Friday, November 25, 2005
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Michigan Hockey team looked more like the Michigan Football team as they stumbled and bumbled their way to an embarrassing six to three loss to the visiting Gophers from Minnesota. Michigan was out hustled, out skated, out hit, and simply taken to school by the Gophers who spent the night skating circles around a Michigan team that looked more dazed and confused than they looked like the number one team in the country. Well they shouldn't have to worry about carrying that ranking around anymore which should free them up to focus on the serious problems that seem to have manifested themselves on this team.

Things started out positively for the Wolverines as they scored just twenty seconds into the game, but that was about the only bright spot in the game. Michigan quickly got the puck into the Minnesota zone following the opening face off and got the Gopher goalie moving back and forth. Finally, a pass from left to right led to an opening and Hensick fired a shot past the net minder for the opening score. Porter picked up the lone assist.

With the clock just showing just under thirteen minutes to play the Wolverines were in the penalty box and the Gophers were on their first power play of the game. Minnesota had the puck down low to Sauer's left when they fired a flat shot from the goal line that beat Sauer wide and high for their first power play goal of the game. The goal was scored with just over eleven minutes remaining in the first period and the score was tied.

With the clock just under the ten minute mark the Wolverines were once again in the penalty box and once again the Gophers made Michigan pay. Just twenty-two seconds into the power play with the clock still showing over nine minutes to play some nice tic-tac-toe passing saw Minnesota with the puck down low as they fired another shot over Sauer's shoulder to take the lead, a lead they would never lose.

Seconds after scoring their second goal the Gophers were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play with a chance to get back into the game. Instead Minnesota easily skated off the penalty. In the last seconds of the Michigan power play the Gophers grabbed a turn over at center ice and flew into the Michigan zone. The Gopher player (Kessel) skated down the right side of the ice, closed with the goal, and fired a laser of a shot past Sauer to give Minnesota a two goal lead just as the Minnesota penalty expired.

With the clock just under the seven minute mark Michigan was once again in the box and for the third time in the period the Gophers would make Michigan regret their lack of discipline. Minnesota once again showed great skill in passing the puck around the Michigan zone, always taking shots at the net whenever the slightest opening presented itself. Finally with exactly five minutes left on the clock and the puck to Sauer's left, a quick pass through the slot found a wide open Gopher who made it look easy as he tapped the puck into the open net.

With four and a half minutes left to play in the period Michigan was able to cut the Minnesota lead to two goals when Hensick got off a quick outlet pass to Cogliano who flew up the ice and into the Gopher zone. As the Minnesota defense caught up to and collapsed toward Cogliano he sent a quick pass between the circles where Naurato one timed the puck past the Gopher goalie for the score. Cogliano and Hensick each picked up an assist on the goal.

The first period came to an end with Minnesota leading by a score of four to two. The Wolverines held a twelve to eight advantage in shots on goal.

With the clock just under twelve minutes in the second period Minnesota would be called for the first of four straight penalties. With 1:29 left in the first penalty the Gophers were whistled for their second, giving Michigan an extended two man advantage. Michigan was having little luck even setting up the power play let alone score when the Gophers were whistled for their their third penalty with nine seconds left in their first penalty. Minnesota continued to confound the Michigan power play, but picked up their fourth penalty with 1:08 still left in their third penalty. Michigan would finally find a way to get the puck past the Gopher goalie with just over eight minutes left in the period and skating with a two man advantage. With the puck low they moved it from left to right and Hunwick wristed a shot that beat the goalie for the score. Hensick and Kolarik each picked up an assist on the goal.

With the lead now cut to one it looked like Michigan might be getting back into the game, but that would all change as the Wolverines were once again sent to the penalty box with just over five minutes left to play. Taking a shot that looked almost like their first power play goal Potulny got off another flat angle shot from Sauer's left that beat him over his wide shoulder to once again give the Gophers a two goal lead (this was Potulny's third goal of the game, all on the power play).

The second period would end with Minnesota leading by a score of five to three. The Gophers out shot the Wolverines fourteen to seven in the period leaving them with a twenty-two to nineteen advantage in shots on goal through forty minutes of play.

With just over sixteen minutes on the clock in the final period the Wolverines were whistled for their second penalty of the period. While the Gophers hadn't taken advantage of the first penalty in the period they did take advantage of this one, needing just fifteen seconds with the man advantage to score goal number six. They simply skated circles around the Wolverines, opening a shot lane, and beating Sauer for their sixth goal of the night.

With just over fifteen minutes left in the game Ruden replaced Sauer in net, but no further scoring would take place as both teams sent a steady stream of players to the penalty box as tempers flared and the game degenerated. The game would come to an end with Minnesota winning by a six to three margin. The Gophers ended the night with a thirty-four to twenty-three advantage in shots on goal.

This game was so bad you almost want to throw it out and never look at it again, however, these problems have been building over the last few weeks. Michigan got the wins two weeks ago against Northern, but there were long stretches of those games where they didn't play particularly well, exhibiting many of the same problems that were taken advantage of by a far better Minnesota team.

The number of penalties this team is taking simply have to stop. Minnesota scored five of their six goals on the power play. The penalty kill which had been so good for Michigan seems to have all but disappeared. The other side of special teams play, the power play, also seems to have disappeared from the Wolverines game. They converted on just one of eleven power play chances tonight, spending far to much time passing the puck and almost zero time shooting the puck when skating with the extra man. As an example just look at the second period. Michigan had at least five straight minutes of power play time, at least two of those with a two man advantage and could manage just one goal. Add to that the fact that they had just seven shots on goal for the entire period, even with all that power play time and you have a problem.

When the season started we expected losses, not embarrassment. From the very first game the one thing that impressed with this young team was the enthusiasm and passion that they played the game. Fighting for the puck in the corners, winning face off's, winning those little battles that add up over the course of the game. Tonight they seemed to be simply going through the motions. They lost the little battles, their passing was sloppy and ineffective, the usual aggressive and successful penalty kill was reduced to a game of tag in which the Wolverines were always "it". Michigan has now lost five straight games in the Showcase and for the second straight year they look totally over matched. This team needs to find its way quickly if they want to finish the first half positively and set up a run at both the CCHA and NCAA championships, they certainly won't accomplish either playing like they did tonight against the Gophers.