Saturday, January 26, 2008
Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, Michigan

Following last nights one goal loss to the visiting Spartans the Wolverines headed to East Lansing looking for a road win of their own. While they didn't find a win they managed to come out of the game with a two to two tie, earning a point in the race for the CCHA championship. With two games yet to play against the Spartans later in February there is still much to be decided between these two cross state rivals.

Both teams spent plenty of time in the penalty box in the first twenty minutes of this game, but that was about all the excitement there was in the opening stanza of play. The first period would come to an end with the score all tied up at zero. The Spartans out shot the Wolverines ten to three in the period.

With just over fourteen minutes to play in the second the Spartans were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play for the first time in the second period. They didn't take very long as the Wolverines maneuvered the puck into position, firing off a shot that beat the Spartan goal tender for the games first score. Kolarik was behind the goal line with the puck when he slipped a pass out front to Pacioretty who quickly fired off a shot to the wide side of the net, scoring the goal. Kolarik and Palushaj each picked up assists on the power play goal.

With eight and half minutes top play both teams sent players to the penalty box, but the Wolverines sent one extra putting the Spartans on the power play. With the clock still just over the eight minute mark the Wolverines were whistled for a second penalty, giving the Spartans a two man advantage for 1:34. Just ten seconds later, with the clock showing exactly eight minutes to play, the Spartans scored the first of two consecutive power play goals to take the lead. This goal was a shot from the blue line that beat Sauer on his stick side.

While that Spartan score brought one Michigan player back onto the ice, it left the Spartans still skating with a man advantage. With just over seven minutes on the clock the Spartans would score power play goal number two, just forty-five seconds after scoring their first. This time the shot came from the top of the right circle, beating Sauer again and putting the Spartans in the lead.

The second period would come to an end with the Spartans holding a two to one lead. The Wolverines out shot the Spartans fifteen to seven in the period to end forty minutes of play with an eighteen to seventeen advantage in shots on goal.

It looked like the Spartans were on their way to sweeping the weekend when the Wolverines pulled out a goal with less than two minutes to play to tie the game and force over time. Rust looked to make a pass through the crease from right to left, but the puck was high causing a Spartan defenseman to swat at the puck. When he made contact with the puck he redirected it past the Spartan goal tender and into the net giving Michigan the score. Rust got credit for the score while Hagelin picked up the lone assist.

Regulation time would come to an end with the score all tied at two goals each. Each team registered thirteen shots on goal in the final period of play to give the Wolverines a thirty-one to thirty edge in shots on goal through sixty minutes of play.

In the over time period the Spartans registered four shots on goal to none for Michigan to give them an overall thirty-four to thirty-one advantage in shots on goal for the game. The score remained tied at two goals after the extra five minutes of play.

The Wolverines certainly had hoped for a better outcome for this weekend, but they did pick up a point and they do still have to more chances against the Spartans so they can still even things out in the season series. Few expected the Wolverines to make it through their second half schedule unscathed and this weekend was a weekend where things didn't go so well for them. At times this weekend, especially Friday, Michigan looked like the young team they are. I'm sure everyone involved learned some valuable lessons that will only help Michigan compete stronger as the season moves on and the games become ever more important.