Wolverines Dismantle Broncos

Friday, January 10, 2003
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Michigan started this game by getting two pretty good shots at the Bronco net right from the opening face off. While those two didn't go in, the next one did as Captain Jed Ortmeyer got the Wolverines on the board just fifty-two seconds into this weekends opening contest. Working the puck around the Bronco zone with crisp passes, Rodgers made a great pass from behind the net to Ortmeyer who was all alone in the slot with a straight shot at the net. Wasting no time Ortmeyer banged it into the net for the early Wolverine lead. Both Rodgers and Shouneyia got assists on the goal.

From the ensuing face off the Wolverines raced back into the Bronco zone and once again began applying pressure to the Bronco net. Less than thirty seconds after scoring their first goal, David Moss gained control of the puck and slipped it past the net minder for Michigan's second goal of the game, unassisted. With just one minute and twenty seconds played in the game Michigan was ahead by a score of two to nothing. Following this second goal the Bronco's took a one minute time out.

With just over four minutes played in the game Michigan skated out of their zone with a three on two break. Moving into the Bronco zone together Shouneyia looked to make a pass to Ortmeyer, but the pass was intercepted by a Bronco. However, the Bronco attempt at clearing the puck went right to Ortmeyer and he put it in the net. While Shouneyia was first credited with an assist on the goal, it was later changed to an unassisted goal.

With 14:34 left to play the Broncos were whistled for a penalty to give Michigan the first power play of the game. As the Wolverines worked the puck around the Bronco zone Kaleniecki got off a shot from a tight angle, but he managed to squeeze the puck in the net for Michigan's fourth goal of the game. Assists on this power play goal went to Ebbett and Rogers.

With less than seven minutes played and four goals on the board the Broncos replaced their goalie, but in the end the new goalie had no better luck against Michigan than did the starter. With 8:32 left to play the Bronco's were once again whistled for a penalty. Passing the puck around the Bronco zone and taking several shots Michigan continued to press, looking for an alley to the goal. With less than one minute of power play time used the Wolverines found that alley as Nick Martens got in close and chipped the puck into the goal. Assists on Michigan's second power play goal went to Kaleniecki and Ebbett.

With just over five minutes left to play in the period the Bronco's were whistled for their third penalty of the game and the Wolverines were once again on the prowl. The Bronco's did a better job of disrupting this power play, but with just sixteen seconds left in the power play Milan Gajic found a way to get the puck in the net. Taking a big shot from in front of the net, he followed his own shot and picked up his own rebound, however, he was behind the goal. Making an unbelievable shot, Gajic shot the puck, banking it off the goalies back and into the net. Assists on Michigans third power play goal of the period went to Tambellini and Ryznar.

With just 1:21 left in the period Michigan would strike one last time. Using a great up ice charge and some very nice passing Shouneyia got the puck to Ortmeyer who put home his third goal of the period. This was Ortmeyers first hat trick of his Wolverine career. Assists on the goal went to Shouneyia and Tambellini. The first period came to an end with Michigan leading by a score of seven to nothing. The Wolverines also had a large advantage in shots on goal with an eighteen to five count.

Starting the second period with a little less fire than they had when starting the first period the Wolverines got a bit sloppy with the puck. With less than thirty seconds played the Bronco's were whistled for a penalty, putting Michigan on the power play. The Bronco's had really disrupted this power play right from the start as Michigan's passing wasn't nearly as crisp as it had been in the first period. With thirty-four seconds of power play time left Michigan turned the puck over and the Bronco's charged into the Wolverine zone. Skating hard for the net the Bronco's got a short handed goal to cut Michigan's lead to six.

With just over fifteen minutes to play Michigan would be called for a delay of game penalty as they had lines mixed up on what seemed to be a particularly fast face off. The Wolverines killed off the penalty without giving up a goal. With just under thirteen minutes to play, putting a bit of their own pressure on the Michigan goal the Bronco's scored their second goal of the game and had the lead down to five.

With just under nine minutes to play Michigan was whistled for another penalty putting the Bronco's on the power play. The Wolverines were able to kill this power play off without giving up another goal. With just under six minutes to play the Wolverines had a two on one break lead by Shouneyia and Ortmeyer. Shouneyia made a great pass across the ice to Ortmeyer who punched it home for his fourth of the game and Michigan's first of the second period. Both Shouneyia and Tambellini picked up assists on the goal.

The second period came to and end with Michigan leading by a score of eight to two. The Wolverines also continued to hold a significant advantage in shots on goal finishing the second period with a twenty-eight to twelve advantage. Noah Ruden replaced Al Montoya in goal after the Wolverines scored their eighth goal.

Ruden continued to play for the Wolverines in the third period, with the coaching staff taking the opportunity to give him some work. The Bronco's would give Ruden a rude welcome to start this period. The Bronco's won a face off in the Michigan zone to Ruden's left. Sending the puck out toward the point they got a screened shot off that just beat Ruden to his glove side.

With just over fifteen minutes to play things started to get a bit chippy. The Bronco's were whistled for a penalty to put Michigan on the power play. With over a minute of power play time left both teams got into a little disagreement that resulted in both teams sending two players each to the sin bin. Michigan's power play continued as all four penalties were off the clock. With just under fourteen minutes to play in the period and thirty-two seconds of power play time left Ebbett wound up from the top of the left circle and blasted the puck into the net. Assists on this power play goal went to Rodgers and Mink.

With just over thirteen minutes to play Western would be whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play once again. This time the Bronco's would get the penalty killed off and the Wolverines would not score. However, with just under eight minutes to play, after coming close to scoring on several occasions, Nystrom would come up with the Wolverines tenth goal of the night. After missing a chance at an open net Nystrom circled all the way around the net, came back out front and blasted the puck into the net for the score. Helminen and Woodford picked up assists for the goal.

In the closing minutes of the period both teams collected penalties like they were trophies. Each team had to have over twenty minutes of penalty time in the third period alone. The game would finally end with Michigan winning by a score of ten to three. The Wolverines ended the game with a forty to nineteen advantage in shots on goal.

A really big win for the Wolverines tonight as just about everyone got involved in the scoring in one capacity or another. Jed Ortmeyer had a great night racking up five points, with four goals and one assist. At least two other players got three points each as Shouneyia and Tambellini each had three assists. Hopefully Michigan didn't use up all their scoring for the weekend in tonights game because I'm sure they will need to score some goals tomorrow.

Michigan plays these same Bronco's tomorrow night, but this time they play at Western where I'm sure an entirely different game will be played. Michigan got on a roll early in tonights game and Western simply never got on track. Both teams start with the score all even at zero tomorrow night and you can bet the Bronco's will be up for the task.