Michigan
21-8-1, 16-5-1
Miami (Ohio)
18-11-3, 15-7-2
Michigan Takes Over First with Weekend Sweep of Miami
2/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5 University of Michigan ice hockey team captured sole possession of first place in the CCHA with an 8-5 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday night (Feb. 14) at Yost Ice Arena. With the win, the Wolverines (21-8-1, 16-5-1 CCHA) moved one point clear of the previous league-leading RedHawks, snapping their nine-week reign atop the conference standings.
| | Hensick capped Michgan's four-goal first period with his 10th score of the season. |
Just over a minute into the game, Montoya fended off a barrage of RedHawk shots to keep the game scoreless in the early going. After a scrum in the slot, the puck popped out to RedHawk forward Joe Cooper, who fired two point-blank shots from just outside the crease. The Wolverine goaltender successfully turned away both shots with two pad saves and then covered up the puck to end the Miami threat.
At 11:50 of the first period the RedHawks broke the scoreless deadlock when freshman Matt Christie tipped home a power-play marker. Christie, who was stationed at the back post, received the puck after a shot from senior Derek Edwardson was redirected wide of the net. With Montoya on the ground, Christie calmly tipped the puck into an open Michigan net for his 18th tally of the year.
The Wolverines answered with a power-play marker of their own at 13:18 when junior forward Milan Gajic (Burnaby, B.C.) ripped a slap shot past Miami goaltender Brandon Crawford-West. Sophomore Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.) found Gajic with a pass inside the left faceoff circle and Gajic rocketed a one-time shot past Crawford-West to even the score at one.
The RedHawks answered back just over a minute later when Matt Davis took advantage of a Wolverine defensive miscue to give Miami a 2-1 lead. After a dump-in pass from a Miami defender, the Wolverine defense was unable to corral the puck at the blue line as it trickled into the slot. Davis managed to split two Wolverine defenders and tip the puck through the legs of Montoya.
The offensive fireworks continued at 15:36 of the first period when Helminen fired a wrist shot past Crawford-West to tie the score at two. Junior defenseman Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) initiated the play as he pinched in from the right point to pick a Miami clearing attempt off the halfboards. Werner quickly found Helminen in the left circle with a pass and Helminen wristed a shot past Crawford-West.
Only 28 seconds later the Wolverines continued to apply offensive pressure as sophomore forward Brandon Kaleniecki (Livonia, Mich.) fired a hard slap shot past Crawford-West to give the Wolverines their first lead of the night at 3-2. Hensick initiated the scoring sequence as he won a faceoff from the left circle directly back to Kaleniecki. Kaleniecki immediately fired a one-time slap shot over the left shoulder of Crawford-West.
Hensick continued his offensive production with a 5-on-3 power-play marker at 17:42 of the first period. After the Wolverines successfully possessed the puck around the perimeter for just over a minute, Rogers found Hensick outside of the left faceoff spot with a cross-ice pass from the right point. Hensick collected the puck and fired a snap shot into the lower right corner of the RedHawk net to give the Wolverines a 4-2 lead.
At 2:03 of the second period Miami gained some momentum as defender Chris Busby fired a slap shot from just inside the blue line past Montoya to bring the score to 4-3. After receiving a pass from Taylor Hustead on the right side of the Michigan zone, Busby fired a shot toward the Wolverine net. As the puck whistled toward Montoya, it was redirected inadvertantly by a Michigan defender and past Montoya low to the blocker side.
The Wolverines quickly answered back as Rogers notched a power-play marker at 4:25 of the second period. After chasing down an errant pass in the left corner of the RedHawk zone, Gajic found Rogers at the top of the right circle. Rogers fired a wrist past Crawford-West to reassert the Wolverines' two-goal lead.
The Wolverines grabbed their first three-goal advantage of the night, 5-2, at 9:40 of the second period when Helminen scored a 4-on-4 marker. After receiving a pass from senior Andy Burnes (Battle Creek, Mich.) just outside of the left circle, Helminen fired a slap shot off the inside of the left post. The puck then caromed off the back of Crawford-West and into the Miami goal to give the Wolverines a 6-3 lead.
The Michigan offensive machine continued to click as freshman defenseman Matt Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) netted his first career goal at 13:42 of the second period to extend the Wolverine lead to 7-3. Hensick picked up his second assist of the night as he found Hunwick in the slot from behind the Miami net. Hunwick calmly collected the puck and fired a wrist shot into the right corner of the net and past Crawford-West.
The RedHawks pulled a goal back only 32 seconds into the third period when Edwardson netted an even-strength marker. After stick handling past two Michigan defenders, Edwardson managed to beat Montoya through the five-hole to lessen the RedHawk deficit to 7-4.
The Wolverines responded at 2:54 of the final stanza as junior David Moss (Livonia, Mich.) wristed a shot past Nick Petraglia, who replaced Crawford-West after U-M's seventh goal, to regain a four-goal advantage. After stripping a RedHawk defender at the Miami blue line, Moss quickly fired a shot over the right shoulder of Petraglia to give the Wolverines an 8-4 advantage.
Despite trailing by four goals midway through the final period, the RedHawks continued to plug away as sophomore Andy Greene tallied a power-play marker at 8:25 to bring the score to 8-5. Greene took a cross-crease pass along the left goal-line and, with Montoya on the ground, flicked the puck into the roof of the net.
Montoya posted 15 of his 35 saves in the third frame, though the Wolverines' three-goal lead was too much for Miami to overcome down the stretch.
The Maize and Blue resumes CCHA play next Friday and Saturday (Feb. 20-21) when it takes on the Bowling Green Falcons in the final regular-season series at Yost Ice Arena. Opening faceoff for each game is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
