Saturday, November 29, 2008
Kohl Center Arena, Madison, Wisconsin

Consistency problems continue to plague Michigan as they once again struggled to find a way to score a goal with Sauer in net, even though Sauer played perhaps his best game of the season. The Wolverines spent a significant amount of time in the penalty box, especially late in the game, giving Wisconsin all the scoring chances they needed. In the end the Badgers over powered Michigan winning by a score of three to nothing.

Both teams had a few scoring chances in the first period, but neither team was able to find the back of the net. After twenty minutes of play the score remained tied at zero. Michigan held a slight six to five advantage in shots on goal.

Things started to slip away in the second, but at least Michigan was able to hold the Badgers off the board. After forty minutes of play the score remained tied at zero. The Badgers out shot Michigan thirteen to seven in the period to hold an eighteen to thirteen advantage in shots on goal.

With roughly seventeen and half minutes to pay in the final period Michigan was whistled for a penalty to put Wisconsin on the power play. This time the man advantage proved to be to much as the Badgers scored the first goal of the game with just over seventeen minutes to play. Sauer was able to block the initial shot, but the rebound wasn't covered and went right to the stick of a waiting Badger player who quickly buried it before Sauer could recover.

With just over eleven minutes top play Michigan was whistled for a five minute major clipping penalty. It took the Badgers about four minutes, but with just over seven minutes left in regulation the Badgers scored their second power play goal of the period. It was very similar to the first goal in that Sauer blocked the initial shot, but the rebound was left on the ice, with a Badger in the right spot at the right time to bang it home before Sauer could recover.

With just over a minute to play in the game Sauer was pulled to give Michigan an extra attacker. With just twenty seconds left on the clock the Badgers were able to chip the puck out of their zone, get it down the ice, and into the empty net for their third goal of the period.

The third period came to an end with the Badgers gaining a three to nothing victory. Wisconsin out shot Michigan twelve to six in the final period to end the game with a thirty to nineteen advantage in shots on goal.

The offensive inconsistency from one night to the next continues to plague this team as they rip off six goals on Friday night, followed up by zero goals on Saturday night. Sauer played a great game, perhaps the best game of either goalie yet this year, but in the end for whatever reason when he's between the pipes more often than not the team just does not play well in front of him. The time is drawing closer when the coaches may have to go with Hogan permanently not so much because of anything that Sauer is doing or not doing, but because of what the rest of the team does or more accurately doesn't do when Sauer is in goal.

One final weekend of play in the first half of the season next weekend. These are not only our first two games against Michigan State, but they are also the two games we have in hand against Miami, making wins even more crucial. Both teams are struggling and both teams are in unfamiliar ground when you look at the CCHA standings. Both teams will be looking for a good weekend to end the first half strong and not to have to think about what might have been for the entire break.