Michigan
11-6-0 7-4-0CCHA
Nebraska-Omaha
4-11-2 3-9-1CCHA
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Nebraska-Omaha | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Montoya Keys Wolverines Victory at Nebraska-Omaha
12/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
OMAHA, Neb. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team defeated Nebraska-Omaha by a score of 2-1 Friday night (Dec. 12) at the Qwest Center Omaha. Freshman T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) netted the game-winner with U-M's second goal in the first period, and sophomore goaltender Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) made 22 saves to secure his 11th win of the season for the ninth-ranked Wolverines.
Michigan (11-6-0, 7-4-0 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) held Nebraska-Omaha (4-11-2, 3-9-1 CCHA) to only three shots on goal in the third period despite periodic pressure from the Maverick offense throughout the final frame.
Freshman forward Mike Brown (Northbrook, Ill.) gave Michigan the 1-0 lead with his third goal of the season, at 5:59. Junior Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.) carried the puck to the Maverick crease, but it was poke-checked off his stick right to Eric Nystrom (Syosset, N.Y.), who curled out from behind the net. Nystrom's pass from below the right circle found Brown's tape at the back post. Brown then tipped the puck past UNO goaltender Chris Holt, who could not move across the crease fast enough to make the save.
Nebraska-Omaha responded by putting pressure on the Wolverines, but Montoya was sharp with saves on Ryan Bennett and Scotty Turner as U-M could not break out of the zone just a minute after the goal. Montoya also stopped UNO sophomore David Morelli, who had two chances at the doorstep before the puck could be swatted out of danger.
The Maize and Blue extended its lead to 2-0 with Hensick's goal at 18:06. Hensick worked the puck out of the Michigan end after the Mavericks sent the puck into the corner. In the neutral zone, Hensick dished the puck to junior Jason Ryznar (Anchorage, Alaska), who had just come on the ice on a line change. Ryznar took the puck across the blue line and beat the defenseman with a centering pass back to Hensick that slid just under the defender's stick. Hensick avoided the last defender on his right shoulder, firing a backhanded shot under Holt's blocker for the goal.
Nebraska-Omaha nearly scored their first goal to begin the second period, but the Wolverines were saved by a post. Capitalizing on a broken break-out, freshman Alex Nikiforuk pushed the puck toward the Michigan net where it was chipped past Montoya and off the post to his left. Two minutes later, 4:51 into the period, Bennett shot a puck off the same post after skating through the slot and freezing Montoya with a fake before firing.
Hensick got into the action the next time down the ice, pinging the post to Holt's right with a shot from the top of the right circle.
The Mavericks pulled within one, 2-1, at 9:43 of the second period. Sophomore John Thomas created a turnover deep in Michigan's zone after a Nebraska-Omaha dump-in. Thomas pulled the puck off the boards and threaded a pass to freshman Justin Chwedoruk, who was bearing down on the crease. Chwedoruk redirected the puck past Montoya to make the score 2-1.
With two minutes left in the period, Helminen and Montoya spoiled a Maverick scoring chance. UNO's Scott Parse put a shifty move on Helminen in the left corner, but the junior forward got enough of Parse's body to allow Montoya enough time and space to cover the loose puck at the corner of the net.
Action in the third stanza began with four-on-four play before yielding to a Maverick power play. Michigan's defense remained focused, keeping UNO without a shot during the man advatage. As the Nebraska-Omaha advantage ended, however, sophomore David Morelli got a wide-open shot in the slot -- the Mavs' best chance of the period -- but Montoya deflected the puck over the net with his shoulder.
After that chance, however, both teams settled into a defensive battle. Each team successfully killed a power play at the midway point of the period with neither team able to create a solid scoring chance. Michigan's defense kept the Maverick offense in check in the final several minutes, despite UNO's pulled goalie, to preserve the win.
Michigan and Nebraska-Omaha meet again tomorrow night (Saturday, Dec. 13) at the Qwest Center Omaha. The final contest of the two-game series will commence at 7:05 p.m. CST.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
