Friday, November 7, 2008
Carlson Center, Fairbanks, Alaska

It was a dark and gloomy night in Fairbanks, Alaska, well that's probably what the Michigan hockey team is thinking right now as they got rolled by the home standing Nanooks by a score of four to one in the opening game of this two game series. Just when it looked like Michigan had things rolling they go on the road and play with just a little less passion and end up paying for it.

With just over twelve minutes to play the Wolverines would strike to take the early lead in this game. Michigan got the puck into the Alaska zone to Wohlberg who got off a quick wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle that beat the net minder top shelf for the score. Wohlberg would get credit for the score, while Turnbull and Burlon each picked up assists on the goal.

The first period would come to an end with Michigan holding a one to nothing lead. The Nanooks ended the period with a ten to eight advantage in shots on goal.

The Nanooks got the game tied with the clock just under eight minutes to play. Alaska pushes the puck from end to end, with a Nanook player making a great pass from the left side into the slot to a trailing teammate. As the Nanook player closed on the Michigan net a quick shot beat Sauer through the five hole to score the game tying goal.

Barely a minute later with about six and a half minutes to play the Nanooks would take the lead on a shot that never should have been allowed. Alaska had the puck just inside the Michigan blue line when they pushed the puck toward the net with little speed. Somehow Sauer managed to misplay the puck and it ended up in the goal to give the Nanooks the lead.

The second period would come to an end with the Nanooks leading by a score of two to one. The Wolverines out shot the Nanooks eleven to four in the period to end forty minutes of play with a nineteen to fourteen advantage in shots on goal.

With about two and a half minutes to play the Nanooks padded their lead off a rebound. Alaska got things rolling when one of the defenseman poked the puck away from Michigan, leading to an offensive rush up the ice for the Nanooks. The initial Alaska shot was blocked, but the rebound went right to another Nanook player who had an easy shot into an open net for their third goal of the game.

With over two minutes yet to play and down two goals, Michigan pulled their goalie in an attempt to get back into the game. As the Nanooks had done during the game, so did they do in the closing minutes of the game. Their defense stifled Michigan eventually leading to a shot from center ice that went into the empty net.

The game would come to an end with the Nanooks winning by a score of four to one. Michigan out shot Alaska eleven to nine in the final period to end the game with a thirty to twenty-three advantage in shots on goal for the game.

The first thing that jumps out at you about this game, other than the fact that Michigan lost, is the incredibly low number of penalties called. There were only two penalties called the entire game, both against Alaska. In a conference that has been racking up thirty and more penalties per game this is astounding. The next thing that jumps out at you is the Alaska defense. Going into the game they were sporting one of the best defenses in the country, barely giving up over a goal a game. Their penalty kill is also one of the best in the country. Michigan found out first hand just how good that defense is as they stifled the Wolverines all night. When Michigan did get shots through the Nanook goalie was solid as a rock between the pipes, giving up just the one goal early in the game. Michigan is going to have to find a way to crack this defense or they may well be swept by Alaska on this road trip.