Wolverines Tie No. 7 New Hampshire in Home Opener

Friday, October 15

Ann Arbor, Mich.

8:05 PM

Michigan

1-1-1

New Hampshire

2-0-1

OT 1

NEW HAMPSHIRE

MICHIGAN

10/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team played No. 7 New Hampshire to a 4-4 tie in its home opener Friday (Oct. 15) in front of 6,821 fans at Yost Ice Arena. A key power-play goal in the third period by Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) forced the game into an overtime finish, but the Wolverines failed to score, ending the contest as a stalemate.

Michigan quickly got on the board at 1:40 as Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) beat New Hampshire's netminder off a pass by David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.) from deep in the corner that sailed through the crease and landed on Tambellini's stick.

UNH capitalized on a late power play in the first period as Sean Collins lobbed a shot from the right corner that trickled through Al Montoya's (Glenview, Illinois) pads at 17:27.

Jason Ryznar (Anchorage, Alaska) answered back just nine seconds later from the top of the left circle, firing the puck and beating Jeff Pietrasiak's glove at 17:36. Rohlfs recorded his second assist of the night by hitting Ryznar in stride on the left side to spring him free on the play. As the first period came to a close, Michigan dominated on shots, 15-3, and held a one-goal lead, 2-1.

While skating four on four, UNH's Josh Ciocco fought to keep the puck in Michigan's zone. After battling away from a Michigan defender, Ciocco took his shot from the left circle that snuck through Montoya's five-hole and barely crossed the goal line at 3:33.

Fighting to tie the score, Michigan had a three-on-one at the 15-minute mark that was broken up by a sliding kick save by Pietrasiak.

The Wildcats struck again at 7:42 after the U-M defense lost the puck deep in Wolverine territory. Brett Hemingway took a shot, and Daniel Winnik capitalized on the rebound as Montoya was caught down in the scramble. With Montoya on his back, Winnik wrapped the puck around stick side and stuffed the puck into an open net for a 3-2 New Hampshire lead.

UNH's effort in the second period allowed it to head to the locker room holding on to the 3-2 lead.

The third period opened with a bang as Ryznar continued to roll with a wraparound pass through the crease to Eric Nystrom (Syosset, New York), who slammed it home, leaving a stunned Pietrasiak at 4:36.

UNH was not done as it stormed the net with a quick shot from the top of the circle by Matt Fornataro. Ciocco stayed with the play to beat Montoya on the rebound at 6:23, putting UNH up by a goal once again.

Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) made a great defensive move as the halfway mark of the third period approached when he cleared the puck from the line of fire after Montoya stopped the first shot. Seconds later, Montoya made another huge save on a tip out front.

Montoya was outstanding in the third as he kept the Maize and Blue in the game by robbing Preston Callander of a breakaway scoring opportunity, staying with the puck and denying the effort.

Porter rallied for his first career goal as Michigan rolled on the power play. Tambellini ripped a shot from the point, and the rebound sat in the crease. Porter, being knocked down from two sides, whacked at the loose puck once, then got a piece of it, sending it over the goal line and tying the score, 4-4, at 12:19.

Montoya faced pressure with a Wolverine penalty with under four minutes to go in the contest. Holding the Wildcats off, Michigan forced the game into the first sudden-death overtime of the season.

Michigan had multiple chances to finish the game in overtime, but Pietrasiak held firm between the pipes, handing the Wolverines their first tie of the season. The final score remained 4-4, with shots on goal in favor of Michigan, 48-29.