Wolverines Sweep Bulldogs

Saturday, December 1, 2001
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

After winning a typical hard fought game in Big Rapids last night with some last minute scoring the Wolverines look to complete the weekend with a sweep of the Bulldogs on their home ice. The only not typical of last nights game was the relatively low number of penalty minutes; usually when these two teams meet the penalty clock is working overtime. It's been five years since the Wolverines have been able to sweep Ferris making the outcome of tonight's game uncertain at best.

The Wolverines started the game making some mistakes early that almost cost them dearly, but in the early going Blackburn was able to cover up the mistakes made by the defense in front of him. The Wolverines made some poor choices with the puck giving the Bulldogs some early scoring chances. The action continued fast and furious as Ferris looked to make up for last nights defeat.

The Bulldogs would get called for the games first penalty of the game as the game clock moved under the fourteen mark, putting the Wolverines on the power play for the first time in the contest. Ferris had been doing a pretty fair job of disrupting the Wolverine power play until Cammalleri broke out of the Michigan zone and skated hard for the Bulldog net. Closing on the FSU goal Cammalleri took a shot that was blocked, but the rebound came out to Helminen who didn't miss the chance, scoring the games first goal. The lone assist on the goal went to Cammalleri.

About two minutes after scoring the games first goal the Wolverines would pick up their first penalty of the night giving Ferris their first crack on the power play. Ferris was working the puck well in the UM zone and got off several point blank shots that Blackburn turned away. The Wolverine defense was leaving too many Bulldogs unaccounted for near the goal and Michigan is lucky the game wasn't tied by Ferris during this stretch of time. When all was said and done the Wolverines had killed off the power play, retaining their one to nothing lead.

With just over six minutes to play a pair of matching penalties would be called leaving the teams with four men each on the ice. With 1:26 left in the original penalty the Bulldogs were whistled for a second penalty giving Michigan a four on three power play. Working the puck around the Bulldog zone Michigan just missed a shot at an open net as they worked the back door play to near perfection. However, time would run out on the Bulldogs when the Wolverines scored their second power play goal of the game with just over five minutes left to play. This time Michigan worked the puck around the FSU zone until they got it over to Cammalleri, who had been left all alone near the left face off circle. As soon as he received the puck Cammalleri blasted it toward and into the Ferris net extended the Wolverine lead to two goals. Shouneyia and Ortmeyer each received assists on the goal. Still skating four on four (the power play goal while there was still time from the first penalty) Michigan would be called for a penalty giving FSU a four on three power play. The Wolverines would weather the storm and kill off the Bulldog power play, retaining their two goal lead.

With just over one minute left to play Michigan was working the puck around the Ferris zone when a shot was taken that was blocked by the Bulldog net minder. However, the didn't cover the rebound and the puck came out front. There waiting for it was Gajic who sent the puck into the net behind an out of position net minder. Assists on the goal went to Komisarek and Mink. A pair of penalties would be called with fourteen seconds left in the period reducing each team to four men each on the ice, but the first period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of three to nothing. However it was the Bulldogs who held the edge in shots on goal with a twelve to ten count.

The second period would start with each team skating four men for 1:46 and with twenty-three seconds remaining in that four on four Ferris would get whistled for a hooking penalty to once again put Michigan on the power play. While skating four on three Michigan just missed a great scoring chance, but the carry over penalties from the first period would expire, but Michigan was still on the power play. Ferris had killed off this power play chance, but immediately following the end of this penalty Ferris was whistled for another penalty putting Michigan right back on the power play. This power play chance was also killed off and both teams would return to full strength.

The full strength action would not last long as Michigan was called for a penalty with just over fourteen minutes to play in the period. About one minute into the power play Ferris took advantage of more poor puck handling by the Wolverines, getting the puck near the blue line. Skating hard toward the Wolverine goal, Ferris got off a shot that looked like it was blocked, then got into the Michigan net, but the goal was off it's moorings. What could be the Bulldogs first goal of the night was being reviewed. After review the goal stood and Ferris had their first score of the night, cutting the Wolverine lead to two goals.

With just under twelve minutes to play in the period Michigan was forced to take a penalty to stop a scoring threat after once again being lazy with the puck in the neutral zone. Michigan would kill this penalty off, only to be called for another shortly after killing off the previous penalty. Michigan received a break from Ferris when the Bulldogs were called for a penalty with 1:06 left in this power play, ending the Bulldog power play and setting Michigan up for a power play of their own. While skating four on four Michigan, with some great passing, would get the puck to a breaking Gajic who would charge the Ferris net and get off a shot. His shot was blocked, but Murray was right there to put the puck into the net off the rebound. With assists going to Gajic and Komisarek Michigan once again had a three goal lead.

It would once again be a Ferris penalty, this one with 5:14 left in the period, that would set Michigan up for their fifth goal of the night. Out of a scrum near the blue line Werner would break out of the pack with the puck. Charging into the Ferris zone Werner would set, shoot, and score, beating the Ferris goalie high to his blocker side to give Michigan their largest lead of the night. Assists on this goal went to Ortmeyer and Shouneyia.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of five to one. Ferris continued to hold the edge in shots on goal with a twenty-two to twenty count. Right at the end of the period (again off the delay) both teams were called for penalties leading to a four on four start in the third period.

Michigan wasted no time at the start of the third period picking up another penalty and putting Ferris back on the power play. Though they tried mightily the Bulldogs would not be able to get a puck past Blackburn and all penalties would be killed off with no goals scored.

With sixteen minutes even left to play in the game Ferris would get a turnover deep in Michigan's zone. The Bulldogs would get off a point blank shot that Blackburn would block, but he didn't cover the rebound. It appeared that a trailing Bulldog put the puck right back into the Michigan net, but the goal was immediately waved off. The puck had been kicked into the Michigan goal with a skate and there was no goal.

With 14:39 left to play in the game Ferris would be called for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. With 1:41 left in that power play Michigan would score their sixth and final goal of the night. With some great passing around the Ferris zone Michigan worked for an easy back door shot and this time it worked. The had pulled the goalie over to his left when they slipped the puck across ice to a waiting Gajic, off to the goalies right. This time the open back door shot is not missed and the goal was scored. Assists went to Komisarek and Helminen.

Shortly after that goal, with Michigan sitting on a five goal lead, the Wolverines brought in Kevin O'Malley for some work in the final half of the period. This is about the time that things started to get real chippy as the Bulldogs were obviously frustrated with how things had gone in this game. Without writing all the gory details suffice it to say that penalties were called often in the final ten minutes of play, including a couple of game misconducts (both against Ferris). The game would come to a merciful end with Michigan winning by a score of six to one. Ferris did end the night with a decided edge in shots on goal with a thirty-six to twenty-eight count.

Well if nothing else this game was more like recent history when these two teams have met. Lot's of action and even more penalties. Tonight the Wolverine special teams were very good, clicking on the power play and doing an excellent job on the penalty kill. If they can continue to play like that the remainder of the first half and the season the future for this Michigan team should start looking much better. The other player who was really on his game tonight was Blackburn. The defense in front of him gave several great chances to the Bulldogs and Blackburn turned everything away except one quirky goal, that had to be reviewed before it was allowed to stand. All in all a good game for Michigan and a good weekend as they get their first sweep over the Bulldogs in five years. Next week the Wolverines return to the road for a pair of games against Miami.