Wolverines Dominate Irish

Friday, February 18, 2005
War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Indiana

The Wolverines scored early and often as they dismantled Notre Dame in a game that was never really close. Playing at a neutral site in Fort Wayne the Wolverines started the game with a couple of power play goals to take an early lead after one period, then continued scoring at even strength in each of the final two periods to complete the nine to two drubbing of the Irish.

At the one minute mark of the first period Michigan got on the board compliments of Kevin Porter. Michigan had made a great play to keep the puck in the Notre Dame zone, driving it deep and allowing the forwards to change. Coming off the bench Porter streaked into the Irish zone. As he entered the zone he received the puck, skated around a couple of Irish defensemen, and buried the puck in the Irish net for the score. Hensick and Hunwick each received an assist on the goal.

With the clock just under the seventeen minute mark the Irish were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. With the clock just under the sixteen minute mark the Wolverines scored on the power play for their second goal in less than five minutes. In the early seconds of the power play Michigan had a hard time getting anything setup, however, as the power play reached the thirty second mark Michigan was back in the Irish zone and making some great passes. Using those passes Michigan got the puck over to Gajic at the right circle where he blasted a rocket into the net for Michigans second goal of the game. Assists went to Hunwick and Rogers.

With just over five minutes played the Irish were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan back on the power play. The power play was down to the last twelve seconds and seemed destined to end without a goal, but just then the Irish scored a short handed goal to cut the Michigan lead to one.

That power play ended without a Michigan score, but with clock just under the nine minute mark the Irish were again sent to the sin bin. With just twelve seconds left in this Michigan power play the Irish were whistled for a second power play to give Michigan a two man advantage. They didn't score while on the two man advantage they did score on the extended power play when Kolarik put the puck in the net with just under seven minutes left to play. Again it was great passing that led to the goal, this time a diagonal pass across the ice from high left to low right where Kolarik was positioned to the side of the goal. As the puck got to him he simple redirected it into the goal with his stick for the score. The lone assist went to Tambellini.

The first period came to an end with Michigan leading by a score of three to one. The Wolverines had a sixteen to eight advantage in shots on goal after the first twenty minutes of play.

Michigan struck even faster at the start of the second period than they did in the first. Off the opening face off Ebbett carried the puck deep into the zone down the right side. Staying patient he waited until Nystrom got free, then made a great pass across the ice to the Captain who didn't waste the chance, burying the puck. Both Ebbett and Hunwick picked up assists on the goal.

With just over four minutes left to play in the period Michigan would strike for the second time in the second stanza. Working hard along the right boards the Wolverines dug the puck out, getting it to Brown. Brown carried it into the Maverick zone and attempted a cross ice pass. The pass was intercepted, but it was deflected and not controlled. However, the deflection went right to Ebbett who buried it in the Irish net for the Wolverines fifth goal of the game. Assists went to Brown and Nystrom.

With just over two minutes to play the Wolverines turned the puck over deep in their zone. The Irish scooped up the puck, made a quick pass to the slot, where an even quicker wrist shot saw the puck zoom past Montoya for Notre Dames second goal of the game.

The second period would come to an end with the Wolverines holding a five to two lead. Michigan also continued to hold a sizable edge in shots on goal ending two periods of play with a twenty-six to sixteen advantage in the category.

With the clock just under the eighteen minute mark the Wolverines got the third period scoring started when Woodford scored a rare goal. Michigan took a huge shot from the high slot that went just wide of the goal, slamming into the end boards. The puck the boards and bounced right back out front of the goal where Woodford chipped it in for the score before the goalie even knew it was there. Rogers and Moss each picked up an assist on the goal.

Both teams would kill off penalties through the next eight minutes or so with no goals being scored. The score would remain six to two until there were just nine and half minutes left to play when Michigan would strike for goal number seven. Hensick circled behind the net, moving from left to right. As he circled out in front of the goal, with an Irish defender shadowing him closely, he made a little move that caused the defender to stutter step creating a slight opening between Hensick and the goal. As soon as that opening appeared Hensick rifled a shot that beat the net minder for Michigans seventh of the game. Assists went to Tambellini and Gajic.

Barely thirty seconds later Rohlfs dug the puck out of the corner, getting it over to Kaleniecki who swung down behind the Notre Dame net with the puck. He circled around, popping out in front on the other side of the net where he took a quick shot. The shot was blocked, but it bounced right to Kolarik who was in the right spot to chip the puck right back into the net for his second of the night. Assists went to Kaleniecki and Rohlfs.

After giving up his eighth goal the Notre Dame goalie was pulled. Less than thirty seconds there was a scrum between a lot of players around the Michigan net. That seemed to prompt a decision by the Michigan coaches as Montoya was replaced by Ruden.

With just six and half minutes left in the game Hensick once again made his presence felt when he scored Michigan's ninth and final goal of the game. Hensick carried the puck right down the center of the ice. As the Irish defense moved to cut him off he made another little move that caused the defense to adjust just enough to create a small lane between Hensick and the goal. Seeing that opening he wristed a shot that beat the net minder for the goal. Werner picked up the lone assist on the goal.

The game came to an end with the Wolverines winning by a score of nine to two. Michigan ended the game with a thirty-nine to nineteen advantage in shots on goal.

A resounding win by the Wolverines on the road against a team that they were supposed to beat in exactly the fashion they did. Earlier in the year, in fact as close as a couple of weeks ago, Michigan showed a tendency not to show up on Friday nights (especially against teams they were supposed to beat). The killer instinct exhibited by the Wolverines from start to finish in this game may be a sign that they have finally figured out that they have to play sixty minutes of hockey every night if they want to be successful this year. Michigan returns to Yost tomorrow night for the second of two games against the Irish this weekend.

In other conference action the Spartans drubbed the Buckeyes in East Lansing giving the Wolverines a little breathing room in the CCHA race. The Buckeye loss, coupled with the Michigan win, leave the Wolverines with a three point lead as they go into tomorrow nights game against the Irish at Yost.