the Pairwise rankings, two spots removed from a first round bye in the NCAA tournament. The Michigan State Spartans still hold down the number one spot while Nebraska-Omaha appears to be on the wrong side of the bubble as they hold the thirteenth position in the Pairwise rankings.

Michigan will face the Mavericks from Nebraska-Omaha in tonight’s semi-final game in their quest to win the CCHA tournament and receive the conferences only automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Mavericks upset the Wolverines last year in the CCHA semi-finals giving the Wolverines a little extra incentive for this years re-match. Earlier in the year the Wolverines and Mavericks split their two game series at Nebraska. While the Wolverines stumbled their way into the playoffs this year, the Mavericks finished the year on a roll. The Wolverines seemed to get things back on track last weekend as they swept Ferris in the first round, but will they be able to maintain their intensity in the final round of the CCHA tournament. Michigan might get a fifth chance at the Spartans, this time with a NCAA tournament bid on the line. If that comes about will the Wolverines be up to the task?