Friday, January 16, 2009
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

In what appears to have been an all to obvious case of not taking their opponent seriously the Michigan Wolverines didn't even bother to show up for their game tonight against the visiting Bowling Green Falcons. The end result was an embarrassing three to nothing loss on home ice that all but ended any realistic chance Michigan had of taking first place in the CCHA.

With the clock just under the eleven minute mark the Falcons got the scoring started, scoring what was not only the games first goal, but the goal that would prove to be the game winner. Bowling Green dug the puck out of the corner, getting it behind the Michigan net. A quick pass out front into the slot found a waiting Falcon who fired a laser of a shot that sailed over Hogans shoulder, into the net for the score.

The first period would come to an end with the Falcons holding that slim one to nothing lead. Michigan held a similarly slim four to three lead in shots on goal.

Neither team would score in the second period with the Falcon lead remaining at one to nothing after forty minutes of play. Michigan out shot the Falcons thirteen to seven in the period to hold a seventeen to ten advantage in shots on goal.

With just over fifteen minutes to play Michigan was whistled for a five minute major penalty when Vaughan was hit with a hitting from behind penalty in the corner. It took nearly the entire five minutes, but with just over eleven minutes to play in the game the Falcons scored a power play goal to extend their lead to two. Scooping up the puck to the right of the net, just below the goal line a Falcon player flipped a back hand shot past Hogan for the score.

With just under six minutes to play and each team skating with four players the Falcons would strike for the third time to seal the win. The Falcons forced a turn over near the Michigan blue line. A Falcon player came right down the slot, split two Michigan players, and blasted the puck low, beating Hogan for the third time.

The game would come to an end with the Falcons winning by a score of three to nothing. Michigan out shot Bowling Green twelve to seven in the final period to end the game with a twenty-nine to seventeen advantage in shots on goal.

Just when it had started to look like this Michigan team had finally found itself and was building up a head of steam for a second half run, it all came crashing down tonight with this loss to the last place Falcons. While the Falcons are admittedly a better team than their record would indicate, they are also a team that Michigan should have been able to beat, especially on home ice. Instead of coming out and playing with a sense of urgency the Wolverines looked more like they were sleep walking. They played with no urgency, no passion, appearing to think they simply had to show up and the game would be given to them. Unfortunately for Michigan nobody told the Falcons that were expected to roll over and hand the game to Michigan. The Falcons hit the ice skating hard and playing with an urgency that Michigan couldn't muster. In the end Falcons were rewarded for coming to play while the Wolverines also got exactly what they earned - an embarrassing loss on home ice to the leagues last place team.