Wolverines Complete Sweep of Lakers

Saturday, January 25, 2003
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan

Michigan started this game in much the same fashion as they did on Thursday night; putting all kinds of pressure on the Laker goal in the early minutes of the period. Unlike last night, however, Michigan (nor the Lakers for that matter) were able to come up with a score.

The first penalty of the game would be called against Michigan with nine minutes ticked off the clock. The Wolverines would kill the power play and then send a flurry of shots at the Laker goal seconds after the power play ended.

With sixteen minutes of play in the books Michigan was whistled for a second penalty and the Lakers were once again on the power play. With about thirty seconds left in the Laker power play a Laker skater got a little to close to Montoya and the teams once again tangled, this time in the Michigan goal crease. The end result was two Lakers and one Wolverine headed to the sin bin. This ended the Laker power play and set Michigan up for a power play of their own. The Wolverines would get some great pressure on the Laker goal while on the power play, but would be unable to find a way into the Laker goal.

It looked like the Lakers might get a goal with just seconds left on the clock as the puck was dribbling slowly toward the Michigan goal line. Just when it looked the puck was about to cross the line Montoya reached over and scooped it up to end the threat. The first period would come to an end with the score all tied at zero. The teams were also even in shots on goal with each coming up with nine shots through the first twenty minutes of play.

It would take three minutes of the second period for the first goal of this game to be scored and it would be Michigan coming up with that score. Charging into the Laker zone, three on three, the puck went to Woodford who just kind of shoved it to the net from a wide angle. With a little help from the Laker net minder, who misplayed the puck, Woodford had the goal and Michigan had the lead. The lone assist on the goal went to Helminen.

Barely one minute later the Wolverines would strike again as Ortmeyer crashed the Laker net looking for more goals. Ortmeyer got off a big shot, but it was blocked. Fortunately for the Wolverines Tambellini was in the right place to play the rebound and he did not waste the chance. Tambellini gets the goal off the rebound, while Ortmeyer and Richmond pick up assists.

With just over fourteen minutes played the Lakers would be whistled for a penalty putting the Wolverines on the power play. Using some great passing in the Laker zone Michigan was really working the power play hard. That work would pay off as Shouneyia made a fantastic pass down to Ortmeyer who slammed the puck home for Michigan's third goal of the game. Assists on the power play goal went to Shouneyia and Tambellini.

A short time later both teams would lose a player to the sin bin, leaving each team skating with four men. Not long into the penalty time the Lakers were whistled for another penalty giving Michigan a four on three power play. Once again the Wolverines were working hard to keep the puck in the Laker zone while looking for that opening. Once again it would Ortmeyer doing the damage, this time making a great shot from the right face off dot. Assists on this goal went to Rodgers and Tambellini.

With just 1:31 left to play Michigan would be whistled for a penalty to give the Lakers a late power play chance. The Wolverines were able to end the period without giving up a goal. With two periods in the books it's Michigan holding a four to nothing lead. The Wolverines really took it to the Lakers in that period, out shooting them eighteen to five for a two period total of twenty-seven to fourteen.

The Lakers start the third period with roughly thirty seconds of power play time as Michigan is still serving time for that late second period penalty. The man advantage would not last long for the Lakers as they were whistled for a penalty shortly after the start of the third period. The teams skated even with four men each for a short time and then Michigan moved to the power play. Once again working the puck around the Laker zone with great efficiency Michigan struck for their third power play goal of the game. Getting the puck over to Tambellini, who got off a blistering shot that was in the net before the Laker goalie knew what happened. The assist on this goal went to Shouneyia.

Both teams would get power play chances through the remainder of the period and both goalies would come up with big saves. In the end, however, the Wolverines were too much for the Lakers and the game would come to an end with Michigan winning by a score of five to nothing. Another big period period for Michigan in the shots on goal category as they out shot the Lakers sixteen to five in the third. Michigan finished the game with a forty-three to nineteen advantage in shots on goal.

The Wolverines played a solid game of hockey from beginning to end tonight as they put the pressure on the Lakers early and often. The continued to put pressure on the Laker goal right through the third period; something Michigan has been having trouble doing in recent weeks. Michigan finishes the weekend with a sweep, more importantly sweeping a team that they should have swept. No point give aways for Michigan this weekend.

The Wolverines couldn't have picked a better weekend to get the job done, nor could they pick a better way to go into next weekends showdown with Ferris. With both of the conference leaders losing last night (Ferris and Ohio State), and both struggling at last report tonight, Michigan has picked up some valuable ground in the CCHA race. Once again Michigan holds their destiny in their own hands as they have gotten the help they needed to regain the edge in the conference race. Next weekend a home and home series with the Bulldogs of Ferris State will have huge implications on this years conference race. Next weekend marks the first of several consecutive weekends of touch competition for the Wolverines as they enter the final month of games. With perhaps the most difficult closing schedule of any of the conference contenders the Wolverines need to win at least one of next weekends games to stay competitive in the conference race. If Michigan could come up with a sweep they could gain control of the conference race.