Wolverines Win Second Straight Over Spartans

Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Yost Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

This was your typical Michigan vs Michigan State battle; both teams wheeling up and down the ice, knocking each other around the ice, and neither team able to get much past the goal tenders. Through all the battles the Wolverines were able to find the back of the net one more time than the Spartans to win a hard fought two to one victory.

There were only three power plays in the first period, two to Michigan and one to Michigan State, but neither team was able to score with the extra man. In fact neither team was able to score at all in the opening twenty minutes of play as the opening period ended the way it started with the score all tied at zero. The Wolverines held a slight nine to four advantage in shots on goal.

A player from each team was sent to the penalty box at the twenty minute mark of the first period, leaving both teams skating with four players each for the first two minutes of the second period. Michigan seemed to be a little flat to start this period having difficulty controlling the puck. However, the Spartans hit the ice flying and with just over nineteen minutes to play they would notch the games first goal. Scooping up the puck in the Michigan zone Kennedy would go end to end, dancing around every Wolverine player on the ice before finally stuffing the puck into the Michigan net for the score.

With just over nine minutes to play it would be Michigan State in the penalty box putting the Wolverines back on the power play. Michigan applied great pressure on this power play, moving the puck well in the Spartan zone, getting off several shots that came oh so close to finding the back of the net. Finally, Hensick was able to slip a pass through the slot to Porter who was chipped it in through the open back door. Porter got credit for the power play goal, while Hensick and Johnson each picked up assists.

The second period would come to an end with the score all tied up at one goal each. The Wolverines out shot the Spartans fourteen to ten to hold a twenty-three to fourteen advantage in shots on goal.

With the clock just under the fifteen minute mark the Spartans were once again headed to the penalty box and Michigan was once again on the power play. With roughly thirteen and a half minutes left to play Michigan would get control of the puck and sweep into the Spartan zone along the right side boards. After getting a step on a trailing Spartan player Porter slid a pass through the high slot, toward the net and over to the left of the goal where Hensick scooped it up, got a couple of steps closer to goal and fired it top shelf for the score. Porter and Cogliano each picked up assists on the Hensick power play goal.

The intensity grew as the clock began to run down with both teams taking a number of penalties through the middle of the period. Michigan was whistled for the games last penalty with just 1:37 left in the game. With 1:15 left to play the Spartans pulled their goalie to get a two man advantage. With 1:03 left Michigan trapped the puck, getting a whistle. The Spartans called time out with the face off coming in the Michigan zone. The Spartans never really got off a good scoring shot in the final minute of play as Michigan aggressively attacked on the penalty kill. They didn't find the empty net, but they kept the puck out of their zone for most of the final minute and when it was in their zone they kept it pretty much to the sides.

In the end the Wolverines held on for a two to one victory. The Spartans out shot the Wolverines eleven to five in the final period, but Michigan ended the game with a twenty-eight to twenty-five advantage in shots on goal.

This was not only a great win, but an important win for the Wolverines. This win moved Michigan into a tie for first place with Miami, each with fourteen points (Michigan still has one game in hand against the Redhawks). Now in second is Ohio State with ten points and Michigan also has a game in hand against the Buckeyes. The Spartans are in fourth place with nine points and three other teams (they have played the same number of games as Michigan). While still early in the season a five point lead over the Spartans is quite a gap to have this close to the end of the first half. Michigan has played their two games against Miami and has two games against Notre Dame (another highly ranked CCHA team) in two weeks at Yost. However, before either Michigan or Michigan State can think of December and ending the first half of play they both have to deal with Wisconsin and Minnesota in the College Hockey Showcase just three days from tonight. Michigan is riding a six game win streak and will open the Showcase against Wisconsin on Friday. After that game they will travel to Minneapolis to take on the number one ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers, another team they haven't beaten in a number of years. Those two games will test Michigan greatly as they have already played three games in the last five days and only have two off days before they hit the ice again against two very good teams.