Saturday, December 29, 2007
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan

It took two and a half minutes of a second overtime period before either team could get a puck past the two goalies in this game. Unfortunately after the games they played one of these goalies had to lose, fortunately for Michigan it was the Michigan Tech goalie as the Wolverines scored the game winner early in the second overtime to get the one to nothing win.

Both teams saw scoring chances while at even strength and while on the power play, but nether team could find a way to get the puck in the net as the first period of play came to an end with the score all tied at zero. Michigan held a slight thirteen to twelve advantage in shots on goal.

The defensive struggle continued into the second period as once again both teams saw scoring chances come and go. After forty minutes of hockey the score was still tied at zero. The Huskies out shot the Wolverines ten to six in this period giving them a twenty-two to nineteen advantage in shots on goal through two periods.

Defense? Check. Scoring chances? Check. Power plays? Check. No Score? Check. That's right, after sixty full minutes of hockey the score in this game is still knotted at zero. The Wolverines out shot the Huskies twelve to six in this period giving Michigan a thirty-one to twenty-eight advantage in shots on goal at the end of regulation time. They will play sudden victory overtime periods until this game is decided.

With eighty minutes in the books and the end of the first overtime period, the score remains tied at zero. Michigan out shot Michigan Tech twelve to nine in this first overtime period giving Michigan a forty-three to thirty-seven advantage in shots on goal after eighty minutes of play.

Just two and half minutes into the second overtime period the Wolverines scored the game and tournament winning goal off a redirected puck in front of the net. The puck came from the left face off circle, sliding through the slot when Turnbull got his stick on it, redirecting it behind the shifting goalie for the score. Turnbull got the goal while Vaughn and Naurato each picked up assists.

The Wolverines win the game by a score of one to nothing. The Wolverines register three shots on goal in the second overtime period to none for the Huskies giving Michigan a forty-six to thirty-seven advantage in shots on goal at the end of the game.

What an incredible game that was with the Wolverines and Huskies going at it for over eighty minutes before one of them could get the game winner. After seeing the big name players miss scoring chances all game long it would be a somewhat unexpected Travis Turnbull playing hero with the game winner. The bottom line is that Michigan picked up two big wins to start the second half, won their first GLI title in a decade (12th overall), and they have a goalie that hasn't given up a goal in something like 160+ minutes. All this with four top players at the World Junior Championships. The second half looks like it could be interesting to say the least.

Michigan placed a majority of players on the all tournament team. They included Porter, Turnbull, Mitera, and Sauer with Sauer also named Most Valuable Player.