Saturday, October 13, 2007
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota

This young Wolverine squad continued to show well in the Ice Breaker tournament, coming up just short in their second upset bid of the weekend, falling to the hosting Gophers by a four to three score. The Gophers got out to an early two goal lead, but Michigan kept fighting back. However, while the Wolverines carried much of the play in the final two periods they couldn't get any closer than one goal, leading to the eventual Gopher victory.

The Gophers, who got off to a slow start the night before, hit the ice flying in this contest and really had Michigan scrambling for most of the opening period of play. Even with the extra energy it would take almost twelve minutes before the Gophers would score their first goal. With just over eight minutes to play a Gopher player got off a shot from the right point that hit a player right in front of the goal, deflecting past Sauer for the score.

Less than twenty seconds later the Gophers would notch goal number two when they carried the puck down the left boards, beating a Michigan defender to gain the Michigan zone uncontested. As the Gopher skater passed across in front of the goal, moving from left to right, he tucked the puck in behind Sauer on his right hand side.

The first period would come to an end with the Gophers leading by a score of two to nothing. Shots on goal were even at nine each.

With just over eleven minutes to play in the second period Michigan would cut the Gopher lead to one goal. Miller got the puck down the left boards and behind the Minnesota goal before chopping it toward the net. Winnett knocked the puck past the right post sending it once again below the goal line. Miller, still behind the net, flipped the puck back out front to Rust who quickly poked it past the net minder for the score. Rust got credit for the goal, while Miller and Winnett each picked up assists.

The second period would come to an end with the Gophers still leading by a two to one score. The Wolverines out shot the Gophers twenty to seven in the period to hold a twenty-nine to sixteen advantage in shots on goal after forty minutes of play.

Minnesota regained their two goal lead barely a minute into the final period when a Gopher player skated behind the net, stepping back out in front of the goal on the left side of the net. From there he was able to snap off a shot that sent the puck between the left post and Sauer's blocker.

About two minutes later, with the clock just under the seventeen minute mark, the Wolverines would once again cut the Gopher lead to one. Porter got off a back hand shot that was turned away, but the puck wasn't covered, dropping to the ice to the left of the goal. Kampfer was right there to lift the puck up and over the Minnesota goalie and into the open net. Kampfer with the goal, while Porter and Kolarik each picked up assists.

Once again the Gophers would answer the bell, regaining their two goal lead barely two minutes later, scoring a goal with just over fourteen and half minutes to play. The Gophers had the puck in the Michigan zone and a Michigan defender had poked checked the puck away. However, a second Gopher player was in the right place at the right time, getting to the puck and getting off a shot before the Michigan defense could get repositioned.

With roughly nine and half minutes to play in the game Michigan would score their third goal on a break away. Miller got the puck up the ice to rust at the Minnesota blue line. Rust carried the puck into the Gopher zone and to the net. As he closed on the goal he put the puck high, just under the cross bar and into the net. Rust got credit for the goal, while Miller picked up the lone assist.

The third period would come to an end with Minnesota winning by a four to three score. Michigan out shot Minnesota eighteen to six in the final period to end the game with a forty-seven to twenty-two advantage in shots on goal.

While they didn't win the tournament this weekend can hardly be considered anything but a success. They worked hard for a win Friday night, beating Boston College. Then tonight they gave Minnesota all they could handle. With such a young team, their ability to basically evenly compete with a couple of the countries top teams is very encouraging. There will likely be some ups and some downs this year, but the initial look at this years edition of the hockey team gives reason to believe that this team could be better than first thought.