Michigan Downs Gophers, Sweeps Showcase

Sunday, December 1, 2002
Mariucci Arena, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Both teams hit the ice playing somewhat conservative as they each got a feel for the other. It would be Minnesota getting the first break of the game when Michigan was whistled for a penalty barely two minutes into the contest. While they would come close, including a look at an open net, the Gophers would be unable to notch a score with the extra man.

With about fourteen and half minutes to play it would be Michigan's turn on the power play as the Gophers found themselves in the sin bin. Michigan really worked the puck around the Gopher zone well on this power play, getting off several shots in the early going. Each shot resulted in a rebound that Michigan always seemed to pick up keeping the puck and the pressure in the Gopher end. Finally, continuously working in closer to the net, Michigan got the puck to Richmond who let a shot go that beat the Gopher goalie for the early Michigan lead. Assists on the goal went to Ebbett and Woodford.

Minnesota would hit a post a few minutes later, but would come up empty. The teams would each put a player in the sin bin with just under ten minutes to play, however, with the extra space on the ice, neither team was able to get a scoring chance going. Michigan got a little sloppy in the late minutes, but both teams each got a flurry of shots in the final minute. The first period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of one to nothing. Minnesota would have a slight edge in shots on goal with a twelve to ten count.

The Gophers hit the ice in the second period just flying around the ice putting the pressure on the Michigan goal early and often. With just over sixteen minutes to play that pressure would finally pay off for the Gophers. Intercepting a terrible pass by Roemensky the Gophers found themselves with the puck deep in the Michigan zone. Carrying the puck behind the Michigan net, moving left to right, the flying Gophers tried to score a wrap around goal, but Montoya was in position to block the shot. However, he lost track of the puck and as he was looking back over his right shoulder the Gophers were in front of the net chipping the puck into a wide open net to tie the game.

Through the first five minutes of this second period the Gophers have out shot the Wolverines nine to nothing and they just keep coming with the pressure. With about fifteen and half minutes left to play in the period Michigan was whistled for a penalty that would start a string of penalties through the middle of this second period. Midway through this Minnesota power play each team lost a player to another pair of penalties, but the Gopher power play continued. With just under fourteen minutes to play in the game Michigan got the puck from behind the net and sent the puck up the middle of the ice trying to clear it. The clearing pass didn't have a lot of speed on it, but Helminen got just enough of it to send it wide of a waiting Gopher and down the ice. Chasing down the puck, Helminen charges into the Gopher zone and sends the puck high over the Gopher goalies shoulder for a short handed goal that puts Michigan back in the lead. The lone assists went to Roemensky who tried to clear the puck from behind the net and started the up ice rush.

With just over thirteen minutes to play in the period Michigan would be whistled for yet another penalty. They just about had this penalty killed when they would be whistled for a second penalty, giving the Gophers a short (twelve seconds) two man advantage. Through all of these penalties the Wolverines would stand tall and would finally spend the final eight or nine minutes of the period skating at full strength.

While Michigan was finally able to apply some pressure of their own they would not get another past the Gopher goalie as the second period ended with Michigan clinging to a two to one lead. The Gophers really out shot the Wolverines in the second period, sending sixteen shots on goal to the Wolverines seven. This left the Gophers with a twenty-eight to seventeen advantage in shots on goal for the game so far.

At the start of this period it was Michigan applying the early pressure and that pressure only increased with Minnesota was sent to the sin bin with just over eighteen minutes to play in the game. With the extra man Michigan came close, but was unable to score another goal and the score remained two to one.

Each team would lose a player to the penalty box with just under eight minutes to play leaving each team with four men each on the ice. Those penalties would be killed off with neither team scoring a goal. It looked like Minnesota might finally get the game tied with just under five minutes to play when they got a flurry of close shots off but Montoya came up big time and turned them all away.

The action continued with the intensity level increasing as time began to run out on the Gophers. With about one minute left to play in the game the Gophers pulled their goalie to get the extra attacker. However, before they could even get setup an attempted centering pass went awry, sliding all the way down the ice and into the empty Gopher net. The goal was awarded to Rodgers, the last Michigan player to touch it, but it truly looked like the Gophers put that one in on their own. The Gophers would once again pull their goalie with about thirty seconds left to play, but no more goals would be scored.

The game came to an end with Michigan winning by a score of three to one, taking another College Hockey Showcase Championship. Michigan got close in shots on goal for the game, but Minnesota still ended the game with a thirty-nine to thirty-three advantage.

Another solid game by the Wolverines, well fairly solid. Minnesota clearly dominated the second period, but that was helped a lot by the number of penalties taken by the Wolverines in this period as they spent close to half the period on the penalty kill. That twelve or thirteen minute stretch of time aside Michigan played a solid, checking game that sees them sweep the weekend.

The third period was a bit more up and down as Minnesota was trying to get to even and Michigan was looking for another goal or two to seal the win. Michigan did get a bit more defensive in the final five or six minutes, letting up on the offensive pressure, but through it all Michigan shut down any attempts by Minnesota to get back in this game. The final two games of the first half are next weekend up at Northern as Michigan returns to CCHA play. These two wins should help propel Michigan into that final weekend of play.