Tuesday, October 9, 2001

Tuesday, October 9, 2001, Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Tonight the Wolverines played their second exhibition game against Team USA (the National Development under 18 team). This young group of players has already played eleven games this year and they are really looking forward to taking on the Wolverines. They recently took one on the chin when Michigan Tech shut them out eleven to nothing, but then they played Lake State to a tie. While Michigan certainly should beat this team you wonder how the focus of the Wolverines will be after the emotional game just three days ago against Michigan State.

There are some injury concerns for the Wolverines, as Cammalleri will sit out again as he continues to nurse that hip flexor, but Mike isn't alone. Also sitting out this game with various bumps and bruises are Jay Vancik, Mike Roemensky, Mark Mink, Michael Woodford, and Andy Burnes. That's a lot of Wolverines to have on the sidelines because of injury all at one time, however, all but Woodford are expected to be ready to go this weekend when Michigan returns to NCAA action. Kevin O'Malley will also get the start and is expected to play the entire game getting some quality work in prior to the Wolverines getting into the first half of their season. One final note from last Saturday night's game - at least for active Wolverines. In a rare late scoring change Jason Ryznar was given credit for an assist on one of Michigan's goals giving him three points on the weekend (one goal and two assists).

Some news from the NHL as the opening of their season approaches. There are currently fifteen former Wolverines on NHL rosters. The most recent departures from the Michigan family Andy Hilbert and Jeff Jillson seem to be going different directions at the moment. It appears that Jillson has nailed down a starting spot with his team, but Hilbert has been sent down to the minors.

Michigan hit the ice flying in this contest tonight working the puck around the Team USA zone for most of the first few minutes of the game. The hard work paid off for the Wolverines as they drew first blood in this contest with 17:42 remaining in the first period. With some gritty work along the boards and a couple of nice passes Murray found the net off a rebound with assists going to Ortmeyer and Gajic.

Within seconds of scoring their first goal of the night the Wolverines picked up their first penalty of the night to give Team USA their first power play opportunity of the game. This Team USA power play ended less than twenty seconds later when they were whistled for a penalty of their own. The respective teams would kill off these penalties and the end to end action would resume. However, in short order Team USA picked up their second penalty of the period with 15:40 left putting Michigan on the power play. Michigan worked the puck around the Team USA zone quite effectively trying to get a shot set up, but they seemed to be just missing on their passes. Then with just three seconds left in the power play Michigan got a nice backdoor pass over to Werner who put the puck in the net. Assists on this goal went to Ryznar and Shouneyia.

Michigan would pick up another penalty shortly after scoring their second goal, but would again kill the penalty off. Both teams would push the puck up and down the ice for most of the remainder of the period until about three and one half minutes left in the first period when Team USA would get their first and only goal of the night. Crashing into the Michigan zone with numbers on their side Team USA got a shot off to O'Malleys glove side which was deflected away from the net. However, O'Malley didn't cover the rebound and Team USA punched it into the net from the opposite side before Kevin could get reset in goal. A small example of what was perhaps a slight loss of focus by the Wolverines after going up by two goals. When they scored their first goal of the night six or seven minutes into the period they had a seven to one edge in shots on goal. When Team USA scored their first goal of the game the shots on goal advantage for the Wolverines was eight to four. In a span of about ten minutes Team USA got three shots on goal, to the Wolverines one - not something you want to see much of from the Wolverines.

Team USA would pick up another penalty with 1:03 left in the penalty, but Michigan would return the favor about fifteen seconds later. The teams finished the period skating four on four. The first period came to an end with Michigan leading by a score of two to one. Michigan also had the edge in shots on goal with a 12 to 4 count.

The second period started with the teams still skating four on four, but shortly after those first period penalties expired Michigan would pick up another penalty putting Team USA back on the power play. The closest anyone got to scoring on this power play was a nice short-handed break out by Nystrom. A great block by the Team USA goalie kept the Wolverines from picking up their first short handed goal of the year.

Action would continue up and down the ice until the 12:59 mark in the second period when Olson took a big slap shot from out by the blue line that the Team USA goalie had not chance of seeing let alone stopping. The puck flew between the bodies and sailed in over the Team USA netminders right shoulder to give the Wolverines a two goal lead. Assists on this goal went to Shouneyia and Martens.

The teams would trade penalties and power plays in the final six minutes of the period. Michigan was once again looking for the backdoor pass and score, but kept just missing on the play. The second period came to an end with Michigan leading by a score of three to one. Michigan continued to hold the edge in shots on goal with a 24 to 11 count.

The up and down action seemed to slow down just a bit in the third period as it looked like both teams were getting a little tired, but things did get a little chippy. Michigan picked up a penalty with just over sixteen minutes remaining in the period, but they were able to kill it off. Michigan would gain pick up a penalty with just under thirteen minutes to play and would pick up a second with 1:30 left in the original penalty giving Team USA a lengthy two man advantage. Michigan was able to kill both of these penalties off without suffering any damage.

Michigan would get what was probably their best chance to score in the third period when Team USA was called for a penalty with 8:45 remaining in the game. With 1:46 left in the power play the Wolverines finally got the pass they were looking for and seemed to have an open shot into the net, again to the goalies backside, but inexplicably they muffed the shot. With a small amount of time left in the power play Michigan would get called for a bench minor of too many men on the ice and there were. It wasn't even close, there were actually six players on the ice skating in the play - it wasn't just one of those screw-ups during a change by the bench.

With just over three minutes to play there was a big pushing and shoving match as tempers flared a little bit more. One of the Team USA players got simply leveled behind the play by Brandon Rogers. The youngster was very groggy and barely scraped himself up off the ice. While he was getting up off the ice the Wolverines were charging back into the Team USA zone and this player got back just as play was being whistled down near the Team USA net. This player went and shoved Fraser who I believe he thought was the one that laid him out on the ice. Needless to say everyone got into the act at that point and Team USA ended up with a penalty on the board and both teams ended up with one player each in the box, which were deemed coincidental. Team USA did call a one minute time out at this time to get settled down just a bit and then play got back under way with Michigan on the power play.

Michigan brought their power play to an end with a penalty of their own with 1:37 left on the clock. The teams skated with four players each for a short time and then Team USA finished the game on the power play. Michigan killed of their last power play of the night, winning the game by a score of three to one. Michigan ended the night with a 30 to 16 edge in shots on goal.

Once again Team USA came to Yost Arena and gave Michigan all it was prepared for. Michigan might have been a little off physically with all the injuries and a bit off emotionally after the big game with Michigan State, but all in all both teams played a pretty decent game. It's amazing how good these high school kids are and they are also big. They list eight players over two hundred pounds on their roster to Michigan's four and yes they looked it. Michigan's overall talent, speed, and depth won out in the end, but Team USA gave the Wolverines quite a battle. Michigan's next opponent is Providence at the Maverick Stampede out in Omaha this Friday. Michigan's game starts at 6 PM, Central Time.