Wolverines Survive Huskies

Friday, October 27, 2006
Yost Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

While the Wolverines certainly played better than last Friday nights outing, the visiting Huskies from Northeastern spent long stretches of this game out working the Wolverines, keeping them off balance and unable to get into any kind of offensive flow. It would take a power play goal in the first two minutes of over time before Michigan could put this one in the win column, but they eventually did, winning by a margin of four to three.

With the clock just under seventeen minutes in the opening period the Huskies made their first trip to the penalty box and on this occasion Michigan would make them pay. As the clock neared the sixteen minute mark Northeastern cleared the puck, with Michigan gathering it up at central ice and heading back into the Huskie zone. Using a couple of nice, quick passes Michigan was in close to the right of the goal. Just as quickly as they had moved it into the Huskie zone, they chipped it behind the goal tender for the games first score. Rohlfs got credit for the power play goal, while Hensick and Porter each picked up an assist.

Starting with just over eleven minutes to play Michigan would real off four consecutive penalties, eventually ending up down two men with just over five minutes to go. The Huskies applied great pressure, relentlessly closing down on the Michigan goal. Michigan, unable to clear the puck, eventually succumbed to the pressure giving up the power play goal to the Huskies to tie the game.

The first period would come to an end with the game all tied at one goal each. The Huskies held a slim ten to nine advantage in shots on goal.

Much like the first period the Huskies would go to the sin bin with the clock just under seventeen minutes. Just as the clock moved under the sixteen minute mark Michigan would score their second power play goal of the night to regain the lead. The Wolverines hadn't gotten much pressure on this power play, but things happened suddenly with Hensick behind the goal with the puck. Making a quick move TJ popped out on the right side of the goal, made a quick pass over to the left where Porter was waiting to poke the puck into the net for the power play goal. Hensick and Rohlfs each picked up an assist on the goal.

With just over fourteen minutes to play in the period two Wolverines and one Huskie headed to their respective penalty boxes, giving Northeastern a power play. Using some great passing that had Michigan jumping all over the place the Huskies opened up a gap in the Michigan penalty kill that allowed the Northeastern to punch home their second power play goal of the game to once again tie the contest.

At the same time Northeastern scored the tying goal Michigan picked up yet another penalty to keep the Huskies on the power play. Less than a minute later, with the clock just under the twelve minute mark, Michigan picked up their second penalty to once again give the Huskies a two man advantage. Just as they did in the first when they had the two man advantage the Huskies would find an opening, this time straight out from the goal, getting off a shot that sailed between Sauer and the pipe for the score and the lead.

Michigan finally started to show some life in the final minutes of this period and were scrambling all over the ice trying to make something happen. Off a face off to the right of the Northeastern goalie Michigan moved the puck quickly around the Huskie zone as time ticked away in the period. Finally with just 4.2 seconds left on the clock the puck popped out front, dropping to the ice right where Kolarik could get his stick on it. Wasting no time he popped it up into the net to score Michigan's third goal of the game. Kolarik gets the goal, while Cogliano and Miller each picked up an assist on the goal.

The second period would come to an end with the score all tied at three goals each. Michigan out shot the Huskies thirteen to nine in the second to end forty minutes of play with a twenty-two to nineteen advantage in shots on goal.

Both teams would have chances to win the game in the final twenty minutes of the game, but neither team would be able to find the back of the net. Regulation time would end with the score still tied at three goals each. Michigan out shot the Huskies eight to four in the period to end sixty minutes of play with a thirty to twenty-three advantage in shots on goal.

The Huskies had been whistled for a penalty with just thirty-five seconds to play so Michigan started the five minute over time period with over a minute of power play time. With the clock just under four minutes, just eighteen seconds left in the power play, Johnson would get off a monster of a slap shot from just inside the blue line that was redirected by Porter down in front of the goal for the score. Porter would pick up his second power play goal of the night with both Johnson and Hunwick picking up assists on the game winner.

The games final score would be four to three as Michigan prevailed in the overtime period for the win. Michigan got the one shot on goal to end the game with a thirty-one to twenty-three advantage in shots on goal.

Northeastern gave Michigan everything they could handle tonight, forcing the game into overtime and coming very close to picking up a win at Yost. The Wolverines will have to come out playing a much more consistent game of hockey tomorrow night if they want to cap off the weekend sweep. Michigan has to find a way to get some jump in their game as a brutal month of games looms on the horizon. Playing the way they are right now they will find themselves on the losing end of more of those games than they win, something that could take them out of the CCHA and NCAA picture before the Christmas break.