Wolverines Salvage Split

Saturday, January 29, 2005
Yost Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Once again it was a completely different Michigan team that took the ice tonight than we saw last night. Tonight they did the little things, they battled, they skated hard, they won face offs, they finished their checks, all those things that tend to lead to good things happening on the ice. Tonight was no exception as the Wolverines rebounded from last nights disaster to take a three to one decision over the visiting Wildcats.

Michigan jumped out to an early lead in this game when the Wildcats were sent to the sin bin with just over seventeen minutes left in the opening period. Using great passing and showing patience Michigan worked the puck around the Northern zone, getting off a couple of real good shots. Those were turned away, but the Wolverines retained control of the puck and kept the pressure on the Northern goal. With the power play winding down the Wolverines had the puck behind the Northern net. A quick pass out front with just thirteen seconds left in th power play led to a quick shot and a goal by Nystrom to put Michigan on top by a goal. Assists went to Ebbett and Hunwick.

It would once again be the power play that would lead to the Wolverines second goal of the game, this time with just eight and half minutes of time left in the period. The Wildcats were whistled for the penalty with just over ten minutes to play in the period. In this power play the Wolverines had a lot of trouble getting anything going until the man advantage was almost over. Suddenly a coupe of quick, crisp passes and Michigan had the puck and was looking at an open net. Another quick swing of the stick and the puck was in through the open back door and the Wolverines were up by two. Porter got credit for the goal, while both Gajic and Hensick picked up assists.

Both teams where whistled for penalties in the closing minutes of the first period, but the first twenty minutes of play were complete with Michigan holding a two to nothing lead. The Wolverines out shot the Wildcats thirteen to three for the period.

Michigan started the second period with 1:50 of power play time, but they were unable to score. In fact both teams killed off several penalties during the second period. With so much special teams play in the second period there wasn't a lot of flow and neither team found a way to score.

The second period ended with Michigan still holding a two to nothing lead. The Wolverines extended their edge in shots on goal finishing two periods of play with a twenty-three to seven advantage in the category.

With matching penalties called right at the end of the second period the teams skated four on four for the first 1:58 of the third period. Neither team would score, but with just over seventeen minutes left in the game Michigan would find the back of the net for the third and final time in the game. Michigan had the puck in the Wildcat zone at the top of the face off circle to the left of the Wildcat goal. From there Gajic just rifled a shot that the Wildcat net minder had no chance of stopping. Both Ryznar and Martens picked up assists on the goal.

Montoya lost his bid for a shut out with just over eight minutes left to play in the game when the Wildcats won a face off in the Michigan zone. With the face off to Montoyas right the Wildcats won the draw clean, quickly dropping the puck back to a waiting Wildcat. As soon as he got the puck he fired a one timer that beat Montoya clean to get the Wildcats on the board and end the shut out bid.

There was no further scoring in this game and as the final second ticked away Michigan found itself in possession of a three to one victory. The Wolverines ended the game with a thirty-one to twenty advantage in shots on goal.

If only the Wolverines could find a way to play on Friday nights this entire season might be completely different. For the second straight week they simply didn't show up to start the weekend, giving up two points to the Buckeyes. At the end of the weekend the Michigan lead in the CCHA race had been cut to three points. Next weekend is the third straight weekend of huge games as the Wolverines prepare to take on their arch rival, Michigan State.