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Wolverines Hold Off Wildcats
Friday, November 11, 2005
Berry Events Center, Marquette, Michigan
On the road for the third straight weekend the Wolverines held off a tenacious
Wildcat team fighting for position in the CCHA. While both teams need the CCHA
points, with this loss the Wildcats have now lost three straight conference games,
making their hunt for a conference title that much more difficult.
A total of nine penalties were called in the first period alone meaning a large
portion of this period was turned over to the special teams. Neither team was able
to take care of any of their power play chances and the first period ended with the
score knotted at zero. The Wildcats out shot the Wolverines nine to eight in the
period.
The Wildcats were whistled for a penalty with the clock just under the seventeen
minute mark to once again put Michigan on the power play. It would take them almost
the entire two minute power play, but with just over fifteen minutes to play the
Wolverines tallied their first goal of the night. Johnson carried the puck behind the
Northern goal, coming back up along the side boards. About half way up the side he
fired a pass to Hunwick at the point who just as quickly sent a pass down low and to
the side of the goal where Kaleniecki was waiting. Kaleniecki deflected the puck
up and into the net for the goal. Hunwick and Johnson each picked up an assist on
the goal.
Michigan would extend their lead less than two minutes later when they passed
the puck up out of their own zone, finally getting it to Kolarik at center ice. Kolarik
put on a burst of speed racing right up the middle of the ice, flying into the
Wildcat zone. As he closed with the goal he fired a shot to the goalies glove side
that found the back of the net to spot the Wolverines to a two goal lead. Turnbull
and Naurato each picked up an assist on the goal.
The second period would come to an end with Michigan holding the two to nothing
lead. The Wildcats out shot Michigan eleven to five in the period to end forty minutes
of play with a twenty to thirteen advantage in shots on goal.
It looked like the shut out would hold up as the game began to wind down, but that
all changed as the clock moved under the five minute mark. Just as a Northern power
play expired a Northern player broke out through center ice and got in alone on Sauer.
As he closed with the goal he made a little move that pulled Sauer just a little out of
position leaving just enough room to fire the puck into the net for the Wildcats first
goal of the game.
Michigan would cling to their now one goal lead through the final minutes of the
game. The Wildcats pulled their goalie with just under one minute to play and had a couple
of scoring chances. Finally with just four seconds left on the clock Hensick got out
of the Michigan zone with the puck, skated up the ice, and put the puck into the open
net to seal the win for the Wolverines. Miller and Hunwick each picked up assists on
the goal.
The game came to an end with Michigan winning by a score of three to one. Michigan
out shot the Wildcats eleven to six in this period. After sixty minutes of hockey the
Wildcats ended up with a twenty-six to twenty-four advantage in shots on goal.
Even though they got out shot in the game and especially in the second period the
Wolverines found a way to win a very big road game against a team expected to fight
for the conference title this year. Special teams continue to play a role as they
scored a power play goal in the game and killed off all of Northern Michigan's power play
chances. Sauer got his first win on a big sheet of ice so things went well for Michigan.
I'm sure the coaches will want a bit better defense for Saturday night and some more
consistent play. These two teams go at it again tomorrow, same place, same time.
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