Spartans Battle Wolverines To Draw

Saturday, October 22, 2005
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

In the first of four regular season match ups between the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans nothing much was decided. After sixty-five minutes of hockey the teams remained dead locked at three goals each, giving each of them one point in the CCHA and a typical start to this series between the two arch rivals.

In the early going Michigan played with fire one to many times, leading to the Spartans first goal of the game barely four minutes into the contest. The Wolverines turned the puck over several times deep in their own territory in the opening minutes of the game and it was one of those turn overs that led to the Spartans first goal. Losing the puck right in front of the Michigan net a Spartan player was in the right place at the right time, getting to the puck and firing into the lower right corner of the net for the first goal of the game.

The clock would be just under seven minutes before Michigan would get the score back to even, after dodging several more bullets in the intervening minutes. Michigan got the puck into the Spartan zone and was getting some good puck movement when they got off a big shot. The shot was blocked, but the rebound was not covered, leaving the puck on the ice in front of the Spartan net. This time is was a Michigan player in the right place at the right time in the form of Captain Andrew Ebbett, who slammed the puck past the Spartan net minder to score the Wolverines first goal of the game. The goal was scored as unassisted.

The first period would come to an end with the score all tied up at one goal apiece. The Spartans really carried the play in the first period ending twenty minutes of play with a fourteen to four advantage in shots on goal.

Michigan started the second period with 1:33 of power play time and they would make the Spartans pay early in this period with the man advantage. Michigan wasn't getting much going with the extra man, but suddenly with less than a minute left in the man advantage they got settled into the Spartan zone and were moving the puck well. A quick series of tic-tac-toe passes sent the puck from side to side and then down low where a blistering shot at point blank range beat Vicari for Michigans second goal of the game. The power play goal was scored by Kaleniecki with assists going to Mitera and Cogliano.

That lead wouldn't last more than about two and half minutes when yet another Michigan turnover led to the Spartans second goal of the game. The puck was again turned over deep in the Michigan zone and once again a Spartan was right there to jump all over it. Sauer didn't really stand a chance as a quick one timer was behind him before he knew it was on the way.

With the clock just under the fourteen minute mark the Spartans were whistled for a double minor giving the Wolverines another power play. This time they were more successful at running the power play right from the start and were moving the puck around the Spartan zone fairly well. All of a sudden Cogliano fired a floater from the point that beat the Spartan net minder top shelf to once again put Michigan on top. Mitera and Ebbett each picked up an assist on the goal.

It looked like Michigan would go into the second inter mission with a one goal lead, however, they got a little lazy in the final couple minutes of the period and the Spartans took advantage. Michigan State was able to hold the puck in the Michigan zone for well over a minute and with just forty-three seconds left in the period all of that pressure finally paid off when they slipped the puck past Sauer to once again tie the game.

The second period would come to an end with the score all tied at three goals each. Each team registered twelve shots on goal in the second period, leaving the Spartans with a twenty-six to sixteen advantage in shots on goal.

Each team would skate off a penalty in the third period, including a five minute major assessed to Michigan. Each team would come very close to scoring a goal at different times during the period, but neither team would be able to actually get the puck in the net.

The third period would come to an end with the score still tied at three goals each. The Spartans outshot the Wolverines nine to five in the third period, ending regulation time with a thirty-five to twenty-one advantage in shots on goal.

A five minute over time period was played, but once again neither team was able to get the winning score. Michigan got a lot of pressure in the closing minute of the game, but they just couldn't find the net. The game came to an end with the score still tied at three goals each. The Spartans out shot the Wolverines three to two in the overtime period. They finished the game with a thirty-eight to twenty-three advantage in shots on goal.

This was a game in which the freshmen actually played like freshmen. They made numerous mistakes through out the game. They also seemed to have a slight case of the nerves, especially early in the game. I suppose with your first conference game, against your arch rival, during parents night, with the number one ranking in the country hanging around your neck, might lead to a slight case of the nerves. Even with the mistakes, even getting out shot by fifteen shots, they still came away from this game with a tie.

If there were any questions about Billy Sauer in goal those questions should have been answered last night. He is the only reason that the Wolverines ended the night with a tie. He made save after save, especially in the opening period, to keep his team in the game. This game should provide a number of great lessons for this young team as they learn their way around the college hockey game. If they make the improvements that need to be made, the outcome of the final three regular season games between these two teams could be very different.