Sunday, January 11, 2009
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

It took an extra day to get there, but the Michigan Wolverines completed their pay back sweep of the visiting Redhawks with a four to nothing victory. Michigan again scored in the first five minutes of the opening period to set the tone for the night and just steadily over powered the Redhawks as the game wore on.

With the clock just under the sixteen minute mark the Wolverines had the puck in the Redhawk zone, behind the goal. Making a quick pass out front of the net to Glendening who just as quickly punched the puck into the net for the goal opened the scoring for the Wolverines. Wohlberg and Vaughan each picked up assists on the goal.

The first period came to an end with the Wolverines leading by a score of one to nothing. Michigan also held a slim eight to seven advantage in shots on goal.

With just under eight minutes to play in the second period the Redhawks were whistled for a five minute major penalty. It took the Wolverines a while to get there, but they finally scored a power play goal with about four and half minutes left in the period. While they had trouble getting things setup in the Redhawk zone they finally managed to get into the zone and started working the puck around. They eventually got the puck down in tight to the net, getting off a shot that was blocked, but the puck was not covered leaving it on the ice. In a wild scramble for the puck Rust finally got his stick on it and punched it home for the score. Summers and Kampfer each picked up assists on the power play goal.

The second period came to an end with the Wolverines leading by a score of two to nothing. Miami out shot the Wolverines nine to seven in the period to hold a sixteen to fifteen advantage in shots on goal through forty minutes of play.

With about fifteen and half minutes left in the game the Wolverines would score their third goal with a shot from the slot between the circles. Michigan had the puck in the Redhawk zone when Wohlberg came skating into the zone from neutral ice. As he got between the circles he was fed the puck and he let fly a wrist shot while skating through the area. The shot went high over the glove, knicking the cross bar, and finally falling to the ice in the goal. Llewellyn and Caporusso each picked up assists on the goal.

With roughly one and half minutes to play in the game the Redhawks were whistled for another penalty putting Michigan back on the power play. With just thirty-eight seconds left to play Michigan found the back of the net for the fourth time. Kampfer got off a shot from between the circles which was blocked, but the rebound came back to Kampfer and on his second attempt he hit pay dirt with the score. Miller and Glendening each picked up assists on the power play goal.

The game came to an end with the Wolverines winning by a score of four to nothing. Michigan out shot Miami thirteen to two in the final period to end the game with a twenty-eight to eighteen advantage in shots on goal.

These two wins were absolutely critical for the Wolverines if they wanted to continue on their quest for a second straight CCHA championship. Michigan needed the sweep to offset the sweep by Miami over the Wolverines earlier in the year. Michigan still needs a little help to overtake the Redhawks, but they are now in striking distance after these wins. Next week is a home and home series with Bowling Green and once again they are must win games for the Wolverines if they want to stay in the hunt. Probably the biggest challenge for Michigan this week is to not take Bowling Green lightly as they are squeezed in between this weeks Miami games and the next two games against Michigan State in two weeks.