Wolverines Cage Wildcats

Friday, March 9, 2007
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Wolverines scored three times in the first period and then rode that three goal lead to their first win in this best of three quarter final match up in the CCHA tournament quarter finals. Using strong defense and excellent goal tending Michigan was able to keep the Northern scoring chances to a minimum, giving up just one goal to the visiting Wildcats on the way to the four to one victory.

The games first score came with the man advantage after a series of penalties left the Wolverines on the power play. It started with the clock just under sixteen minutes when one player from each team was sent to the penalty box. With just three seconds left in those penalties and the clock just under fourteen minutes the Wolverines were whistled for a penalty. With just under thirteen minutes, one minute left in the Northern power play, the Wildcats were whistled for a penalty ending their power play and setting Michigan up for a power play of their own. With just over eleven minutes to play, thirty-eight seconds left in the Michigan power play, the Wolverines would strike for the games first goal. Hensick had the puck behind the Michigan net when he broke out and skated out between the circles when he fired off a pass to Hunwick just outside the blue line. Hunwick put on a burst of speed, flying down the right side boards. As he reached the face off circles in the Wildcat zone he fired off a cannon of a shot that beat the Wildcat net minder, sailing into the top far corner of the goal. Hensick and Sauer each picked up an assist on the power play goal.

With the clock under the three minute mark there was a face off in the Wildcat zone to the right of the goal. Out of the scramble for the puck the Wolverines got control, eventually getting the puck to Summers. He skated through the crease from right to left, tucking the puck in behind the Northern goalie as he passed by his left side. Cogliano and Kolarik each picked up assists on the goal.

With under one minute to play there was a mad scramble in front of the Wildcat net for the puck. Michigan got off several shots in a short period of time before Roholfs finally got enough on the puck to get it over the line. The goal light never went on, but the play was immediately reviewed. After a short review the goal stood and Michigan had their three goal lead. Lebler and Hensick each picked up assists on the goal.

The first period would come to an end with Michigan holding a three to nothing lead. The Wolverines had a slight ten to nine advantage in shots on goal.

Just over a minute into the second period the Wildcats would score a goal to cut the Michigan lead to two. Michigan turned the puck over at center ice and the Wildcats got control, quickly feeding it up to a player skating hard into the Wolverine zone. He skated in through the left circle and got off a shot from a low angle that beat Sauer high over the glove.

That would be the extent of the scoring in the middle stanza, leaving Michigan with a three to one lead after two periods. Michigan out shot Northern fourteen to seven in the second period to hold a twenty-four to sixteen advantage in shots on goal through forty minutes of play.

The score stayed three to one through the final period of play, with Michigan scoring their fourth and final goal with less than one minute to play. With about one minute left to play Northern pulled their goalie to get an extra attacker. With just fifty seconds to play Michigan chipped the puck out of their zone, Cogliano got to it, carrying it just inside the Wildcat zone before firing it into the empty net. Dest and Kolarik each picked up assists on the goal.

The game would come to an end with the Wolverines in control, winning by a score of four to one. Michigan out shot Northern fourteen to six in the period to end the game with a thirty-eight to twenty-two advantage in shots on goal.

The Wolverines will need another night just like tonight if they hope to sweep this series and advance to the CCHA semi-finals. Back in January the Wolverines beat Northern by playing a solid game, only to come out flat on Saturday night only to see the Wildcats split the series. The Wolverines cannot afford to come out flat tomorrow, they need to come harder than they did tonight because you know Northern is going to. The Wildcats know they can win in this building, they also know that they came from behind at Ohio State last weekend to even advance to the quarter finals. The Wildcats will have plenty of confidence coming into tomorrow nights game and the Wolverines must counter that right out of the gate or it could become a very long night. They don't want to get into a situation where they have to win a game by going to Sunday, making tomorrow nights game that much more important.