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Wolverines Battle Back For Win Over Badgers
Friday, November 24, 2006
Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin
Michigan got off a somewhat slow start, falling behind by two goals in the
first period, but as they game wore on the Wolverines came on, tying the game in
the second only to fall behind by another goal before the end of that period. In
the final period of play the Wolverines struck for two goals in a twenty-seven second
span of time to take the lead, a lead they would not relinquish on their way to a
four to three victory over the host Badgers.
The Badgers would notch the games first goal with just over ten minutes left
to play in the opening stanza. Wisconsin had a two on one break into the Michigan
zone, moving the puck from left to right. Michigan managed to deflect the pass, but they
didn't deflect it enough allowing it to squeeze through to the second Badger player
who got it past Sauer who was a little off balance from following the puck.
With roughly four and half minutes to play Wisconsin was sent to the sin bin for a
penalty, giving Michigan their second power play of the period. The power play was
just about over when a Badger player intercepted a pass in his own zone and headed down
the right side boards, into the Michigan zone. Has he got to the right face off circle
he got off a shot that beat Sauer. The short handed goal put the Badgers up two to
nothing.
The first period would come to an end with the Badgers holding a two to nothing
lead. The Badgers also out shot the Wolverines by an eleven to six count.
Michigan hit the ice flying in the second period, finding the back of the Badger
net with the clock just under the nineteen minute mark. This scoring drive got started
when Cogliano put on a burst of speed down the right side to lead a two on one break
into the Badger zone. With defense drifting to him Cogliano snapped off a pass to
Miller who was positioned at the left post. Miller wasted no time punching the puck
into the net for the first Wolverine score. Miller got credit for the goal, with
Cogliano and Kolarik each picking up assists.
With just over ten minutes to play the Badgers would once again put Michigan on
the power play as they sent another player to the sin bin. Michigan used some quick,
passing to move the puck around the Wisconsin zone, moving the puck quickly from
the left side to the right side, and then just as quickly into the high slot. The
Badger goalie was going one way when Hensick fired off a shot from the slot that flew
into the open side of the net before the goalie could recover and get back in position.
Assists on the power play goal went to Cogliano and Porter.
About a minute after tying the game the Wolverines were whistled for a penalty giving
the Badgers a power play. While the Wolverines managed to kill off that Badger power
play, the Badgers managed to score just seconds after the power play ended when they
got off a quick pass from the right side of the goal to the left, where the puck was
quickly punched into the net behind Sauer.
After forty minutes of play the Badgers still held the lead by a score three to two. Michigan
out shot the Badgers sixteen to eleven in the period, leaving both teams with twenty-two
shots on goal at the end of two.
The teams battled up and down the ice with Michigan having a couple of spurts of sustained
pressure that the Badgers were able to survive. That would all change with roughly eleven
and a half minutes to play in the period when Michigan would once again tie the game. Hensick
was driving down the slot, moving around Badger players and drawing the defense to him when
he got off a no-look back handed pass to Rohlfs who was just outside the crease to the
right of the goal. The pass caught everyone off guard as Rohlfs made the easy tap in
for the score, once again tying the game for Michigan. Hensick and Summers each picked
up assists on the score.
The tie would last just twenty-seven seconds, this time giving way to Michigan as
the Wolverines took their first lead of the game off a Cogliano score. With the clock
just under nine minutes Porter received a pass from Hunwick, quickly passing the puck
to Cogliano. Cogliano got off a shot far quicker than the Badger defense was expecting. The
goalie got his blocker on the puck, but the shot had so much sizzle on it that it managed
to get across the goal line anyway to give Michigan their first lead of the game. Porter
and Rohlfs each picked up assists on the score.
The Badgers would fight hard to get the game back to even, but Michigan matched that
energy tying the puck up in the Badger zone in the late going forcing them to keep
their goal tender in the game. Wisconsin managed to pull the goalie with just twenty-three
seconds left to play, giving them the extra attacker. While they came close to scoring
in the final seconds Sauer turned all shots away and the final buzzer sounded with Michigan
holding on for the four to three victory. The Badgers out shot the Wolverines fifteen
to twelve in the final period to end the game with a thirty-seven to thirty-four advantage
in shots on goal.
This was a big win for the Wolverines, extending their winning streak to seven games, and
more importantly giving them a win in the College Hockey Showcase for the first time in
three years. It's also significant that Michigan was able to battle back from behind
twice in this road game. Michigan may have experienced a little fatigue in the opening period
as they were a bit sluggish, but they really got things going in the second and their speed
helped to open up scoring chances in the final two periods of play. The Wolverines now
have just one game left in this grueling stretch of the schedule, traveling over to
Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday night.
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