Wolverines Fold Against Sioux

Saturday, October 12, 2002
HSBC Arena, Buffalo, New York

After beating Niagara Friday night, the Wolverines will square off against the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota for the championship of the Xerox College Hockey Showcase. This was perhaps the anticipated match up of this tournament, at least by most college hockey fans in the West, and it should be a good one. If nothing else it will finally give each of these teams a sense of where their respective teams are in the early weeks of the season.

The teams would battle for through the first ten minutes of play without giving up any goals. Michigan would get one power play chance, while North Dakota would have two in the early going. It was finally the penalties that put Michigan in an early hole against the Sioux. Just seconds short of the ten minute mark Helminen went into the box for high sticking putting North Dakota on their third power play of the period. About forty seconds later it was Brandon Rogers heading to the sin bin for slashing. With time almost out on the two man advantage North Dakota got their power play goal to take the lead and retain a short stretch of power play time for the second penalty.

It would also be the power play that got Michigan their first goal of the game, that coming about five minutes after the North Dakota score. While working the puck around the zone Helminen would get a shot off from the blue line that Nystrom would tip, sending it into the goal just wide of the Sioux goalies glove. The assists on the Nystrom power play goal went to Helminen and Ortmeyer.

Just seconds after getting their first goal Gajic almost gave Michigan the lead but his shot hit the post and bounced wide. Michigan would take the lead with less than thirty seconds left to play in the period when David Moss got a wrist shot from the left circle into the Sioux goal. The period would end with Michigan leading by score of two to one. The Sioux would hold the edge in shots on goal with a twelve to seven count.

Michigan got a chance early in the second period to extend their lead when they went to the power play with just over three minutes gone in the second period. Unfortunately it would be North Dakota who would take advantage of the power play when they scored a short handed goal midway through the Michigan power play. In all fairness Michigan did make it easy for North Dakota as Montoya got knocked down after coming out to play the puck leaving the net wide open. That would qualify as one of those young freshmen mistakes.

Montoya would certainly make up for his early gaffe with some spectacular saves, the first one coming with just over twelve minutes to play. Michigan would turn the puck over at their own blue line allowing North Dakota to walk the puck in uncontested and get a point blank shot off at Montoya. Montoya came up with a great save to keep the game tied at two goals each.

Through the final ten minutes of the second period both teams would see power play chances come and go. Both teams would also see their goalies come up with some fantastic saves to keep the game tied. It would finally be Michigan who would break the stale mate with just 1:01 left in the period. It would be Montoya who would start this scoring chance as he got a pass way up the ice to Woodford. Woodford and Mink would slash into the Sioux zone on a two on none break. Holding the puck until the goalie committed to him, Woodford would send a nice little pass over to Mink who wasted no time putting the puck in the net. Assists went to Woodford and Montoya.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan holding the slim three to two lead. The Sioux would continue to hold the edge in shots on goal with a nineteen to fifteen count.

There were penalties handed out to each team at the end of the second period or the beginning of the third. They are actually listed as team penalties with no time run off the clock in the third period. They were protocol violation penalties. In any event the teams start the third period skating four on four.

Both teams would again battle up and down the ice in this period, trading power play chances and chances at each others goal. The Sioux were looking to tie the game while Michigan was looking to pad their lead. Neither team would be able to get anything past the goal tenders until the clock moved under the five minute mark of the third.

Just as the clock moved under the five minute mark Michigan would notch their fourth goal the game. To start the charge Nystrom got off a strong shot that was blocked, but the rebound came out front. Tambellini was right there to pick up the rebound and stuff the puck back into the goal for the Wolverines fourth. Assists went to Gajic and Nystrom.

It looked like Michigan had pretty much sealed the win with that fourth goal, but in a very un-Michigan like finish the Wolverines got sloppy and lazy on defense and did not finish the game. Just two minutes later, beating the defense, Sioux freshman Zach Parise would beat Montoya to close the gap to one goal.

Less than a minute later Michigan would turn the puck over right in front of their own goal and North Dakota would not waste the opportunity as they scored the tying goal. Regulation time would end with the score all tied up at four goals each, sending the game into overtime. North Dakota ended regulation time with a decided edge in shots on goal with a twenty-eight to nineteen count.

Half the five minute overtime period was over when both teams were whistled for roughing, leaving them skating four on four. Less than one minute after the penalties were called North Dakota would score the game winner, banking a back hand shot off Montoyas pads into the goal. The Sioux win the game by a score of five to four and ended the game with a thirty to nineteen edge in shots on goal.

Even though they were outshot through the game Michigan certainly showed that they can play with the top teams in the country, but that doesn't make this loss any less a disappointment than it is. It's disappointing, not because they lost, but because of how they lost. The Wolverines took a two goal lead with less than five minutes to play, then apparently decided they didn't need to play the last five minutes and simply folded up tent and went home in the closing minutes. That is not Michigan hockey. Michigan hockey has been known for their strong finishes over the years and they must get back to that style of play if they want to succeed this year.

Montoya played a decent game, even giving up the five goals. On one goal he got caught out of goal and is one of those little mental mistakes that experience will take care of and frankly the type of mistake you would expect of a freshman. On at least two others, the two late third period goals, the defense hung Montoya out to dry and the team paid the price. The Wolverines also spent far to much time in the penalty box in this game, something that has plagued Michigan over the last three or four years. They need to get this under control as they cannot spend half the game on the penalty kill. Michigan can get back on track next week when they start a five game home stand, but this loss has to sting just a little bit.

A few comments on North Dakota. They played typical North Dakota hockey, sending the puck to the net constantly (as seen in their shots on goal dominance). They don't always make pretty shots, but they don't waste a lot of time looking for the perfect shot, they just keep sending the puck to the net. Sooner or later that puck finds its way through and they get goals. They do, however, have a player in freshman Zach Parise. He had a hand in all four North Dakota goals scored in regulation time. He didn't get in on the overtime goal, but he picked up two goals and two assists against the Wolverines. On Friday night he scored a hat trick and picked up another assist. Even though he's a freshman, if he were to keep this kind of pace up through the season (something far from certain), you would have to consider him a strong candidate for the Hobey Baker award at the end of the season. Parise seems to be a player to watch over the course of the year to see if he can keep up this blistering pace.