Gophers Gut Wolverines

Friday, November 26, 2004
Marriuci Arena, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Playing perhaps their worst game of the season the Wolverines were literally handed their heads by the Gophers as they were out skated, out hustled, out hit, and simply out played in every phase of the game as Minnesota downed Michigan by a score of five to one.

Minnesota got things rolling early and never looked back, scoring the first goal of the game just over three minutes into the first period. The defense allowed Minnesota to get in close where they got off a point blank shot that Montoya stopped, but he also went to the ice, and didn't cover the rebound. Another Gopher at the other side of the net gathered in the rebound and slid the puck into the wide open net for the early one to nothing lead.

Less than thirty seconds later the Gophers made it two to nothing as they simply had the Wolverines turning circles trying to follow their passing around the Michigan zone. With no Michigan player really in position the Gophers got off another up close shot that is once again blocked, but once again the rebound came out and Montoya was on the ice. Just like the first goal, a Gopher player gathered in the rebound and easily lifted it over the prone Montoya for the goal (the Minnesota player was falling down no less, but still made it look easy).

Michigan had a chance to get one back with just under fifteen minutes to play when a Minnesota penalty put them on the power play. Michigan had some great shots at the net, but couldn't get any of them past the Gopher net minder.

With just over eight minutes to play in the period the Gophers continued to give the Wolverines a clinic in passing the puck around the opponents zone. As they work for their opening the Wolverines get more and more confused until finally a quick shot simply sails over Montoyas shoulder for goal number three.

Less than a minute later the Gophers won a center ice face off, took the puck, and carried it uncontested into the Wolverine zone. It was as if the Michigan defense just stopped and watched as the Gopher player marched right into the zone, closed on the goal, and slid the puck past a sleeping Montoya for their fourth goal of the period.

Just as the clock moved under the five minute mark Michigan would get one goal back as they started to wake up out of their haze. After getting a couple of shots off that had been blocked, Rohlfs got his stick on the puck near the goal line and just rifled a flat shot into the net to at least get Michigan on the board. Both Tambellini and Moss picked up assists on the goal.

The goal seemed to wake Michigan up and they would apply some pressure in the closing minutes of the period, but they could not get another shot past the Minnesota net minder. The first period would come to an end with Minnesota leading by a four to one score. The Gophers out shot the Wolverines sixteen to nine.

Just over a minute into the second period the Gophers won yet another face off, this one in the Michigan zone. With a couple of quick passes they had the puck in position to shoot at the net and shoot they did. Once again Montoya was unable to make what looked to be an easy stop and Minnesota had increased their lead to four goals.

Things got a little chippy for the rest of the period and both teams had to kill off some penalties. Through all the special teams play there would be no more scoring as the second period came to an end with Minnesota leading by a score of five to one. The Gophers out shot the Wolverines in the second period ten to six, leaving them with a twenty-six to fifteen advantage in shots on goal through two periods of play.

Noah Ruden would play the third period in goal for Michigan and he stopped every shot that came his way, several of them point blank shots that looked like sure scores. There were only two penalties called in the third period, one to each team, and neither team was able to score with the extra man.

The third period would come to an end with Minnesota winning by a score of five to one. The Gophers once again out shot the Wolverines in the third period, ending the game with a thirty-six to twenty-four advantage in shots on goal.

For the first time since the opening weekend the Wolverines shouldered the number one ranking and once again, just like opening weekend, they flat out stunk. In fact tonight they probably stunk worse than they have all season. They went on the road and opened up the weekend against the number two team in the country, a setting that one would think would bring out the best in any team, let alone a team that was ranked as the number one team in the country. Rather than respond to that they simply didn't show up. They embarrassed themselves, they embarrassed the team, they embarrassed the history that is Michigan hockey. Hopefully when they go up against the number three team in the country on Sunday, they will at least decide to enter the Arena.