Wolverines Sweep Mavericks

Saturday, December 10, 2005
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

After spotting the Mavericks a goal the Wolverines played two dominate periods of hockey to complete a weekend sweep of CCHA foe Nebraska-Omaha. The start of the game looked much like Friday night with the Mavericks scoring early, with Michigan taking a lead into the intermission. The difference between last night and tonight was the second period when Michigan scored four goals to put the game out of reach for the visiting Mavericks.

The Mavericks got on the board early when the Michigan defense allowed to many chances down in front of their own goal. With just over eighteen minutes yet to play in the period the Mavericks got the puck bouncing around, got off several shots, finally scoring the games opening goal to take an early lead.

A little over two minutes later, with the clock just under the sixteen minute mark, Nebraska was whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. Michigan got some scoring chances, finally tying the game on an end to end rush by Kaleniecki. From inside the Michigan zone Mitera got a pass out to Kaleniecki who streaked up the side boards, closed on the goal, and buried the puck to tie the game with a power play goal with just five seconds left in the power play. Mitera picked up the lone assist.

Barely a minute later the Mavericks were once again in the lead off a strange bounce of the puck. The Michigan defense had blocked a pass going through the slot, but it bounced away from the defender and right onto the stick of a Maverick player who wasted no time blasting it home for the score.

Less than a minute later Michigan once again tied the game when Michigan made another end to end rush. Breaking out of their zone Porter received a pass at the blue line, raced up the ice, going through and around a number of Maverick players. From the high slot he buried a wrist shot to tie the game. Both Hensick and Rohlfs picked up assists on the goal.

It looked like the period would end with the score tied, but with just twenty-eight seconds left in the period the Wolverines struck for the third time to take the lead. Michigan had the puck deep in the Maverick zone and had gotten off a couple of good shots, all of which were blocked. Kaleniecki then took a big shot that was redirected right in front of the goal by Bailey for the score. Bailey got the goal while both Kaleniecki and Ebbett each picked up assists on the score.

The first period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of three to two. The Wolverines had a thirteen to eight edge in shots on goal.

Nebraska started the second period with 1:51 of power play time and as happened in Friday nights game this Maverick power play would prove beneficial for the Wolverines. With the clock just under the nineteen minute mark and thirty-two seconds left in the Maverick power play Cogliano picked up the puck in the Michigan zone, flew down the ice into the Maverick zone, blasting a shot top shelf for the short handed goal, giving Michigan a two goal lead. The goal was scored as unassisted.

With the clock just under eighteen minutes the Mavericks replaced their goalie.

With just over six minutes to play in the period Michigan got off a somewhat weak shot from the left of the Maverick goal. It looked like it would be easily blocked, but it hit a Maverick defender, then hit the Maverick goalie where he wasn't expecting it, ending up in the net for a score. Ebbett got credit for the scored, while Bailey and Hunwick each picked up assists.

With the clock just under four minutes the same Maverick player was whistled for a checking from behind penalty and a second penalty earning him a five minute major, a two minute minor, and a game misconduct. The end result was seven minutes of power play time for the Wolverines. With just fifty-one seconds left in the period Johnson got off a shot from between the circles that appeared to be stopped, but it trickled through the goalies legs and into the net. Hensick and Porter each picked up assists on the power play goal.

Thirty-four seconds later Michigan would score their second power play goal in a row. Moving the puck around the Maverick zone Bailey got off a shot from the high slot the deflected off a skate and into the net. After a review to be sure it wasn't kicked in the power play goal was credited to Bailey with Dest and Rohlfs each picking up an assist.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of seven to two. The Wolverines out shot the Mavericks twelve to eight to hold a twenty-five to sixteen advantage in shots on goal.

The Mavericks carried most of the play in this period as the Wolverines seemed to lose a little edge with the large lead. A number of penalties were called, especially in the closing minutes of the game. While on a power play and just over two minutes left in the game the Mavericks would get a shot past Ruden from the circle to cut Michigan's lead to four, but that would be as close as they could get.

The game came to an end with Michigan winning by a score of seven to three. The Mavericks out shot the Wolverines sixteen to four in the final period to end the game with a thirty-two to twenty-nine advantage in shots on goal.

It wasn't always pretty this weekend, but what counts is the Wolverines got back on track with a sweep over the visiting Mavericks. These were two of the three games they have in hand against Miami and now trail the CCHA leader by just six points. Michigan is now off for eighteen days, not playing again until the Great Lakes Invitational when they will face off against Colorado College. Michigan will be missing Porter, Johnson, and Mitera for the GLI as those three players will be playing in the World Junior Championships. Cogliano may also be gone, but Team Canada has one more try out camp later this month. David Rohlfs will also miss the Colorado College game as he sets out a game disqualification he picked up in tonights game against the Mavericks.