Michigan
U.S. NTDP U-18 Team (ex)
NTDP Alums Help Michigan Down U.S. Under-18 Team
1/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5 University of Michigan ice hockey team edged the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team 5-3 in exhibition play Saturday night (Jan. 17) at Yost Ice Arena with help from four of the seven U.S. NTDP alums on the Wolverine roster. Freshman Mike Brown (Northbrook, Ill.) netted the game-winning goal in the third period and junior Eric Nystrom (Syosset, N.Y.) had two points, while juniors Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.) and Jason Ryznar (Anchorage, Alaska) also added assists for the Wolverines.
Sophomore Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C) led the Maize and Blue with three points (2-1-3), sealing the win with an empty-net tally in the final minute. Sophomore goaltender Noah Ruden (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) recorded 22 saves to pick up the win.
Junior David Moss (Livonia, Mich.) started the scoring for the Wolverines with a power-play marker at 3:06 of the first period. Nystrom, who received the puck in the right corner of the U.S. zone, found Moss on the back post with a slick, cross-ice pass. Moss calmly held off a U.S. defender and sent a one-time shot past U.S. goaltender Jordan Pearce.
Just over the three minutes later, U.S. defender Brett Bevis gathered a failed Michigan clearing attempt at the top of the slot and fired a slap shot past Ruden to even the score at one.
Tambellini put the Wolverines back on top at 8:21 of the first period with an even-strength goal. Tambellini received a pass from junior Brandon Rogers (Rochester, N.H.) just inside the left faceoff circle and snapped a wrist shot through traffic and beat Pearce through the five hole to give the Wolverines an early 2-1 lead.
Ruden's 10 saves allowed the Wolverines to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission, as the U.S. team outshot the Wolverines 11-4 in the first frame.
Early in the second period, however, the Wolverines controlled the play and doubled their first-period shot output in the first five minutes. Despite an improved offensive attack, Pearce kept the Wolverines off the board with a number of good saves, including an acrobatic glove save on a slap shot from senior forward David Wyzgowski (North Street, Mich.).
After a frantic first period, the physical Wolverines dominated play but were unable to increase their lead. Pearce made 12 saves in the frame, while the U.S. team managed only four shots on Ruden. Both goaltenders continued their steady play as the second period finished with the Wolverines ahead 2-1.
The U.S team knotted the score at two nearly two minutes into the third period when Matt Auffrey knocked home a rebound shot during four-on-four play. After a low shot from U.S. defender Matt Davis rebounded off Ruden's pads, Auffrey pounced on the loose puck in the slot and swatted a one-time shot over Ruden's left shoulder.
Less then three minutes later, the Wolverines reclaimed their one-goal lead when Nystrom notched an even-strength marker. Junior defenseman Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) initiated the play when he found Nystrom streaking toward the back post of the U.S. goal. Nystrom quickly gathered the puck and sent a wrist shot past Pearce to give Michigan a 3-2 lead 4:38 into the final period.
The Wolverines extended their lead to 4-2 just 1:32 later when Brown netted a goal on his former squad. The play started when Moss carried the puck across the U.S. blue line on a three-on-two break with Brown and Ryznar. Moss dropped the puck to Ryznar at the top of the slot and Ryznar carried the puck into the right circle before firing a shot across the goal mouth. Brown, who was stationed at the back post, managed to redirect the Ryznar shot off the post and into the U.S. goal.
With just over five minutes remaining in the game, the U.S. team capitalized on a five-on-three opportunity when defender Nate Hagemo wristed a shot past Ruden to close the gap to 4-3. After a scrum inside the left faceoff circle, a wide-open Hagemo received the puck in the slot and beat Ruden top shelf.
Tambellini iced the game with an open-net marker with 16 seconds remaining in the game.
The Maize and Blue resumes CCHA play with a home-and-home series against Western Michigan. Michigan travels to Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo next Friday (Jan. 23), and the two teams will meet again on Saturday night (Jan. 24) at Yost Ice Arena. Faceoff for each game is set for 7:35 p.m.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
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