Wildcats Complete Sweep of Wolverines

Saturday, December 7, 2002
Barry Events Center, Marquette, Michigan

Michigan didn't get off to a very good start in this game as they were whistled for a penalty just sixteen seconds into the contest, giving Northern the early opportunity on the power play. While the Wildcats would come close on several chances during this power play they would, in the end, come up empty. Northern would continue to apply pressure to the Michigan goal through the first five minutes of the game.

With just over fourteen minutes to play in the period Northern would get whistled for their first penalty of the game to give Michigan their first chance on the power play. While the Wolverines would get some decent pressure of their own while on the power play, they too would come up empty and the game would remain score less.

With a bit over eight minutes to play Northern would again get whistled for a penalty to give Michigan their second chance of the game on the power play. This time, working the puck around the Northern zone Michigan would score that power play goal to take the lead in the game. Making an excellent play to keep the puck in the Northern zone, Martens got the puck to Kaleniecki who banged it into the Northern goal through a screen of players. Kaleniecki would get the goal while Martens and Ebbett would get assists on the goal.

As they did through all of last nights game Northern would answer the Michigan score with one of their own, this time with a lot of help from Michigan. Seconds after scoring the goal Michigan would be whistled for a penalty to put Northern on the power play. With 1:10 left in this first penalty Michigan would collect a bench minor for too many men on the ice, giving the Wildcats the two man advantage. With two extra attackers the Wildcats would collapse the Michigan penalty kill and get a big shot past Montoya to tie the game. This goal came with the two man advantage so Northern remained on the power play for 1:33. Michigan was able to kill off the remainder of this penalty without suffering any more damage.

The play would be fast and furious up and down the ice in the closing minutes of the period, but neither team would score another goal. The first period would come to an end with the score all tied up at one goal each. The Wildcats ended the period with a nine to six advantage in shots on goal.

Michigan started the second period really putting some pressure on the Northern goal, but continued to just miss. With just over eighteen minutes to play Northern was whistled for a penalty to give Michigan a power play chance in the early going of this period. The Wolverines increased the pressure while on the power play, but even with the man advantage they could not score.

A short time later Northern would once again be whistled for a penalty, giving Michigan another power play chance. With time running out on the power play Shouneyia was whistled for a double minor to end the Michigan power play and set the Wildcats up for an extended power play. After twenty five seconds of four on four the Wildcats moved to the power play and began to apply some pressure of their own.

About a minute and a half into the Shouneyia double minor Northern would be whistled for a penalty to end that power play, but when that penalty ended they still had thirty seconds of power play time from the Shouneyia penalty. Montoya would come up with some big saves during this stretch and all the penalties would finally be killed off.

The remainder of the period saw both teams skating up and down the ice, with Michigan getting some good looks at the goal. However, just as things went last night and so far tonight, the Northern net minder has been shutting the Wolverines down. Gajic almost got a goal in the final seconds of the period, but he just went wide with the shot. The period ended with the score still tied at one goal each. The Wolverines did take over the lead in shots on goal as they ended the period with a seventeen to eleven shot advantage.

Just like they did in the first period, Michigan started the third period by getting whistled for a penalty, this time with just twenty-four seconds ticked off the clock. Northern would come close a couple of times, but some timely Montoya saves kept the Wildcats from scoring the early third period goal. The Wolverines killed off the penalty.

While they didn't score on the early power play the Wildcats would score their second goal of the night from a face off to Montoya's right. Winning control of the puck from the face off Northern shot it in over Montoya's shoulder to take the lead in this game.

The teams would skate up and down the ice for the next several minutes, with each goalie coming up with several big saves. All that would change with just under nine minutes to play when Helminen would turn the puck over in the Michigan zone, close to the net. Wasting no time Northern took control of the puck and blasted it into the Michigan net to take a two goal lead.

Northern would get whistled for a couple of penalties down the stretch of the period, but Michigan would be unable to take advantage of the man advantage. Michigan would end up pulling Montoya with 1:13 to go. Even skating six on four Michigan would be unable to get a goal, but Northern would add an empty net goal for the second night in a row. The game ended with Northern winning by a score of four to one. Michigan ended the game with a twenty-five to nineteen advantage in shots on goal.

A disappointing weekend for the Wolverines in several ways. It was not a good follow up to last weekends success in the Showcase. It also is not the way you want to end the first half. Now they have to set and think about this sweep for the next three weeks before they can get back on the ice. Depending on how some of the other conference games went tonight Michigan could now find itself three points behind in the race for the regular season championship. Northern seems to have Michigan's number these days as they complete their second straight sweep of the Wolverines in the Barry Events Center. This was also the fifth straight win for Northern over Michigan. The next time the Wolverines see the ice will be at the Great Lakes Invitational, lets hope they start the second half better than they ended the first.