Wolverines Survive US-NDTP, Again

Friday, January 13, 2006
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

In a pattern that has become all to familiar the Wolverines looked as though they were sleep walking through the first period with the predictable end result that they were trailing after twenty minutes of play. If it hadn't been for a five minute major penalty assessed against the the US development team late in the second period this very well may have been the year that the youngsters won their first game against the maize and blue. As the second period was winding down the Wolverines were trailing the US team by a three to one score. Michigan was able to score two goals in the final minutes of the period while on the extended power play to tie the game setting them up to score the winning goal in the final period to escape with a win against the young team from across town for the second straight year.

Michigan had a number of power play chances in the first period, but the only goal scored was a power play goal by the US development team. A Michigan defender was looking to clear the puck, but instead he turned it over right in front of the Michigan goal. A US player was right there to scoop up the puck and fire it at the goal. Sauer was able to stop the initial blast, but the rebound was not covered allowing the US player to chip in the rebound for the score and the first period lead.

The first period would come to an end with Michigan trailing the US development team by a score of one to nothing. Michigan held a slight nine to seven advantage in shots on goal.

With just over fifteen minutes left to play in the second period the US team extended their lead to two goals. The US team skated into the Michigan zone with numbers in their favor and worked some great give and go passing to setup a shot for their second goal. Making it look easy the slipped the puck through the five hole finding themselves up by a score of two to nothing.

Michigan would finally get on the board with a power play goal, however, they had to have a two man advantage to get it done. With the clock showing just under fifteen minutes the US team was whistled for their first penalty. With just sixteen seconds left in that penalty they were whistled for their second giving Michigan a short two man advantage. It may have been short, but the Wolverines were finally able to get a goal while on the power play. Ten seconds after the second penalty, with the clock still showing just over thirteen minutes to play, Michigan got off a shot from the left circle. The shot was block, but the rebound was not covered and Kolarik was right there to score the easy chip in goal. Kolarik got the goal with Turnbull and Naurato each picking up an assist.

With eleven and half minutes to play Michigan was whistled for a double minor giving the US team four minutes of power play time. Barely thirty seconds into the power play the US team got off a huge shot from the point, right down the slot, through a screen to beat Sauer cleanly for their third goal of the game. With the score the US team regained their two goal lead.

With the clock under five minutes the US teams Captain was whistled for a hitting from behind penalty resulting in a five minute major penalty and giving the Wolverines the break they needed to get back in the game. Michigan would score their first of two late period power play goals with the clock just under the two minute mark. Hensick was below the goal line on the right side of the goal when he received the puck. He made a quick pass to the opposite side of the goal to a wide open Ebbett who made it look easy, tapping the puck into the net for the score. Hensick and Johnson each picked up an assist on the Ebbett goal.

There would be just six seconds left on the clock for the second period when Michigan would score their second power play goal. This was a bit of a floater from the point that made its way through a number of players, coming to rest in the net, in the goal. Hensick got credit for the goal and Cogliano picked up the lone assist.

The third period would come to an end with the score all tied up at three goals each. The Wolverines continued to hold an edge in shots on goal finishing forty minutes of play with a twenty-four to fifteen shot advantage.

Michigan would start the third period with twenty-three seconds of power play time from that second period major penalty, but they would be unable to score another goal.

The Wolverines would score the game winning goal just as the clock moved under the seventeen minutes mark. A face off was taking place in the US team zone to the right of their goal. Michigan won the face off, getting the puck back to Naurato. Naurato unleashed a sizzling wrist shot that beat the US netminder to the wide side for the game winner. MacVoy and Fardig each picked up an assist on the goal.

The US team would pull their goal tender with just under one minute to play in the game, but they would be unable to tie the game. The final buzzer sounded with Michigan escaping with a four to three victory. Michigan ended the game with a thirty-five to twenty-four advantage in shots on goal.

Michigan returns to CCHA play on Tuesday when they travel to East Lansing for the second game of the season against the Michigan State Spartans. The Wolverines will have to find a way to start this game faster than they have the last several or they will find themselves in a hole from which they won't escape. Ruden replaced Sauer in net for the Wolverines at the midpoint of the second period.