Nanooks Hand Wolverines First Loss

Friday, October 28, 2005
Carlson Center, Fairbanks, Alaska

The Wolverines headed to Alaska this weekend for their first games away from the friendly confines of Yost Arena, with the first game away from Yost not going well for the Wolverines. While they out shot the Nanooks for most of the game, they always seemed to be playing catch up as Alaska got out to an early lead and never looked back. In the end the Wolverines found themselves on the wrong end of a four to two score.

The Nanooks would get on the board first in this game when they got the puck past Sauer with just over nine minutes left to play in the period. Going end to end with some quick, crisp passes the Nanooks got into the Michigan zone with a two on one break. As they closed on the net the Nanook player carrying the puck wristed a shot that beat Sauer for the score.

Michigan would answer that goal just over a minute later as they really picked up the pace of the play after giving up that first goal. The Wolverines were getting a lot of pressure on the Nanook goal when a shot went wide, hitting the boards behind the goal. The puck bounced back out front of the goal and Turnbull was right there to chip it into the net. Both Miller and Cogliano picked up assists on the goal.

With just over four minutes to play in the period the Wolverines were whistled for a penalty, giving the Nanooks their first power play chance of the game. Michigan had kept the play in the Nanook end for a large part of the power play, but they finally got the puck into the Michigan zone and were working it around the perimeter. From the blue line, straight out in front of the goal, the Nanooks got off a shot through a screen that beat Sauer top shelf for their second goal of the game, this time on the power play.

A Michigan error late in the opening period of play would lead to the Nanooks third goal of the period. The Wolverines turned the puck over deep in their own end where an Alaska player picked it up, set himself, and sent a rocket to the wide side of the net for the third goal.

The first period would come to an end with the Nanooks holding the three to one lead. The Wolverines ended the first twenty minutes of play with an eleven to seven advantage in shots on goal.

The second period started with both teams skating four on four after penalties were called at the twenty minute mark of the first period. Michigan had some chances with the extra space, but failed to convert.

The Nanooks were whistled for a penalty with just over seventeen minutes to play, but killed the penalty off. With just over fourteen minutes to play the Nanooks were whistled for another penalty putting Michigan back on the power play. After having some difficulty setting up the power play the Wolverines finally got settled in the Nanook zone and started moving the puck around looking for an opening. Finally the Wolverines got a shot off from the right side that was blocked, but the rebound jumped out to the left where Cogliano tapped it into the net, top shelf, for the score. Turnbull and Ebbett each picked up an assist on the power play goal.

With the clock just under the five minute mark the Nanooks looked to be trying to get control of the puck in the Michigan zone. They had it behind the goal, but were being constantly pestered by the Michigan defense. Suddenly a Nanook player slipped the puck out in front of the net where an Alaska player had been left unattended. As soon as the puck hit his stick he sent a one timer that beat Sauer to regain the two goal lead for the Nanooks.

The second period came to an end with Alaska leading by a score of four to two. Michigan held a twenty-four to eighteen advantage in shots on goal through forty minutes of play.

Both teams had a number of power play chances and goal scoring chances in the third period, but neither team was able to find the net. The game came to an end with the Nanooks beating the Wolverines by a four to two score. Michigan ended the game with a thirty-six to twenty-three advantage in shots on goal.

Michigan didn't play a very disciplined game tonight as they took some foolish penalties, failed to make solid passes, turned the puck over in bad places, and generally didn't look very good for long stretches of this game. Perhaps now with that first road game out of the way the Wolverines will settle down and come back tomorrow night with a better effort.