Wolverines Complete Sweep of Wildcats

Sunday, October 26, 2003
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

In a rare Sunday afternoon game the Wolverines completed a weekend sweep of CCHA conference foe, Northern Michigan to move into a tie for first place early in this new hockey season. Getting off to a slow start Michigan pulled away in the final period to finish the weekend with a convincing win.

The Wildcats started this game by playing a much stingier brand of defense than they had on Friday night, really giving Michigan problems in the offensive end of the ice. Even with the stifling defense Michigan would find a way to score while on the power play early in the first period. With just under fifteen minutes left to play in the period the Wildcats were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. Michigan had moved the puck well on the power play, but they hadn't really been given a shooting lane and it looked like the power play would end without a goal. Then, with just nineteen seconds left in the power play, the Wolverines got the Northern defense stretched out, opening that shooting lane, allowing Rogers to get off a shot. The puck was redirected in close to the net and went in over the Northern net minders shoulder for the score. Nystrom was given credit for the goal with Rogers and Hensick each picking up an assist.

Michigan would hang onto their slim one goal lead for five minutes when the Wildcats would get one past Montoya to tie the game. With about eight and half minutes to play in the period Northern was getting some pressure on the Michigan goal. They got a shot off from in front of the net that was stopped by Montoya, but couldn't control the rebound and the puck drifted to the right of the goal where a Wildcat was waiting for just such an opportunity. With a little flick of the stick the puck was up and over Montoya's shoulder and the game was tied at one goal each.

The first period would come to an end with the score even at one goal each. Northern would end the period with an eight to two advantage in shots on goal.

Michigan would start the second period with 1:41 of power play time from a penalty taken late in the first period by the Wildcats. With a twenty minute rest to get their legs back Michigan wasted little time taking advantage of the extra man as they quickly regained the lead with their second power play goal of the game.

Michigan got things going by passing the puck around the Wildcat zone with some crisp passing, quickly finding Tambellini all alone to the left of the Northern goal. Tambellini fired a quick one timer that was blocked, but Michigan had players in position to dig out the rebound and chip it right back into the net with less than a minute gone and just over one minute left in the power play. Moss would get credit for the goal, with Tambellini and Rogers each picking up an assist on the goal.

Once again the Michigan lead would be short lived as the Wildcats answered back with a goal of their own about four minutes later. With both teams skating with just four men each the Wildcats again got some pressure on the Michigan net and got Montoya jumping around in the crease. The Wildcats finally got Montoya down on the ice and were able to simply lift the puck up over the prone net minder tying the game at two goals each.

Michigan would retake the lead just two and half minutes later, again with both teams skating with just four men on the ice. With some decent pressure of their own on the Northern net Michigan got off a big shot that was just slightly redirected and just slid through the five hole for their third goal of the game. Ebbett would get credit for the goal with Hunwick and Woodford each picking up an assist.

Both teams would spend much of the rest of this period cycling players in and out of the penalty box, but neither team would find a way to score another goal. The second period would end with Michigan holding a slim three to two lead. The Wolverines also took a a slight edge in shots on goal as they ended two periods of play with a twenty-two to nineteen advantage in this category.

Michigan would also start the third period on the power play, but this time they only had twenty-five seconds of power play time and were unable to take advantage of the extra man.

With just over seventeen minutes to play Michigan would add an insurance goal as they gained control of the puck behind the Northern net. As they battled behind the net for control of the puck, it would just pop out of the scrum and hit the ice just to the left of the net and bit in front. Unfortunately for Northern Tambellini was in position right where the puck popped out and he quickly popped it into the net for Michigans fourth goal of the game, unassisted.

With about thirteen and half minutes left to play in the game Northern would take a penalty, once again putting Michigan on the power play and once again Michigan would strike with the extra man. In a very similar fashion to their first power play goal, the Wildcats had almost killed off the penalty when the Wolverines would strike. Cleanly winning a face off to the right of the Northern goal Michigan would make three excellent passes and get off a quick shot that would easily go into the open Wildcat net. The goal went to Ebbett with assists going to Werner and Woodford.

The game would come to an end with Michigan claiming the series sweep with a five to two win. The Wolverines would end the game with a thirty-four to twenty-six advantage in shots on goal.

This game was much closer, at least through two periods of play, than Friday nights game, with the Wildcats obviously determined to make a better showing than they had in the weekends first game. They kept Michigan in check for the first period of play, holding them to just two shots on goal (of course one of those shots was a goal). However, Michigan continued to play hard and as time went by the Wolverines slowly took control of the flow and the game. This was a solid weekend of hockey for Michigan as it seems they may finally be getting some consistency in their game. While there is still lots of things to improve on the Wolverines look poised to make a solid run through the remainder of the first half of this season.