Saturday, February 2, 2008
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Michigan Wolverine hockey team continues to struggle as they skated to their third consecutive tie, the second straight against the visiting Northern Michigan Wildcats. It was an eerily similar game to last nights, not only in score, but in how the game unfolded as the Wolverines led most of the game, only to fail in the third period when trying to finish the game. In the end it was their second three to three tie against Northern, their third straight tie of the season.

Michigan got things rolling early when they scored the games first goal of the night with just over sixteen minutes left in the opening period. Michigan pushed it quickly up the right wing with Palushaj dishing the puck off to Hagelin on the left. Hagelin drove in and buried the puck for the score. Hagelin got credit for the goal, while Palushaj and Mitera each picked up assists. Michigan pushed

With roughly eleven and half minutes to play the strange bounces started to happen as the Wildcats scored their first goal of the game off a strange bounce of the puck. The Wildcats moved the puck into the Michigan zone, getting to the right face off circle where they got off a shot that looked to be an easy one for the Michigan net minder to handle. Instead the puck hit a skate, a stick, or something on the ice, taking an unexpected bounce that sent it up and over the goalie, landing in the net for the score.

With just over two minutes to play the Wildcats were whistled for a penalty giving the Wolverines a chance to take the lead late in the opening period. Fifty-six seconds into the man advantage Michigan found the opening they were looking for, scoring a power play goal to take the lead. Michigan had the puck along the left boards at the blue line when they made a quick pass down low to the right of the goal. From there Caporusso got off a shot that beat the goal tender for the score. Mitera and Kampfer each picked up assists.

The first period came to an end with the Wolverines holding a slim two to one lead. Michigan out shot the Wildcats ten to seven.

With the clock just under the ten minute mark of the second period Michigan would add their third goal of the game to open up a two goal lead. Michigan got the puck to Kolarik to the right of the goal. From there he got off an fairly innocent looking shot that appeared to be blocked, but it took a funny hop off the Northern goalie, crossing the goal line for the score. Pacioretty and Porter each picked up assists on the goal.

That two goal lead didn't last long was the Wildcats scored their second goal of the game just thirty-seven seconds later, with the clock still showing over nine minutes to play. The Wildcats cleared the puck out of their zone, skated right down the ice, and pounded the puck past Hogan for the score to close the gap to one.

The second period would come to an end with the Wolverines still holding a one goal lead by a score of three to two. Michigan would out shoot Northern ten to eight to hold a twenty to fifteen advantage in shots on goal through forty minutes of play.

With the clock just one second under the thirteen minute mark the Wildcats caught the Wolverines sleeping leading to the game tying goal. They got the puck down low off to the left of the goal, then quickly passed the puck over to the right where a Wildcat player was stationed with no Wolverine even close. It was an easy task from there to slide the puck through the wide open back door.

Regulation time would come to an end with the score all tied at three goals each. Michigan out shot the Wildcats thirteen to five in the third period to take a thirty-three to twenty advantage in shots on goal into the overtime period.

Michigan would get several chances to score the game winning goal in the overtime period, but in similar fashion to last night they would not be able to convert. The game came to an end with the score tied at three goals each. Michigan out shot the Wildcats four to one in overtime to end the game with a thirty-seven to twenty-one advantage in shots on goal.

The last two weekends have been tough for the Wolverines, especially this weekend. This was a team that was very beatable, yet the Wolverines continue to struggle in the scoring department. With the games played now all even among the CCHA's top teams Miami is in first place by one point over the Wolverines and at this time they hold the tie breakers should Michigan find a way to tie them in points before the end of the season. At this point the only realistic way for Michigan to win the CCHA is to sweep the Redhawks in their arena next weekend. After seeing the Wolverines play the last two weeks that seems highly unlikely.