Friday, October 30, 2009
Taffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

A flurry of first period goals got the Wolverines off to a fast start and they never looked back on their way to a five to one victory over the hosting Lakers. Michigan scored three goals in the first, picking up additional goals in the second and third periods on their way to the win.

The play was moving along at a fairly decent clip in the opening half of the first period, with neither team mounting much of a threat to score, when Michigan suddenly ripped off three goals in a span of about six minutes. Lynch dropped a pass back to Glendening, who slid the puck across the ice along the top of the circles to Vaughan. While this was going on the Laker goalie got caught out of the net, leaving Vaughan a shot at a wide open net for the easy score. Glendening and Lynch each picked up assists.

Following the goal there was some issue at the Arena that set off some emergency buzzers. There was a delay of several minutes while they figured out to shut off those buzzers. Once play resumed the Wolverines immediately went back on the attack scoring their second goal of the game with nine and half minutes to play in the first period. Michigan got the puck to Brown who blasted a shot from in front of the net. The shot was blocked, but not covered, leaving the rebound right at the feet of Hagelin who wasted no time banging the puck into the net. Brown got the lone assist.

With just over four minutes to play in the opening period Michigan would score their third goal of the game of a Laker turnover. Hagelin jumped all over a turnover in the Laker zone, spinning and firing a shot at the goal. The shot was blocked, but again the rebound went right to a Wolverine. This time it was Caporusso getting the puck just six feet outside the crease. From there he quickly fired the puck into the net for the score, his first of the season. Hagelin and Moffie each picked up assists on the goal.

The first period came to an end with the Wolverines holding the three to nothing lead. Michigan ended the period with a fifteen to eight advantage in shots on goal.

Just as the clock moved under the seven minute mark of the period the Wolverines got their fourth goal of the period off a strange play in front of the net. Wohlberg was on his knees when he sent a seemingly harmless pass through the slot in front of the net. All of a sudden, as it passed in front of the net, it was redirected toward and into the net. Rust got credit for the goal, while Wohlberg and Kampfer picked up assists.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan holding the four to nothing lead. Michigan out shot the Lakers ten to seven in the period to end forty minutes of play with a twenty-five to fifteen advantage in shots on goal.

After calling just five penalties between both teams through the first forty minutes of play there were three penalties called in the first 1:25 of the third period, two of those against the Wolverines. With just over seventeen minutes to play and skating with a two man advantage the Lakers got the puck behind Hogan to get on the board. The Lakers were moving the puck around the points waiting for an opening. With the extra players they were able to put in front, the Lakers were able to get a player alone to the side of the net. They got the puck to him and he was able to put it behind Hogan for the power play goal.

With just over three minutes to play in the game Michigan would score their fifth and final goal off yet another rebound. Michigan was just moving the puck around the Laker zone when Summers got off a shot that was blocked, with the rebound this time coming right to Glendening. Glendening made no mistakes, banging the puck home for the score. Summers and Lebler each picked up assists on the goal.

The game would end with the Wolverines winning by a five to one score. The Lakers out shot Michigan in the period ten to seven, however, the Wolverines ended the game with a thirty-two to twenty-five advantage in shots on goal.

This was just what Michigan needed, not only did they get back to winning, but they did it convincingly and it was their first conference game. Any sort of conference win is good right now with a two game set looming on the horizon with Miami. Tomorrow night Michigan will go for the road sweep when they play game number two against these same Lakers.