Michigan's Season One Step Closer To Oblivion

Friday, February 16, 2007
Taffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

After a dismal weekend last week the Wolverines needed to do one thing and one thing only this weekend against a middle of the pack CCHA team. They had to win, that's it, they just had to win. Win pretty, win ugly, but win. If the outcome of the first of this weekends two games is any indication, the Wolverines season is on the brink of going nowhere as they lost a three to two decision to the home standing Lakers.

As they did last Friday in their loss to the Falcons of Bowling Green, this game started out well for Michigan as they scored the games first goal with just over fifteen minutes to play in the opening period. Cogliano got things going by feeding the puck up the ice to Kolarik. Skating hard into the Laker zone he got to the right face off circle where he fired off a shot. That shot was blocked, but the rebound went to the left where Fardig happened to be coming into the picture. He quickly snapped the puck back toward and into the net for the score. Kolarik and Cogliano each got an assist on the goal.

The first period would end with the Wolverines clinging to their one to nothing lead. The Lakers had a ten to nine advantage in shots on goal.

With thirteen minutes to play in the second the Lakers would get the game even when they were able to redirect a shot past Sauer. Once again it was Michigan's inability to clear the puck that caused the damage. The Lakers intercepted a clearing pass inside the Wolverine blue line, quickly getting off a shot that was going top shelf. As the puck neared the net another Laker player was able to redirect the puck, slipping it behind Sauer for the score.

The second period would end with the score all tied at one goal apiece. The Wolverines out shot the Lakers nine to six in the second period to take an eighteen to sixteen advantage in shots on goal through two periods of play.

With the clock showing just under twelve minutes to play the Wolverines were whistled for a penalty, putting the Lakers on the power play. It took them just twenty seconds to work the puck into the Michigan zone and get off a shot. The shot was blocked, but the rebound was not covered and a Laker player was in position to punch the puck back to the net, scoring the power play goal with about eleven and half minutes to play to give the Lakers their first lead of the game.

With just over eight minutes to play the Lakers were whistled for a penalty that put Michigan on the power play. It would take them almost the entire two minutes, but with just under seven minutes left in regulation time Michigan was able to score a power play goal to tie the game. Once again it was Cogliano and Kolarik creating the action. Cogliano got the puck to Kolarik in the slot. From there Kolarik got off a shot that squeezed between the goalies leg and the post for the score. Cogliano and Mitera each picked up assists on the power play goal.

Barely a minute later, with just over five minutes left to play, the Lakers would retake the lead for good. The Lakers carried the puck into the Michigan zone and skated right past a Michigan defenseman, giving them unhindered access to the Michigan net. They got off a shot that was blocked, but once again the rebound came out and once again the rebound was put back into the net for the score.

The Wolverines would spend the last three minutes of the game on the power play after the Lakers were whistled for a five minute major penalty, but they would not get another puck past the Laker net minder. The game would come to an end with the Lakers winning three to two. Michigan out shot the Lakers fifteen to seven in the third period to end the game with a thirty-three to twenty-three advantage in shots on goal.

Michigan had moved back up to ninth place in the Pairwise over the course of the week as other teams played and the out comes of those games were factored in. Michigan played one game this weekend and has already dropped back down to eleventh, inching ever closer to the bubble. The Spartans lost on Tuesday and again last night so if Michigan had just won this game they could have really put some separation between themselves and those same Spartans, that didn't happen. Miami is playing out of conference this weekend so tonights and Sundays games are the two games in hand that Michigan has on Miami and their final chance to move from third into second. With the loss Miami is still in front of Michigan by a point. Michigan can move into second place with a win on Sunday, but after tonights performance a win in that game hardly seems a given. All in all events of this past week and other games played tonight put Michigan in perfect position to solidify their NCAA chances and take over second place in the CCHA. Instead with the loss their NCAA chances have taken a direct hit, they have just one chance to move ahead of Miami, and they still have the Spartans breathing down their neck. What a terrible way to start the weekend.