Wolverines Finish Season With Tie

Saturday, March 8, 2003
Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio

After a very physical game last night these two teams started game two of this end of year series in much the same way as both teams saw a man go to the sin bin with just over seventeen minutes to play in the first period. Neither team was able to get much going in the four on four battle and play continued into the period.

With about eight and half minutes to play in the period the Buckeyes would draw first blood in this contest. In an inexplicable defensive lapse the Wolverines allowed a Buckeye to skate into the Michigan zone essentially uncontested with the puck. Skating straight at the net the Ohio State player beat Montoya through the five hole as he could not close the gap quick enough.

With about six and half minutes to play in the period the penalty fest would really get underway with Rogers picking up a two minute minor as well as a ten minute misconduct penalty. Not only did we lose a defenseman for ten minutes, but another player had to go over and server Rogers penalty (that was Henderson). While trying to kill this penalty Richmond almost knocked it into the Michigan goal when it deflected off his skate; luckily it went wide of the goal and the Wolverines were able to kill off the remaining power play time.

With just over four minutes to play the Buckeyes were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play for the first time in the game. The Wolverines would not let this opportunity pass by as they scored their first goal of the game while on this power play. Working the puck quickly around the zone they got it out to the left point where Tambellini let loose a rocket of a shot. Threading its way through a big crowd of people Tambellini's shot went into the top corner of the net tying the game for the Wolverines. Shouneyia and Nystrom each picked up an assist on this power play goal.

With just under three minutes to play Ohio State was returned to the sin bin putting Michigan back on the power play barely a minute after the Wolverines had scored while on the power play. The Buckeyes would successfully kill this penalty off, but the Wolverines would give the Buckeyes a late power play chance as the Wolverines were sent to the sin bin with just 26.1 seconds left in the period. Michigan would hold the line and the first period would end with the scored all tied at one goal each. The Buckeyes would hold a slight edge in shots on goal with a fourteen to twelve count.

Ohio State would start the second period with 1:34 of power play time, but Michigan would successfully kill the penalty off. However, just as they finished killing off this penalty Michigan was whistled for tripping a Buckeye player right out at center ice for all to see. Once again Michigan was on the penalty kill and once again Michigan would kill the penalty off, but this time the kill ended in a special way. With just seconds left in the OSU power play Moss intercepted a pass just inside the Michigan blue line. Busting out of his own zone Moss carried the puck right into the Buckeye zone. As he closed on the goal he veered slightly to the left and got off a backhand shot that came back across and beat the OSU net minder to his wide side. Moss got the goal unassisted.

With just over sixteen minutes to play in the period and seconds after Michigan had just scored the Buckeyes were whistled for another penalty putting Michigan on the power play. Dumping the puck into the Buckeye zone and wrapping it around the boards the Wolverines battled for the puck off to the right of the Buckeye goal. Knocking the puck out in front of the net Ebbett got off a shot that was blocked, but Kaleniecki was right in front to chip the rebound into the net for Michigans third goal of the game. Ebbett and Richmond each received assists on this goal.

The teams would trade more penalties through the remainder of this period, but there would be no more scoring as the second period came to an end with the Wolverines leading by a score of three to one. The Buckeyes continued to hold the edge in shots on goal with a twenty-five to twenty-three count.

A late second period penalty left each team starting the third period with just four men each for 1:01. Just as the teams got back to full strength the Buckeyes would cut the Michigan lead to one as they chipped a puck past Montoya to his wide side. This looked like a fairly soft goal as there was no real scramble in front of the net when this goal was scored.

Michigan would get whistled for another penalty with just under fourteen minutes to play, but they would once again kill the penalty off. With just under eleven minutes to play in the period it looked like the Buckeyes had tied the game up, but the officials immediately huddled for a review of the play. After a short discussion amongst themselves and then a talk to the team Captains the crowed was informed that there was no goal as the puck was kicked into the goal with a skate.

With just over nine minutes to play and barely a minute after seeing the tying goal waved off the Wolverines were once again short handed as they were whistled for yet another penalty. Relentlessly buzzing the Wolverine goal Ohio State would get off a shot that Montoya would block, but he failed to cover the rebound and could not recover fast enough to make a follow up stop. The end result was a power play goal for the Buckeyes and the game was tied with just under ten minutes to play.

Neither team would be able to find the twine again and for the second straight night regulation play ended with the game all tied at three goals each. Ohio State extended their lead in shots on goal finishing regulation time with a thirty-eight to thirty advantage in this category.

At the end of regulation time Woodford would get tangled up with a Buckeye and both of them would be sent to the showers with ten minute major penalties. The teams would skate the puck up and down the ice during the ensuing overtime period, with Ohio State coming close to scoring late in the overtime period. However, after five more minutes of hockey the game ended with the score still tied at three goals each. The Buckeyes ended the game with a forty-one to thirty-one advantage in shots on goal.

Not a terrific game for Michigan as they showed a couple of flurries of good hockey, but mostly spent the night playing a fairly undisciplined game. Once again Michigan squandered a two goal lead in the third period, but then the Buckeyes were everywhere as they tried to pull out the game for their seniors. As they have all to often this year the Wolverines also accumulated an extraordinary number of penalties in the game leaving them playing special teams for far more time than is healthy. This was a game that you would have thought would go to the Buckeyes as they really out worked Michigan for most of this game. In the end both teams had to settle for their second tie in as many games. There aren't many more second chances left as the first round of the CCHA tournament starts up next weekend. Once through that weekend, every game from that point on, until a teams season is over, is a win or go home situation. After five months it's finally tournament time.