Wolverines Survive Mavericks

Friday, December 9, 2005
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

While they made many of the same mistakes that have plagued them for the last four games, the Wolverines didn't make as many of them leading to a much needed win over the visiting Mavericks from Nebraska.

While the Wolverines got the first power play chance of the game, it was the Mavericks who would get the first score. Michigan had been unable to take advantage of an early power play chance, with play continuing up and down the ice at a pretty fast pace. As the clock moved under the fourteen minute mark the Mavericks got off a flurry of shots that eventually led to the games first goal. With the Mavericks able to get to the puck ahead of Wolverines they got off shots after shot from several different directions, finally getting one past Sauer for the early lead.

With the clock just under the eleven minute mark the Mavericks were sent to the penalty box putting Michigan back on the power play. With 1:11 of that penalty remaining the Mavericks were whistled for a second penalty giving Michigan a two man advantage. While Michigan wasn't able to score with the two man advantage they did score their first goal of the game while still on the power play from the second Maverick penalty. With just twenty-five seconds left in the power play Ebbett cranked a shot from just inside the Maverick blue line that was deflected into the goal by Kaleniecki who was positioned in front of the goal. Ebbett and Mitera each picked up an assist on the goal.

With just over four minutes left in the opening period Michigan was once again in the penalty box, but this time things went the Wolverines way, not the Mavericks. With just over two minutes to play and twenty-one seconds left in the Maverick power play Kaleniecki got the puck out to Ebbett at the blue line. Ebbett carried it up along the boards and into the Maverick zone with Dest trailing along down the center of the ice. The Maverick defense finally committed to Ebbett and as they did he dropped a pass back to Dest who buried the one timer for the short handed goal. Dest with the score, Ebbett and Kaleniecki each with an assist.

The first period came to an end with Michigan leading by a score of two to one. The Mavericks held a thirteen to ten advantage in shots on goal.

The lone tally of the second period would come with just under fourteen minutes to play when Michigan worked the puck down the ice with short passes, ending up deep in the Maverick zone. From the right of the net Miller went to take a shot, but only got part of the puck, sending it off target, and behind the net. The puck bounced out the other side where Cogliano got control and made a quick pass right out front to a waiting Turnbull. Turnbull wasted no time punching the puck into the Maverick net for the score. Both Cogliano and Miller received assists on the goal.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of three to one. Michigan out shot the Mavericks thirteen to eight in the period to hold a twenty-three to twenty-one advantage in shots on goal.

The Mavericks bit into the Wolverine lead early in the third period when they scored a strange little goal just as the clock moved under the seventeen minute mark. The Mavericks had the puck at about the top of the circles when they sent a soft kind of shot toward the goal. The puck bounced off two or three different players, changing direction each time. The final bounce redirected it between Sauer and the post for the score.

Action continued for the remainder of the period with the pace of the game, both in scoring chances and hitting increased. With forty-five seconds left in the game one player from each team were sent to their respective penalty boxes. With the face off in the Michigan zone the Mavericks called time out. When they returned to the ice their goalie stayed on the bench giving them an extra attacker. As the Mavericks scrambled to get a goal, Michigan scrambled to keep them at bay. With just twenty-six seconds left to play Ebbett got control of the puck at the red line. From there he lifted the puck into the air, sending it toward the Maverick net. It returned to the ice and slid just inside the pipe to score an empty net goal. Ebbett got credit for the empty net goal and Kaleniecki picked up an assist.

The game came to an end with Michigan winning by a score of four to two. The Mavericks ended the game with a twenty-nine to twenty-eight advantage in shots on goal.

It certainly wasn't an easy game, but the Wolverines got a much needed win to snap the losing streak and finally score some points in CCHA play. With the Redhawks playing out of conference this weekend the Wolverines are now just eight points out of first place; still a long way back. Tomorrow night the Mavericks and Wolverines do it all again with Michigan desperately needing the sweep to close out the first half and close the gap between them and the Redhawks.