Wolverines Swept In Showcase, Again

Saturday, November 26, 2005
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Following a script that has become all to familiar the Wolverines were pummeled on Friday night by Minnesota, played better on Saturday night against Wisconsin, but in the end they came up short losing their sixth straight College Hockey Showcase game by a three to two score.

In the first period of play both teams traded penalties and power plays but neither team was able to take advantage of the extra attacker. The first period of play came to a close with the score all tied at zero. The Badgers out shot the Wolverines in the period ten to five.

The scoring got under way early in the second period when the Badgers got the puck deep in the Michigan zone. After a couple of passes they got off a hard shot that was blocked, but the rebound was not handled, dropping to the ice in the crease. Before any Michigan player could get to the puck a Badger chipped the puck over the goal line for the first score of the game.

The Badgers would strike for the second time in the period with just over ten minutes to play when another mistake by the Wolverines led directly to the Badgers second score. Michigan turned the puck over just outside their blue line where a Badger player scooped it up and flew into the Michigan zone, well behind any other Michigan player. As he reached the top of the circles he fired a shot that beat Ruden for the score and the two goal lead.

With just over nine minutes to play Michigan would finally get a puck into the Badger net to cut the lead to one goal. Breaking out of their own zone the Wolverines would get the puck up the ice to Miller who skated hard down the right side of the ice. Miller carried the puck behind the Wisconsin goal, popped out the other side, and stuffed a wrap around shot into the net for the score. Assists went to Swystun and Ebbett.

The Badgers appeared to have scored a third goal with the clock just under the three minute mark, but the goal was waved off. The second period would come to an end with Wisconsin leading by a score of two to one. Wisconsin out shot the Wolverines eleven to six in the period for a two period advantage in shots on goal of twenty-one to eleven.

With just over eighteen minutes to play in the final period of regulation the Badgers were whistled for a penalty to give Michigan an early third period power play. Nine seconds later the Badgers were whistled for a second penalty giving Michigan a two man advantage for 1:51. Michigan worked the puck around the Badger zone getting off a couple of shots, but failing to score a goal. Finally, with the puck bouncing around in front of the Badger net Michigan's Naurato was able to get his stick on the puck, punching it into the net to tie the game at two. Assists went to Johnson and Ebbett.

It looked like the game would go into overtime when the Badgers scored the game winning goal with the clock showing less than two minutes to play. With the clock just under two minutes the Badgers got an out let pass up the ice to a player at the Michigan blue line. That Badger player split the two Michigan defenders, flying into the Wolverine zone, where he let a shot rip that beat Ruden five hole for the score.

Michigan called a time out with fifty-six seconds to go, pulling Ruden out of net with the face off in the Wisconsin zone. With the extra attacker the Wolverines were unable to find a way to score a goal and the game ended with the Badgers winning by a three to two score. Michigan out shot the Badgers in the period fourteen to six, but the Badgers ended the game with a twenty-seven to twenty-five advantage in shots on goal.

For the second straight year Michigan went into the Showcase with the countries number one ranking and for the second straight year they were sent packing by both of their WCHA opponents. Add to that their first ever sweep in the Showcase three years ago and the Wolverines have now lost six straight games in this mid season hockey event.

While they certainly played better tonight than they did on Friday when they were dominated by Minnesota, they continue to play less than stellar hockey when closing out the month of November. Now the Wolverines face a daunting road trip down to CCHA leading Miami and finish off the first half of the season with two home games against Nebraska. If the Wolverines want to keep pace in the CCHA they can do no worse than a split at Miami. If they want to get their season back on track they need to come home from Miami with a sweep.