Wolverines Power Past Bobcats

Friday, October 7, 2005
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Michigan Wolverines opened their regular season schedule with a three to one victory over the Quinnipiac Bobcats Friday at Yost Arena. The large freshman class led the charge with their enthusiastic play and never say die attitude. Billy Sauer, the current 17 year old goal tender, holding the future of the Wolverines in his hands, played like a veteran, lost his bid for an opening game shut out on a strange play with a Bobcat in the crease and the crowd howling for relief. In the end the Wolverines notched the win by over powering the visiting Bobcats to start the 2005-2006 campaign on a positive note.

Both teams saw several power play opportunities come and go during the first period of play, but neither team was able to take advantage of the extra man. If there was a period when nerves seemed to be having an effect on this young Michigan team, this was the one. While they held their own they were more tentative in the opening period than in the two final periods of the game. The first period of play came to an end with the score knotted at zero. The Wolverines held a slight advantage in shots on goal with a nine to seven count.

Quinnipiac started the second period with 2:51 of power play time as they the Wolverines skated off a five minute major assessed near the end of the first period. Even with the extended play with the extra man, the Bobcats were unable to get on the board.

With the power play killed off Michigan was flying all around the ice, clearly having heard from the coaches that they needed to step up their level of play. With just over sixteen minutes on the clock that extra effort paid off as Michigan scored their first goal of the night. The Wolverines got the puck bouncing around in front of the net and Fardig (originally credited to Turnbull) was in place to chip in his first career goal. Both Naurato and Turnbull picked up assists on the goal.

With just over nine minutes to play in the period the Bobcats went to the sin bin putting the Wolverines on the power play. Michigan moved the puck around the Bobcat zone quickly and crisply and just ten seconds into the power they executed a perfect back door play to open up a two goal lead. Michigan moved the puck low and to the right pulling the entire Bobcat team that way. A quick pass over to the left side of the goal put the puck on Porters stick who made the easy shot into the wide open net. Both Hensick and Hunwick picked up assists on the goal.

The second period would end with Michigan holding a two to nothing lead. The Wolverines outshot the Bobcats eighteen to seven for a two period advantage in shots on goal of twenty-seven to fourteen.

It looked like the Wolverines were going to ride their two goal lead to victory, but things took a strange turn late in the final period of play. With the clock just under the three minute mark Michigan was going to be called for a penalty as soon as they got control of the puck. While this was going on a Bobcat player ended up on his back in the crease, greatly limiting what Sauer could do in goal. At the same time two or three Wolverines collapsed to the net to try and give some extra protection to their hampered goal tender. A Bobcat got the puck up in the air, it hit a Wolverine in the chest, and then bounced into the net for a goal. The Bobcats were on the board, the fans wanted it waved off for goal tender interference, and suddenly after basically being dominated for fifty-seven minutes the Bobcats were within one of a tie.

Less than a minute later, with just over two minutes still on the clock the Wolverines answered the Bobcat goal with one of their own to regain their two goal lead. Michigan gained the puck in their own zone and then flew up the ice heading straight for the Bobcat goal with numbers. As they closed with the goal Porter punched the puck to the net where a Bobcat player knocked it down with his hand, causing it to drop at his goal tenders feet and slip across the goal line. Porter was credited with the goal (originally credited to Turnbull), while Hensick and Turnbull each received assists.

The game would come to an end with Michigan winning by a score of three to one. Michigan ended the game with a thirty-three to twenty-six advantage in shots on goal.

If you simply looked at the shots on goal or the score you would think this was a fairly close game, but in reality the Wolverines really dominated the play in this game. They went one for seven on the power play, not great, but they did score a power play goal. In addition, they killed off all six Bobcat power plays without giving up a goal. Just like last week in their final exhibition game, when they gave up a third period goal, they responded immediately with a goal of their own. This young team continues to impress with their all around solid play. Tomorrow we get to see if they can close out a weekend with a sweep of their opponent, something that recent Wolverine teams have had some trouble doing early in the season.