Saturday, February 16, 2008
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

In a game that was eerily like last nights the Wolverines had to battle and scrap the full sixty minutes before finally sealing the win with an empty net goal on their way to a four to two victory and a sweep of the visiting Lakers. Tonights win, coupled by the unexpected sweep of Miami by Ferris now leaves Michigan in first place in the CCHA with a solid five point lead.

With roughly six and half minutes to play the Lakers were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. Winning a face off just outside the Laker blue line Caporusso got control of the puck and drove hard into the Laker zone. As he closed on the net he cut left to right and buried a shot for the power play goal with just over five minutes still on the clock. The goal was scored as unassisted.

Barely forty-five seconds later, with about four and half minutes to play the Wolverines would score their second goal of the game. Michigan pushed the puck through center ice getting the puck to Rust. Rust put on a burst of speed also cutting left to right in front of the net before burying the puck through the five hole for the score. Palushaj and Summers each picked up assists on the score.

The first period would come to an end with the Wolverines leading by a score of two to nothing. The Wolverines held a nine to eight advantage in shots on goal.

With just under twelve minutes to play Michigan was sent to the penalty box putting the Lakers on the power play. As the power play wound down Michigan was unable to clear the puck, giving the Lakers a number of late scoring chances. Finally, with the clock just under ten minutes the Lakers were given one to many chances and the got the puck past Hogan for the score.

It looked like the period might end with no further scoring but with just twenty-three seconds left in the period Michigan would score their third goal of the game to take a two goal lead into the second intermission. Michigan was rolling lines late in the period when Caporusso came off the bench and skated hard right to the net. Turnbull passed the puck from behind the net out front to Caporusso who buried it before the goal tender knew what happened. Turnbull and Vaughan each picked up assists on the goal.

The second period would come to an end with the Wolverines leading by a score of three to one. Michigan out shot the Lakers nine to seven in the period to hold an eighteen to fifteen advantage in shots on goal.

With just under six minutes to play the Lakers got a shot off from the blue line that Hogan was in position to stop. However, just as the puck passed between the circles the it hit a skate or a leg and deflected hard to the right getting past Hogan before he could react to the new trajectory. Just like the previous night the Lakers had cut the Michigan lead to one late in the final period.

With just over two minutes to play the Lakers were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. With about thirty seconds to play the Lakers pulled their goalie and with just fifteen seconds to play Turnbull was able to shoot the puck toward and into the empty net from center ice. The empty net goal, just like an empty net goal the previous night, sealed the win and the sweep. Winnett and Hogan each picked up an assist on the empty net power play goal.

The game would come to an end with the Wolverines winning by a score of four to two. The Lakers out shot the Wolverines eight to six in the period to leave Michigan with a twenty-four to twenty-three advantage in shots on goal for the game.

It wasn't the greatest weekend of hockey as the Wolverines had some solid stretches of play and some stretches of play where they struggled. All in all they played well enough to win and that is what counts. They can now set their focus on their final two games against rival Michigan State. With just four games left in the regular season and a five point lead in the conference Michigan needs just two wins (or four points) out of those final four games to seal the conference championship.