Wolverines Finish Sweep on Senior Night

Saturday, March 5, 2005
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Wolverines put the finishing touches on their second consecutive CCHA regular season championship last night with a five to four win over the visiting Bowling Green Falcons. That win, coupled with an Ohio State tie, left the Wolverines with a four point lead in the conference standings after playing twenty-eight games.

Michigan got off to a quick start in this game when the Falcons were whistled for a penalty with just under sixteen minutes to play. The Wolverines used great puck movement in the Falcon zone to create gaps in the passing lanes. An opening quickly presented itself and Tambellini zipped a pass to Ebbett who was positioned right at the edge of the crease. As soon as the puck hit his stick he punched it into the net for the Wolverines first goal of the night. Assists went to Tambellini and Werner.

With the clock just under the five minute mark the Falcons were able to tie the game when they knocked the puck into the net out of a scramble in front. With all the bodies in the way and puck bouncing around Montoya couldn't get to the puck and it was finally knocked into the net, perhaps off a Michigan defender.

The Wolverines were whistled for a penalty with just under one minute left to play in the period, but the first period of play would end with the score all tied at one. The Wolverines ended the first twenty minutes of play with a thirteen to nine advantage in shots on goal.

With the Falcons already on the power play penalties were called at the end of the first period that ended up giving the Falcons a two man advantage for 1:37, an advantage they would not be able to take advantage of. With just over eighteen minutes yet to play, and eight seconds of time on the penalties called at the end of the first period, the Falcons were called for a penalty that ended their power play and set the Wolverines up for a power play of their own.

As they moved to the power play Michigan wasted little time getting into the Falcon zone. Once again they moved the puck well Michigan got the puck behind the Falcon net. From there it was a quick pass out front to a waiting Kolarik who tapped the puck in the net for the Wolverines second power play goal of the game. Hensick and Tambellini each picked up assists on the goal.

With the clock just under the eleven minute mark the Falcons once again headed to the penalty box, and once again the Wolverines would make them pay. While the Wolverines didn't score as quickly on this power play the kept almost constant pressure on the Falcon goal as they got off several great shots that just missed the net. With less than ten seconds left in the power play and just over nine minutes left in the period Hensick found Gajic all alone in the slot. Gajic held the puck long enough for the goalie to commit himself, then fired a shot top shelf for the Wolverines third power play goal of the game. The lone assist went to Hensick.

With the clock just under the six minute mark the Wolverines were whistled for a penalty, putting the Falcons on the power play. The Falcons took just eight seconds using some quick tic-tac-toe passing to find the open shot on the back side of the goal. With five and half minutes yet to play in the second period the Falcons were once again within one goal.

Just as the clock moved under the four minute mark the Wolverines were whistled for another penalty putting the Falcons back on the power play. It took them a bit longer this time, but the result was the same, a power play goal, this time tying the game. The Falcons had gotten off a shot that was blocked, but the rebound was not covered. When the puck bounced away from the goal a Falcon managed to swat it out of the air and into the wide side of the net.

The second period came to an end with the score all tied at three goals each. The Wolverines once again outshot the Falcons thirteen to nine in the second period for a total of twenty-six shots to the Falcons eighteen after forty minutes of play.

There were penalties called toward the end of the second period leaving the Wolverines in position for 1:43 of power play time in the early going of the final period. With just over nineteen minutes to play the Falcons were whistled for another penalty giving the Wolverines a two man advantage for almost a minute. Michigan was moving the puck back and forth along the blue line when Tambellini suddenly snapped a shot through a screen that beat the goal tender top shelf to once again put the Wolverines in the third. Both Werner and Ebbett picked up assists on the power play goal.

With just over thirteen minutes to play in the game Michigan struck for the fifth and final time. Kolarik got off a huge shot from near the side boards that it looked to have been stopped by the Bowling Green goalie. However, it managed to squeeze through his pads and trickle over the goal line for the score. Assists on the goal went to Ryznar and Werner.

With the clock just under eight minutes and both teams skating short handed the Falcons picked off a pass, forcing the turn over at center ice. The quickly broke into the Michigan zone, walked in on the goal, and beat Montoya over his shoulder to the wide side of the net to once again get within one goal.

After giving up that Falcon goal the Wolverines defense clamped down and the game came to an end with Michigan winning by a score of five to four. The Wolverines ended the game with a thirty-eight to twenty-six advantage in shots on goal.

It wasn't their best game of the year, but with the CCHA championship already in the bad and it being Senior night the team seemed to be a bit distracted. Even with those distractions they managed to put together enough offense to score one more goal than Bowling Green and they found a stingy defense at the end to hold the Falcons at bay to escape with the win.

With first place and the number one seed in the CCHA tournament locked up the Wolverines will now prepare to host Notre Dame in the first round of CCHA tournament play. The first round of the CCHA tournament is played at campus sites and is a best two of three format. The Wolverines will play next weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday should the third game be needed.