Wolverines Defeat Badgers

Friday, November 29, 2002
Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin

Both teams hit the ice flying as the Badgers looked to get an early score on the Wolverines, while Michigan looked to get through the initial onslaught by the the home standing Badgers. Both teams worked up and down the ice in what at least started as a physical, but clean game.

Wisconsin would get whistled for the games first penalty, giving Michigan first crack at the power play. The man advantage would not prove beneficial and after the power play had expired the game remained score less. With about eleven and half minutes to play in the period it looked like Michigan was going to get that first goal when they got off a great shot. However, the Wisconsin goalie somehow managed to get back across the goal and stop the shot.

It would actually be the Badgers who would draw first blood in this contest. This goal would come with just over eleven minutes to play as they got in close and made the most of the situation. A number of players in front of Montoya seemed to partially screen him, making it a difficult shot to stop and it appeared that it was slightly tipped at that. In any case, no matter how it got there, the Badgers were on the board first.

That lead would hold up for about two and half minutes when Michigan got their first goal of the game in an unexpected way. After getting whistled for a penalty with about nine and half minutes to play Michigan was busy defending against the Badger power play unit. Gaining control of the puck in the Michigan zone, Werner would carry the puck into the Wisconsin zone. Picking up Helminen in the neutral zone the Wolverines attacked the Wisconsin net, using the two on one break away to their best advantage. Werner got the puck over to Helminen, who would draw the goalie, flip the puck back to Werner, who would end the rush by scoring a short handed goal for Michigan's first of the night. Assists on this goal went to Helminen and Mink.

Michigan would kill off another penalty in the final six minutes of the period, and would get another chance of their own with 2:21 left to play. Then with just 3.6 seconds left to play Wisconsin was whistled for another penalty, putting Michigan back on the power play, very late in the period. The ensuing face off was to the right of the Wisconsin goalie. The Wolverines won the face off, got the puck out front of the net, where a somewhat weak shot would be taken. This shot was slightly tipped once and appeared to be going wide of the net, but Shouneyia came out of nowhere to tip it a second time and flip it over the goal tenders shoulder and into the net with a fraction of a second left in the period. The loan assist on the goal went to Gajic.

The first period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of two to one. The Wolverines also held a slight edge in shots on goal with a ten to seven count.

After starting the second period by applying some pressure to the Wisconsin goal Michigan found itself quickly going to the sin bin as they were whistled for a penalty with 17:26 left to play in the period. The Wolverines would just kill this penalty off when they get the puck just inside their blue line. From their Martens got it up the ice to Mink who carried it into the Badger zone. Drawing the Wisconsin goalie and defense to him, Mink sent a great pass back across the ice to a trailing Tambellini. Wasting no time Tambellini when top shelf, scoring Michigan's third goal of the game. Assists were given to Mink and Martens.

The next ten minutes would see each team getting hit with a couple of penalties each, but with play being dominated by Michigan. Then with just five minutes left in the period Michigan would strike for the second time in this period. Getting the puck down deep in the Wisconsin zone Ryznar drew the Wisconsin defense to him. With perfect timing Ryznar sent a pass back over to Moss who just lifted the puck up and over the Badger goalies shoulder for the score. This was a goal scored while both teams were skating four on four and assists would go to Ryznar and Richmond.

Michigan got whistled for a penalty late in this period to put Wisconsin on the power play, but the second period would end with Michigan leading by a score of four to one. The shots stayed about the same with Michigan still leading by two shot margin, sixteen to fourteen.

Michigan also picked up a penalty right at the twenty minute mark of the second period so Wisconsin started the second period with a two man advantage for twenty-five seconds. Then they would remain on the power play for another 1:35. Michigan had gotten one man back, but with 19:11 left to play Michigan was whistled for yet another penalty, this time giving Wisconsin a two man advantage for 1:12. The Wolverines were able to kill off all of these penalties without giving up a goal.

The remainder of the period would see both teams collecting penalties, but the Wolverines committed far more infractions than did the Badgers. Wisconsin had five power play opportunities in the third period alone, one of those a five minute major penalty, called with just over five minutes left in the game. Through all the special teams play that was the third period, neither team was able to score a goal and the game came to an end with Michigan winning by a score of four to one. The shots on goal count ended up all even with each team being credited with twenty shots each.

A better outing for the Wolverines that either of their games last weekend. The played hard through most of the game, although I thought they got into that "stupid" penalty mode in the third period. The third period was an almost continuous battle of special teams as each team, but mostly Michigan, got whistled for penalty after penalty in the final twenty minutes. Michigan collected a large number of penalties, but was once again able to survive those penalties as they have now killed off forty straight power plays. However, if you give a better power play team (and Minnesota will be a better power play team) that many shots at you and sooner or later they will make you pay. Plenty of things to work on as the Wolverines have a travel day then take on the defending national champions, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, on their home ice. This will be a rematch of one of last years NCAA semi-final games where Minnesota was victorious and eventually won the tournament. It should be a great game and Michigan will once again be looking to improve on tonights play.