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Michigan Slips Past Miami
Friday, December 7, 2001
Goggin Ice Arena, Oxford, Ohio
This weekend sees the Wolverines playing their final two CCHA games prior to the
Christmas break. After a somewhat slow start the Wolverines have been playing some
good hockey of late and have only lost one game in their last eight. They have climbed
back into a tie for second place in the conference and this weekend's games will go a
long way toward determining how hard the second half run will be for Michigan. A pair
of wins this weekend will leave Michigan in good shape to start the second half. A pair
of losses this weekend could put Michigan in a bit of a hole to start the second half
(depending on how some of the other conference leaders do this weekend).
Michigan finds themselves tied for second place in the CCHA with Nebraska-Omaha, with
the Redhawks just three points back. Miami always plays Michigan tough and if they could
sweep the Wolverines they could vault into the second place position themselves. Michigan
State still holds a three point lead over the Wolverines, but they play a tough road
series at Northern Michigan. This weekend could see some separation between the front
runners and the middle of the pack or it could see a complete shake up at the top. Assuming
the Spartans don't loose Michigan has to win these games just to keep Michigan State
within striking distance. It should be an exciting weekend of CCHA hockey with a lot
on the line for several teams.
Things started out rough for the Wolverines in this game as the Redhawks jumped out
to an early one goal lead on their first power play chance of the contest. Werner went
into the box for obstruction-hooking barely with just 1:34 ticked off the clock. The
Redhawks wasted no time as they scored their power play goal just 13 seconds into the
power play.
The remainder of the period would see both teams move the puck up and down the ice
looking for that opening that would get them a goal, but neither team was able to find
that crack. That would end with just sixteen seconds remaining in the period when the
Wolverines would finally find an opening. Winning a face off in the Redhawk zone
Shouneyia got the puck to Gajic, who found Ryznar just inside the right blue line.
Ryznar sent a slap shot to the goal and scored to tie the game. The first period came
to an end with the score all tied up at one goal apiece. Each team also ended the
first period with ten shots on goal.
Miami would again make things happen in the early moments of the second period.
This time the Redhawks went to the penalty box just thirty-six seconds into the period
for tripping. The Wolverines left a Redhawk penalty killer all alone inside the blue
line and he ended up with the puck. Not wanting to waste the chance he sent the puck
toward the Michigan goal and beat Blackburn high on his glove side to score the short
handed goal and regain the lead.
About four minutes later Michigan would once again tie the contest at two goals
apiece. This time the scoring play would start with senior Craig Murray when he got
control of the puck behind the Miami net. He would send the puck along the end boards
to Mink, who would get it to Andy Burnes, positioned at the bottom of the right face
off circle. Burnes would take the shot, which was initially stopped by the Redhawk
net minder. However, he didn't gain control of the puck and he ended up kicking it
into his own goal to give Michigan the score and provide Burnes with his first collegiate
goal.
Both teams would apply pressure on the opponents goal at different times in the
remainder of this period, but neither team would be able to score another goal. The
second period would come to an end with the score tied at two goals each. Michigan ended
the second period with a slight edge in shots on goal with a twenty-two to eighteen count.
Michigan would miss a couple of scoring chances early in the third period, keeping
the scored knotted at two. In fact the action would continue up and down the ice for the
bulk of the remaining regulation time. The first break came with just over three minutes
left in the third period when Miami would be called for a penalty putting the Wolverines
on the power play. Miami would kill the power play off without giving up a goal. Both
teams would loose players for hitting after the whistle with just thirty-five seconds
left in the period and the action continued with each team skating with four players
each. The third period would come to an end with the score still tied at two goals
each. Michigan continued to hold an edge in shots on goal with a thirty to twenty five
count.
The overtime period would start with each team still skating with four men each as
the penalties called at the end of the third period carried over into the overtime
period. The overtime period would not last long as Michigan's Cammalleri came up with
the game winner just fifty-seven seconds into the overtime period. Burnes got the puck
up to Cammalleri at center ice and Cammalleri skated down the right side of the ice.
Once far enough into the Redhawk zone Cammalleri took a shot that beat the Miami
net minder in the top right corner. The game came to an end with Michigan winning by a
score of three to two. The Wolverines ended the contest with a thirty-two to twenty-five
edge in shots on goal.
As expected this was a hard fought contest that could have gone either way. The
Wolverines never gave up in the game even though they trailed or were tied for the
entire game. Cammalleri got his third straight game winning goal and Burnes got his
first collegiate goal. More importantly Michigan picked up another very important
road win to keep pace with Michigan State. While the Spartans beat Northern,
Nebraska-Omaha was beaten by Alaska-Fairbanks which moves Michigan into second place
all by themselves. A second win and weekend sweep tomorrow night would go a long
way to solidify the Wolverines hold on that position as the first half comes to an
end.
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