Wolverines Come From Behind, Defeat Buckeyes

Friday, February 23, 2007
Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio

The Wolverines and Buckeyes got together on the ice tonight, with both teams battling for playoff position, the Buckeyes looking to get home ice in the CCHA first round, while the Wolverines were looking to hold onto second place in the CCHA, but also had an eye on positioning in the NCAA tournament. After falling behind by two goals, the Wolverines battled back to eventually go into the third period with the game tied. Michigan averted overtime, gaining a four to three victory by scoring a goal with barely one minute left in regulation time.

Most of the first period followed a familiar pattern of late as the Wolverines had a number of chances to score, but failed to put the puck in the net, letting the Buckeyes gain confidence and momentum. With just four minutes left in the opening period the Wolverines were whistled for a penalty putting the Buckeyes on the power play. Ohio State worked the puck around the Michigan zone, but hadn't really threatened to score until a minute into the power play. With just over three minutes left to play the Buckeyes got off a shot from inside the blue line that sailed through all the players in front of the net, finally ending up in the net behind Sauer.

With just over a minute left in the period the Buckeyes would extend their lead to two goals, once again using a shot from the point to set up the score. This time the shot was blocked, but the rebound wasn't covered. The Buckeyes were able to get enough of a stick on the puck to slide it just inside the post and across the line for the score.

Michigan would cut the Buckeye lead to one goal with just tenths of a second left on the clock when Miller received a pass in the crease and fired it past the Buckeye net minder for the goal. Dest got control of a loose puck in the corner, fired the puck to the crease where Miller was waiting. The goal was reviewed to insure it was scored before the clock reached zero and was counted. Miller got the goal, while Dest and Naurato each picked up an assist.

The first period would come to an end with the Buckeyes holding a two to one lead. Ohio State out shot Michigan fifteen to nine in the period.

The Wolverines would tie the game just twenty-nine seconds into the second period when Johnson rifled a wrist shot from between the circles that beat the net minder, slipping under the cross bar. Hensick carried the puck through center ice, getting it to Rohlfs who brought it into the Buckeye zone. Rohlfs spun away from a defender, getting the puck to Johnson who finished off the play with the goal. Rohlfs and Hensick each picked up assists on the goal.

About three minutes later, with sixteen and half minutes yet to play, the Buckeyes once again took the lead and once again it was a shot from the point that got the job done. This time it was a shot from the right point that beat Sauer. The shot appeared to deflect away off the cross bar, but a video review showed that it had bounced down at an angle and hit behind the goal line.

With just over nine minutes to play the Wolverines once again tied the game, with the goal coming from Hensick. Michigan was able to get the puck to Hensick as he was going through center ice, hitting him in stride. He continued on into the Buckeye zone, split a couple of defenders, closed on the goal, and slipped the puck past the goalie for the score. Hunwick and Johnson each picked up an assist on the goal.

The second period would come to an end with the game all tied at three goals each. The Buckeyes out shot the Wolverines sixteen to ten in the period to hold a thirty-one to nineteen advantage in shots on goal.

With just 1:08 left in regulation time the Wolverines would take their first lead of the game, then hold off the Buckeyes desperation charge to win the game. Miller circled the puck behind the Buckeye net, circling from left to right. As he cleared the net on the right side he fed the puck out front to Naurato who had crashed to the net. Naurato got off a quick shot that beat the Ohio State net minder for the score. Miller got the lone assist on the game winning goal.

The game would come to an end with Michigan holding on to a four to three score for the win. Michigan out shot the Buckeyes ten to seven in the period, but the Buckeyes ended the game with a thirty-eight to twenty-nine advantage in shots on goal.

It would have been less nerve wracking had the Wolverines finished off some of their chances in the opening period and buried the Buckeyes early in the game, but that just wasn't to be as the Wolverines continue to struggle on Friday night. Of course the difference in this Fridays game and the last couple of Fridays games is that Michigan won the game. Now all they have to do to lock up second place in the CCHA is win tomorrow night against these same Buckeyes.