Wolverines Even Series At One Game Each

Saturday, March 9, 2002
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

After dropping the series opener to the Lakers the Wolverines go into tonights game with their backs to the wall. Last nights loss put Michigan back on the bubble for the NCAA tournament. The Wolverines will need to advance to Joe Louis to insure that they still make this years tournament. There has already been one, and probably soon to be two, of last years frozen four teams eliminated from tournament consideration.

Michigan started this game with a bit more fire than they showed in the opening minutes of last nights game. The Wolverines applied all kinds of pressure on the Laker goal in the early going. Finally all that hard work paid off as they scored the games first goal with just over five minutes gone, on their eighth shot. Michigan got the puck behind the Laker net, passed it out front, and Woodford was there to knock it into the goal. Assists went to Gajic and Helminen.

With just under then minutes left in the period Michigan would strike again. This time there was a delayed penalty call was about to be made against the Lakers which would have put Michigan on the power play. Instead Cammalleri made a great move to get the puck in front of the Laker goal, where he sent a back hand shot high over the Laker netminders left shoulder. The goal was unassisted.

The Wolverines would kill off two penalties in the last ten minutes of the period and would find themselves on the power lay with just 21.3 seconds left when the Lakers were whistled for a late penalty. Through it all there were no further goals scored in this period which ended with the Wolverines holding a two to nothing lead. Michigan had a substantial lead in shots on goal with a seventeen to seven count.

Michigan started the second period on the power play for 1:39, but they were unable to take advantage of the extra man. The two teams would move the puck up and down the ice with niether team getting any kind of advantage. Each team would be whistled for a penalty and kill that penalty off. With just over seven minutes to go in the period the Lakers would finally get the break they were looking for and score their first goal. Getting some pressure of their own in the Michigan zone, the Lakers got a shot off that drew Blackburn out and to his left. While blocking the shot Blackburn got down on the ice. While still down on the ice the Lakers passed the puck across the crease where it was punched into the wide open net.

That was the only goal of the second period which came to an end with Michigan leading by a score of two to one. The Wolverines continued to dominate the shot count as they ended the second period with a twenty six to eleven shot advantage.

The third period would see a continuing defensive struggle. Both teams were chasing the puck hard, but niether team had been able to get it past the others goalie until the final five minutes of the period. The Lakers had been whistled for a penalty with 5:26 to play in the game. Being very patient, and just missing on a couple of earlier shots, Michigan got the puck to Cammalleri. Cammalleri to the goalies left and with the goalies stick on the ice, wristed a quick shot into the net. Assists on this power play goal went to Komisarek and Shouneyia.

After the Wolverines third goal the Lakers took a time out and then replaced their goalie (saving him for tomorrow nights third and decisive game). With 3:01 left to play and a face off coming in the Michigan zone the Lakers pulled their goalie to get the extra attacker on the ice. After missing on a couple of empty net shots Cammalleri, getting his hat trick for the night, got the puck into the empty net to seal the win for the Wolverines. Cammalleri got the puck at center ice, moved it down into the Laker zone, and put the shot into the Laker net.

The final minute and a half of play would see a Laker penalty putting Michigan on the power play. This would be followed by a pair of coincidental penalties that would leave Michigan on the power play with a five on four man advantage. No further goals were scored and the game came to an end with Michigan winning by a score of four to one. The Wolverines ended the night with a thirty six to sixteen advantage in shots on goal.

Michigan didn't give up any of those quick goals in tonights game and put tremendous pressure on the Laker goal early in the game. After jumping out to the two to nothing lead Michigan seemed to get more defensive minded and the pressure eased some, but was still there. It was a hard worked, well fought game by Michigan as they kept coming after the Lakers for the duration of the game. Tonight they protected the puck and their goaltender much better than last night and by virtue of the win they stay alive in the CCHA tournament. Tomorrow nights game will decide which team advances to Joe Louis and which ones season will most likely end.