Michigan
20-8-1, 15-5-1
Miami (Ohio)
18-10-3, 15-6-2
Wolverines Pull Closer to RedHawks with Home Victory
2/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5 University of Michigan ice hockey team posted a 4-1 victory over CCHA-leading Miami (Ohio) on Friday night (Feb. 13) at Yost Ice Arena. With the win the Wolverines (20-8-1, 15-5-1 CCHA) pulled within one point of the league-leading and eighth-ranked RedHawks. Michigan has a chance to claim sole possession of first place with a win tomorrow night (Feb. 14) in the season finale between the two schools.
Michigan scored 4:12 into the contest and never trailed in the game. Junior forwards Eric Nystrom (Syosset, N.Y.), David Moss (Livonia, Mich.) and Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.) paced the Michigan offense, each picking up a goal and an assist on the night. Sophomore goaltender Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill) made 24 saves for his 19th win of the season.
Moss slammed home a power-play marker to put the Maize and Blue ahead 1-0 just over four minutes into the game. The scoring sequence began when sophomore forward Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) received a pass from Nystrom along the right side of the goal line and slid a cross-crease pass to Moss, who was set up on the back post. Moss quickly took the pass and jammed a one-time shot past Miami (Ohio) goaltender Brandon Crawford-West.
After two successful penalty kills midway through the first period, the Wolverines extended their lead to 2-0 at 15:39 of the first period when junior Jason Ryznar (Anchorage, Alaska) slipped a one-time shot past Crawford-West on a two-on-one break. The Wolverines capitalized on a counterattack opportunity as Moss found sophomore Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.) with a breakout pass down the left side of the RedHawk zone. Ebbett slipped a short pass into the slot, which Ryznar redirected into the lower right corner of the RedHawk net.
Miami pulled a goal back just over a minute later when Taylor Hustead wristed a rebound shot over the left shoulder of Montoya. Montoya saved the initial shot from Todd Grant but was unable to control the puck as it trickled to Hustead in the slot. With no defenders in the vicinity, Hustead settled the puck and calmly flicked a shot past Montoya.
The Wolverines regained their two-goal advantage at 12:53 of the second period as Helminen netted an even-strength marker. The sequence began as Helminen gathered the puck at mid-ice, skated down the right side of the RedHawk zone and sent a centering pass into the slot. The puck deflected off freshman Mike Brown's (Northbrook, Ill.) skate and bounced back out to Helminen at the top of the slot. Helminen gathered the puck and flicked a backhand shot through traffic and over Crawford-West's right shoulder to give Michigan a 3-1 lead.
Tambellini nearly put the Wolverines on top 4-1 just three minutes later when his wrist shot found the crossbar. Tambellini picked up the puck at the top of the slot after freshman T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) was stripped by a Miami defender and immediately fired a wrist shot on the RedHawk cage. The puck whistled by Crawford-West but found the iron and caromed out of play.
With 8:40 remaining in the final stanza, the Wolverines were once again done in by the iron as junior Milan Gajic (Burnaby, B.C.) fired a wrist shot of the crossbar. Gajic nearly converted on a two-on-one opportunity as Hensick found Gajic breaking down the right side of the Miami zone with a cross-ice pass. After gathering the puck, Gajic fired a shot high to the glove side but found the bottom of the crossbar.
With 1:41 remaining in the game, Nystrom slid home an insurance goal to give the Wolverines a commanding 4-1 lead. After deking past a RedHawk defender, Helminen drew Crawford-West out of his net and attempted a backhand shot into the open Miami net. As Helminen went to shoot, he lost his balance and slid the puck wide of the net but right to Nystrom on the back post. Nystrom took advantage of the open-net opportunity and knocked home a backhand shot for his second point on the night.
The Wolverines conclude their weekend series with the RedHawks tomorrow night (Feb. 14) at Yost Ice Arena. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
