Wolverines Clinch CCHA Title

Friday, March 4, 2005
BGSU Ice Arena, Bowling Green, Ohio

The Wolverines prevailed last night at Bowling Green in what turned out to be a fast paced, hard hitting contest between these two teams. The Falcons skating on Senior night had the added incentive of two past Hobey Baker award winners in attendance to receive special recognition from the school. With a crowd in excess of 4,000 people the Falcons skated hard and fast right from the opening face off. Michigan weathered the storm of the first period and then slowly pulled away through the final two periods of play.

With the clock just under the thirteen minute mark the Wolverines were whistled for a penalty putting Bowling Green on the power play. While the Falcons had the extra man Michigan was applying all kinds of pressure thanks in great part to the skating of Ebbett who was single handedly pinning the puck in the Falcon zone and getting some pressure on the Falcon goal. There was a delay penalty coming up against Bowling Green when once again Ebbett came flying into the Falcon zone with the puck. Using a trailing team mate as a decoy Ebbett marched right in on the Falcon goal, chipping the puck into the net as he swooped past. Porter picked up the lone assist on this short handed goal.

By scoring the goal the Falcons were never called for a penalty off of that delay so they were still on the power play after Michigan scored the short handed goal. It would take less than thirty seconds for the Falcons to tie the game. Bowling Green got into the Michigan zone and got off a shot that was blocked, but the rebound wasn't covered. With just over twelve minutes to play in the period the Falcons chipped the rebound into the Michigan net to tie the score at one goal each.

While both teams would kill off penalties through the final half of the opening period there would be no further scoring. The first period of play came to an end with the score all tied at one. Bowling Green out shot the Wolverines six to four in the period.

A number of penalties had to be killed off in the opening ten minutes of the second period by both teams as the hard hitting continued. Both goalies were coming up with some highlight reel saves and it was starting to look like this game might not see another score when the Wolverines suddenly had the puck in the Falcon net. Ebbett had the puck at the left half boards where he fired a hard low shot at the Falcon net. As the puck closed on the net Nystrom got just enough of a stick on it to redirect it past the Falcon net minder for the score. Assists went to Ebbett and Werner.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan holding the slim two to one lead. Through two periods of play the Wolverines held an eighteen to twelve advantage in shots on goal.

Michigan started the third period with 1:40 of power play time, but they would not be able to take advantage of the extra attacker. However, just as the power play ended, before the fifth Falcon could get involved in the play, the Wolverines had the puck in the back of the Falcon net for their third goal of the night. Still working the puck around the Falcon zone Michigan got it to Tambellini who quickly fired a shot through traffic that found its way into the net. Both Werner and Nystrom picked up assists on the goal.

The play moved up and down the ice for most of the rest of the period until the Wolverines got an insurance goal with just over three minutes left to play. Michigan broke into the Falcon zone with a two on one break. Passing the puck back and forth Hensick and Porter made all the right moves with Hensick finally punching the puck into the net. Porter and Tambellini each picked up assists on the goal.

The game would come to an end with Michigan winning by a score of four to one. The Wolverines ended the game with a twenty-nine to twenty-two advantage in shots on goal.

This was certainly not an easy win as the Falcons gave Michigan everything they could handle for most of this game. As you would expect the Falcons were really flying in the first period and Michigan did well to come out of that first twenty minutes with the score tied at one goal. After that first period of play things settled down a bit and Michigan was able to slowly pull away from the Falcons. Tomorrow night these two teams tangle in the final game of the regular season in Ann Arbor.

Tonights win clinched the CCHA regular season title for the Wolverines, their second consecutive regular season CCHA championship. Even though they won the championship they cannot afford to let up in tomorrow nights game. Tomorrow they will be playing for NCAA tournament seeding and truly need a victory to keep pace with the other top teams in the country. It should be another great game as both teams will look to enter the playoffs on a winning note.