Wolverines Crush Chargers

Friday, October 13, 2006
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Wolverines put to rest any concern about playing on Friday the thirteenth as they scored early and often on their way to an eight to one victory over the visiting Chargers from Alabama-Huntsville.

Michigan got things going early, scoring their first goal of the game with just over nineteen minutes still on the clock in the opening period. Using a couple of crisp passes Michigan moved the puck out of their zone and up the ice, putting it on the stick of a streaking Hensick as he passed through center ice. Hensick carried the puck into the Charger zone, closed on the goal, and slid the puck through the five hole for the score. Hensick picked up the goal, while Rohlfs and Porter each picked up an assist.

With the clock just under fourteen minutes and Michigan just seconds away from killing a penalty of their own, the Chargers made their first trip to the penalty box. Michigan moved to the power play, wasting little time to once again find the back of the Charger net. Michigan won the face off following the Charger penalty and worked the puck up the left boards. Michigan got the puck to the left circle, taking an off speed shot that somehow got past the goalie for the score. Lebler got credit for the power play goal, while Kolarik and Cogliano each picked up assists. Following this second goal the Chargers called a time out and changed goalies, but that would prove to be far from enough on this night.

With just over twelve minutes to play Michigan made another end to end rush, resulting in their third goal, all within the first ten minutes of the opening period. Once again this run started deep in the Michigan zone and once again it was a couple of very crisp passes that moved the puck up the ice quickly. In earily similar fashion the puck hit Hensicks stick in stride and he once again closed on the Charger goal, firing the puck through the five hold for the score. Rohlfs and Porter each picked up assists on the goal.

The first period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a three to nothing score. The Wolverines had a nine to six advantage in shots on goal after the first twenty minutes of play.

The second period started much the same as the first, with Michigan scoring a goal inside the first minute of play. This time it was a great pass from behind the net out front to Cogliano. Cogliano hesitated just a split second, waiting for just the right opening, then he fired off a laser of a shot that put the puck into the top corner of the net. Kalorik and Johnson each picked up an assist on the goal.

A couple of minutes later, with the clock just under the seventeen minute mark, Michigan got off a bit of a weak shot from the boards that was easily blocked. However, the rebound was not covered and it popped out in front of the net. In an attempt to cover the puck the Charger goalie went after the puck, but it squirted farther away from the goal. Rather than return to his net the goalie continued to pursue the puck ending up way out of position, leaving the net wide open. From the bottom of the left circle Rohlfs got off a back hand shot that slid into the net for the score. Naurato and Hensick each picked up an assist on the score.

With just over eleven minutes left in the second period Michigan would get whistled for a penalty that would end up costing them their shut out. The Wolverines would almost get the penalty killed off, but they had trouble clearing the puck, giving the Chargers far to many chances at the Michigan net. With the clock just under ten minutes and just thirty-one seconds left in the power play the Chargers managed to chip the puck past Sauer for the score.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of five to one. Michigan would out shoot the Chargers seventeen to thirteen, to end two periods of play with a twenty-six to nineteen advantage in shots on goal.

The Chargers were whistled for a penalty at the twenty minute mark of the second period, so at the start of the final period Michigan has 1:17 of penalty time to kill and the Chargers had a full two minutes. With the clock just under nineteen minutes, with roughly six seconds left in the Michigan penalty and fifty seconds left in the Charger penalty, the Chargers were whistled for another penalty putting Michigan on the power play. With just over eighteen minutes left to play, while skating with a two man advantage, Michigan would score thier sixth goal of the game. The Wolverines had been passing the puck around the perimeter of the Charger zone, not really mounting much pressure. Then from just inside the blue line Kampfer got off a blast that beat the Charger net minder for the score. Mitera and Cogliano each picked up assists on the power play goal.

Both teams would have to kill off a number of penalties through most of the rest of the period. As the period started to wind down Michigan would once again be on the power play and once again the Wolverines would make the Chargers pay the price. With the clock just under two minutes Michigan would get off a blast from between the circles that would beat the Charger goalie for yet another power play goal. Kolarik would get credit for the goal, while Johnson and Hunwick each picked up assists.

With just 20.7 seconds left to play in the game Michigan would score thier final goal of the game. Johnson would get control of the puck and skate through center ice, basically keeping it away from the Chargers. Suddenly an opening presented itself and he skated into the Charger zone. As he got to the top of the right circle he fired off a rocket of a shot that beat the Charger goalie to the wide side to score Michigan's eigth and final goal of the game. Ward picked up the lone assist on the goal.

The game would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of eight to one. The Chargers would out shoot the Wolverines fourteen to ten in the final period, but Michigan would end the game with a thirty-six to thirty-three advantage in shots on goal.

While the Chargers certainly gave thier all in this game, they were clearly over matched by the much bigger and faster Wolverines. The score could have easily been worse had the Wolverines not gotten a little complacent through the middle of the game. Its hard to draw many conclusions from this game and it will likely be just as difficult to draw any conclusions after tomorrow nights game against Connecticut. Hopefully Michigan gets enough out of this weekends games to be ready for thier first CCHA battle against last years conference champion, the Miami Redhawks.