Saturday, February 9, 2008
Steve Cady Arena, Oxford, Ohio

It was an offensive showcase tonight as the nations top two scoring teams squared off in the weekends second head to head contest, leading to an eventual five to five tie. The teams battled up and down the ice with Miami leading through most of the first two periods, but Michigan wouldn't go away. Michigan finally moved out to a two goal lead early in the third period, only to see Miami tie it up late in the same period to force over time. It was everything you would expect in a matchup between the nations top two teams.

Just like the previous night Michigan would score first in this game, putting the puck in the net just 1:07 into the game. Miami was whistled for the games first penalty just seventeen seconds into the game. From a face off to the left of the Miami goal, Miami got the puck, trying to pass it behind the Michigan net to the other side. Instead Michigan jumped the pass behind the net, quickly feeding the puck out front to Turnbull who skated a couple of steps to the goalies left, causing the goalie to move, creating an opening through the five hole that Turnbull took full advantage of to score the games first goal. Naurato picked up the lone assist on the power play goal.

With the clock just under thirteen minutes it would be Michigan heading to the penalty box to give Miami their first power play of the night. With the clock under twelve minutes Miami would score a power play goal of their own to tie the game. Miami got behind the Michigan defense with numbers, getting a rocket of a shot off right down the slot that beat Sauer for the score.

With just five and half minutes to play in the first period Mitera was battling a Miami player for the puck along the boards. Mitera, skating backward, could not see that he was closing in on an official who was standing along the boards. While the official could see the players approaching and could see that the Michigan player had his back turned, he made no move to get out of the way of the play. Mitera collided with the official falling to the ice, allowing the Miami player to break clean into the Michigan zone, walk in on the goal, jamming the puck past Sauer to give Miami the lead late in the period.

The first period would come to an end with the Redhawks holding a two to one lead. Miami also held a slim ten to nine advantage in shots on goal.

Just twenty-three seconds into the second period the Wolverines would score their second goal of the game to once again tie the score. Miami got the puck behind their own net and attempted to make a clearing pass up the slot. Pacioretty intercepted the pass and unleashed a shot that beat the net minder for the score. It was recorded as an unassisted goal.

The score remained tied at two until the clock moved under the ten minute mark when the Redhawks would score their third goal of the game. Firing a shot from the blue line Miami was able to squeeze the puck between Sauer and the post for the score. There was a lot of traffic in front of the goal creating a screen on Sauer that kept him from seeing the puck until it was too late.

With just under seven minutes to play Michigan would once again tie the game, this time it was a blistering shot by Kolarik right down the slot that beat the goal tender for the score. Kolarik circled the zone, moving behind the net left to right, then through the right face off circle, and into the slot. Once in the slot at the top of the circles he fired off a one timer that was behind the goalie before he even saw the puck. Llewellyn and Summers each picked up assists on the score.

With about three and half minutes to play Miami was whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. With the clock just under three minutes, 1:17 left in the Miami penalty, Michigan was whistled for a penalty leaving each team with four players. With the clock just under the two minute mark, twenty-one seconds remaining in the initial Miami penalty, the Redhawks were whistled for a five minute major penalty putting Michigan on the power play for five minutes. With just over one minute to play, still twenty seconds in the Michigan penalty Michigan would take the lead for the first time on a great pass by Kolarik to Porter. Kolarik had the puck at the right circle, somehow getting a pass through the slot to Porter who was down low left of the goal. As soon as the puck hit is stick he got off a one timer that beat the goal tender for the score while both teams were still skating four on four. Kolarik and Pacioretty each picked up assists on the goal.

The second period would come to an end with the Wolverines holding a four to three lead. Michigan out shot the Redhawks seventeen to nine in the period to hold a twenty-six to nineteen advantage in shots on goal through forty minutes of play.

Michigan started the third period with 3:04 of power play time and the Wolverines would score a power play goal just thirty-five seconds into the period to open up a two goal lead. Porter got off a shot from the left point that was blocked. Porter got to the knocked down puck first, sliding it up the ice to Pacioretty. Pacioretty got off a shot that beat the net minder for the goal. Porter and Langlais each picked up assists on the goal.

With just over eight minutes to play the Redhawks would score their fourth goal of the game when the officials failed to whistle play dead after the puck went high into the netting behind the goal. Miami had taken a shot that was deflected high out of play into the netting. The puck bounced wildly off the netting back over the goal toward Sauer. Sauer tried to catch the flying puck, but he misplayed it, allowing a Miami player to chip it into the net. That was Miami's second goal of the game that could be directly traced back to the officials and it cut Michigan's lead to one.

With just over five minutes top play Michigan lost track of Davis, Miami's best player who was all alone to the left of the Michigan goal. A fellow Redhawk got him the puck and he buried it before Sauer or the defense could get there to help out.

Regulation time would come to an end with the game all tied at five goals each. Miami out shot Michigan thirteen to twelve in the final period, but Michigan held a thirty-eight to thirty-two advantage in shots on goal at the end of sixty minutes.

Both teams would get chances, but neither team would be able to take advantage of those chances in the overtime period leaving the score knotted at five at the end of the game. Michigan out shot the Redhawks four to three in the overtime period to end the game with a forty-two to thirty-five advantage in shots on goal.

It was a great weekend for Michigan. They went on the road and took three of four points from the hosting Redhawks to take over first place in the CCHA by a single point. Michigan has the hardest road yet to travel en-route to the end of the regular season so they will most likely have to win their remaining six games if they want to finish the season as CCHA champion. These final three weeks should be a wild ride.