Wolverines Get Road Sweep

Saturday, November 18, 2006
FSU Ice Arena

Last night the Michigan special teams, power play and penalty kill, were not their best weapons as they couldn't take advantage of numerous power play chances and had trouble keeping the Bulldogs from scoring when they had the man advantage. Tonight was a different story as they did give up one power play goal late in the first period, but stifled the Bulldog man advantage after that while scoring on half of their six power play chances on their way to a five to one victory.

The game would stay score less until there were just over seven minutes left to play in the opening period when Michigan would draw first blood. The Wolverines stopped a clearing attempt by Ferris just inside the Bulldog blue line, quickly getting the puck over to Cogliano who slashed through the slot, firing a shot into the top corner of the net for the score. Mitera got the lone assist on the goal.

With just forty seconds left in the opening period Ferris would score their one and only goal of the game while on the power play. With just over two minutes to play Michigan was whistled for a penalty to give the Bulldogs the extra man. They had held the Bulldogs at bay, but a mad scramble down by the net late in the power play left the net open and a Bulldog player was right there to slip the puck behind Sauer for the score.

With barely thirty seconds left in the opening period Ferris would be whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. With just five seconds left on the clock Michigan would bang the puck home for their second goal of the night, first on the power play. Hunwick got off a shot that was blocked, but the rebound went into the corner. Hunwick got to the puck passing it along the end boards to Rohlfs who was behind the net. Rohlfs came out from behind the net, shooting the puck off the Bulldog net minder and into the net. Hunwick got the lone assist on the power play goal.

The first period would come to an end with Michigan holding a slim two to one lead. The Wolverines also held a slim twelve to ten advantage in shots on goal.

With about thirteen and a half minutes to play in the second period Michigan would score on a somewhat crazy play. Michigan got control of the puck in their own zone, feeding a long pass through central ice to the Ferris blue line to Hensick who broke in on the Ferris net all alone. Hensick had the Bulldog net minder beat, but his shot hit a post. Porter kept the puck away from the Ferris net minder so he couldn't cover it and while the scramble was on for the puck Turnbull got his stick on it and slid it into the open net for the score. Porter and Hensick each got assists on the goal.

With the clock showing just under two minutes to play in the middle period Ferris was whistled for a penalty to put themselves down a man. Less than a minute later Ferris was whistled for a second penalty giving Michigan a two man advantage for the final minute of the period. Cogliano would get things started with a pass to Hensick who was down low along the goal line. Hensick would see an opening and get a pass to Kolarik in the slot who fired the puck through the five hole for the power play goal with just twenty-five seconds left in the period. Hensick and Cogliano got the two assists on the goal.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan leading by a score of four to one. The Bulldogs outshot the Wolverines thirteen to eight in the period to end two periods of play with a twenty-three to twenty advantage in shots on goal.

With thirteen minutes left in the final period the Bulldogs were once again in the sin bin and for the third time in the game the Michigan power play would come through. It would take most of the power play, but with about eleven and a half minutes left in the period Michigan would get the puck behind the goal tender for the score. Michigan got the puck quickly into the Bulldog zone when Hunwick got a pass up to Lebler along the right boards. Lebler cruised into the Bulldog zone all by himself, closed on the goal, making a nice little move to freeze the goal tender, allowing him to slide the puck into the corner of the goal for the score. Hunwick and Johnson each picked up assists on the goal.

The game would come to an end with Michigan winning by a score of five to one. The Wolverines out shot the Bulldogs fourteen to eleven in the period, with both teams ending sixty minutes of play with thirty-four shots on goal.

It took Michigan five years to get a win in Big Rapids, but when they ended that win less streak they ended it in a big way, getting their first road sweep in quite some time. The Wolverines won't get much time to think about this as they continue their march through five games in nine days, however, the competition will take a decided jump up. On Tuesday they host the Spartans in the third game of the month against their arch rival. Then on Friday and Saturday they once again hit the road to take on Wisconsin and Minnesota in the College Hockey Showcase. If Michigan can win all three of those games it would be great, but two out of three is probably more realistic. There are just to many games in to short a time against top notch competition to expect Michigan to win all of them.

Michigan needs to focus on that Tuesday night game right now. Its a CCHA game against MSU, another team expected to challenge for the CCHA title. Because the Wolverines have been winning they have started to put a little space between themselves and the rest of the CCHA, including the Spartans who have lost a game in each of the last two weekends. Michigan is now all alone in second place, just two points behind Miami with two games in hand against the Redhawks. They are three points ahead of a group of four teams with nine points that includes the Spartans. Not only would a win Tuesday move Michigan into a first place tie with Miami (still with a game in hand), but it would put five points between themselves and the Spartans and the rest of the pack who sit in third place. This is important because that group includes Notre Dame who has two games in hand on Michigan. Every win is precious right now, but the CCHA games are even more important as it looks like its going to be a tight race to the finish line once again.