Lakers Stun Wolverines

Friday, March 8, 2002
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

A week after winning the regular season CCHA championship the Wolverines start CCHA tournament play as the number one seed. Tonight they host Lake Superior, the number twelve seed, in the first game of a best of three weekend series. The winner of this weekends series will advance to Joe Louis next weekend. If Lake State wins they will play on Friday night. If Michigan wins they would get a quarter final bye and would advance to the semi-finals on Saturday night. Before they make their reservations at the Joe, they need to win this weekend series.

It's tournament time and anything can happen, but this is clearly a series that the Wolverines should win. The Lakers finished in last place in the conference this year and a Laker win in this series would truly be an upset. Michigan has been playing very well of late and can't afford to take the Lakers to lightly. It may be tempting for the Wolverines to look ahead to next weekend, but if they don't win this series there won't be a next weekend.

Right out of the gate it looked like things were going to go the Wolverines way in this game as the Lakers were whistled for a penalty less than thirty seconds into the game. Seconds into the power play Michigan had moved the puck up the ice and had entered the Laker zone. A shot by the Wolverines, out by the blue line was blocked by a Laker, who broke away cleanly to crash the Michigan goal. Bringing the puck in strong the closing Laker got in fairly close, then beat Blackburn over his right shoulder to score the games first goal, short handed.

This initial power play would continue to haunt the Wolverines as they gave up the second goal of the game just as the power play expired. The Lakers had intercepted the puck in their zone and were looking to ice the puck. Just as they gained control the penalty time ended and their player came out of the penalty box. With no Wolverines in the passing lane the puck was passed up the ice to the Laker coming out of the box who had a clean break away into the Michigan zone. Once again the Laker got in close, and took the shot, this time beating Blackburn through the five hole.

The Wolverines would get their second power lay chance with just over twelve minutes left in the period. However, once again they would be unable to capitalize with the man advantage (at least this time they didn't give up any goals).

Just as Michigan seemed to be starting to wake up and bring some pressure to the Lakers they mishandled the puck, leaving it on the ice right in front of Blackburn. Once again a Laker, in the right place, at the right time, punched the puck through the five hole for their third goal of the period. The first period would come to an end with Lake State holding a solid three to nothing lead. The Wolverines ended the period with the decided edge in shots on goal with a seventeen to five count.

The Wolverines started the second period with a little more spring in their legs, but they continued to miss on their shots. Even though they were holding the bulk of the play in the Laker zone they were not getting any shots in the net. Once again the Wolverines mishandled the puck, giving the Lakers their fourth break away of the game. With just under fifteen minutes left in the period the Lakers scored their fourth goal of the game.

A little less than two minutes later Michigan would finally get on the board when they put a rebound into the net for their first goal. Working the puck around the Laker zone Swistak got off a shot that was blocked by the Laker goalie. However, he didn't cover the puck and it rebounded out in front of the goal. Getting his stick on the puck Werner was able to punch the puck home to get the Wolverines first score. Assists went to Swistak and Moss. Following Michigans goal the Lakers took their one minute time out.

About one half minute later Lake State were whistled for a penalty to put Michigan on the power play. The face off was to the left of the Laker goalie. Winning the face off Michigan got the puck back to Kommisarek who got off a shot. Again it was blocked and again it rebounded out. Moss took a swat at it, but it ended up on the ice, in the crease. Making a great heads up play Woodford would get to the puck before the Laker goalie and poke it home. Assists on the goal went to both Moss and Komisarek.

Michigan would end up having to kill off their only two penalties of the game in the last half of the second period. The second period would come to an end with the Lakers still in the lead by a score of four to two. The Wolverines continued to out shoot the Lakers, ending the second period with a thirty to eleven advantage in shots on goal.

Barely thirty seconds into the final period matching penalties would be called leaving both teams skating with four men each. While there was some action, niether team was able to find twine and the penalties were killed off. The action would continued up and down the ice with niether team able to score a goal. With just under ten minutes left to play the Lakers were once again whistled for a penalty to put Michigan on the power play. Once again the Lakers would kill off the penalty without giving up a goal.

Time was running out on the Wolverines when they pulled Blackburn with two minutes left to play to get the additional attacker. With that extra attacker on the ice the Wolverines scored their third goal of the game with 1:49 left to play. The goal was scored by Ortmeyer with assits going to Cammalleri and Gajic.

Blackburn would come back into the game for the ensuing face off, but was immediately looking to get back off the ice. About ten seconds after the face off, Blackburn was again on the bench and Michigan had the extra attacker in the line up. With just one minute left to play an injured Laker player brought a stoppage of play that let Michigan talk over their strategy. With play resuming the Wolverines were buzzing all around the Laker net. With just thirty two seconds left to play there was a face off in the Laker end, to the goalies left. Michigan would take their time out at this point to decide how to attack the goal. Working extremely hard, bringing all kinds of pressure, Michigan would come very close to tying the game. Try though they might the Wolverines would come up short with the game ending with the Lakers winning by a four to three score. Michigan would end the game with a forty two to fifteen advantage in shots on goal.

Starting the game in a fog the Wolverines gave up two quick break away goals to get in the early hole and they were never able to climb back out. Even though they put a lot of shots on goal during the first period, they often seemed out of sync and even confused at times, especially in the early going. Overall if you look at the entire game, Michigan out skated the Lakers, but the Lakers, with those early breaks, ended up on the winning end of the score.

Luckily for the Wolverines this is a best of three series and they have a chance to salvage the weekend. However, Michigan has now played themselves into a situation where they either win or go home. They have used the one throw away game of the second season. Michigan can win the weekend, but they now have to work a little longer and a little harder. Perhaps the Wolverines will use this game as the reminder it certainly is - come to play or you'll be done playing.