Michigan
27-7-3, 23-3-2CCHA
Notre Dame
5-26-6, 3-20-5CCHA
Seven-Goal Second Period Helps U-M Drub Notre Dame
3/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team took the 1-0 lead in its CCHA first-round series against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish tonight (Friday, March 11) at Yost Ice Arena. The 10-1 final came after a single-period season-best effort of seven goals in the second period. The leading scorer was Milan Gajic (Burnaby, B.C.), who tied a career high with four points on two goals and two assists. Eight other Wolverines had multi-point nights.
Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) opened solidly for the Maize and Blue, repelling the puck on a tough rebound just five minutes into the contest. Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) was also sharp defensively near the 10-minute mark as he broke up a potential ND breakaway by diving and forcing the puck from a Notre Dame forward.
The Irish found themselves in unfamiliar territory at 15:38 of the first period, taking the one-goal lead in the game and their first lead of any game vs. Michigan this season. The tally came as Montoya was caught down and just to the right of his crease after attempting a poke check. Evan Rankin gathered the loose puck and tucked the puck between the legs of the U-M goaltender.
Michigan erupted for an amazing seven goals in the second period. The Wolverines trailed in the second period for under two minutes as Mike Brown (Northbrook, Ill.) and Eric Nystrom (Syosset, N.Y.) clicked to tie the battle. Brown controlled the puck patiently until Nystrom was open down low. Brown crossed the puck, leaving Nystrom to stuff the puck into the open net.
At 2:28, U-M took the lead with a power-play goal after Nystrom found Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) on the left point and sent a cross-ice pass from the right corner. Tambellini stepped up to the top of the circle and uncoiled, giving Michigan the 2-1 lead.
The third goal came at 6:51. Jason Ryznar (Anchorage, Alaska) carried the puck end to end and fired on Morgan Cey. The rebound was loose for only a moment as Michael Woodford Jr. (Westford, Mass.) stormed into the play and flipped the puck high glove-side.
Gajic then scored his 50th career goal at 7:41 with a rocket from the left circle. The marker chased Cey from the net in favor of David Brown.
The fifth goal was on the power play at 14:46. Gajic and T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) made two quick passes to allow Brandon Rogers (Rochester, N.H.) to shoot into a nearly open net from the slot. Michigan sixth goal came on Chad Kolarik's (Abington, Pa.) power-play marker at 16:21.
Again on the power play, Kolarik's attempted pass to Brandon Kaleniecki (Livonia, Mich.) was deflected by an ND defender and trickled in to complete the period with a 7-1 lead at 19:53.
In the third period, Rogers notched a career high for goals in a game with his second of the night, on a slap shot at 5:43. Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) scored U-M's 9th goal just over a minute later. Gajic capped the scoring on a breakaway at 19:10 by shooting high glove-side.
The Wolverines will look to close out the Fighting Irish tomorrow night (March 12) in game two of the series. The puck is set to drop at 7:35 p.m. at Yost Ice Arena, and the game will be televised by FSN Detroit.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 764-4423
