Michigan
9-8-3, 5-7-2CCHA
Alaska-Fairbanks
13-7-1, 8-4-1CCHA
Slow Start, Struggling Power Play Doom U-M vs. UAF
1/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team dropped the second game of its weekend series with the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks 4-2 on Saturday night (Jan. 7) at Yost Ice Arena. Michigan went 0-for-11 on the power-play as Nanook goaltender Chad Johnson made 33 saves to gain the weekend split for UAF. The Nanooks scored three goals in the first eight minutes of play and went up 4-0 midway through the second period.
UAF dominated the first period thanks to a quick start, outshooting Michigan 16-9. The Nanooks earned a power play just 1:01 into the game and took advantage. Kelly Czuy sent a pass from the point to the right slot where Jordan Emmerson sat all alone and wristed one past Michigan goaltender Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) from point-blank range to make the score 1-0 at 1:21.
Alaska Fairbanks struck again less than a minute later at 2:13. Emmerson picked up a loose puck just below the left circle and fed a centering pass to Kyle Jones, who one-timed a low shot under Sauer to move the score to 2-0.
Michigan gained its first power play of the game at 3:31 of the first period. Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) nearly cut the lead to one off a goal-mouth pass from T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.), but his attempt at the gaping net rang off of the right post. Michigan failed to create any more scoring chances for the remainder of the power play.
The Wolverines were called for too many men on the ice at 6:05 to give Alaska Fairbanks another man advantage. Michigan went down two men when David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.) interfered with a Nanooks forward entering the zone to give Alaska Fairbanks 43 seconds of two-man advantage time. UAF capitalized, going up 3-0 just before the two-man advantage expired. From the left boards, Czuy hit a wide-open Fraser at the right post, and Fraser tapped it into the wide-open net.
Tim Miller (Davisburg, Mich.) had Michigan's best scoring chance the remainder of the period on a 2-on-1 up-ice break. Miller faked the pass and fired on Johnson from the slot, but the Nanooks goaltender smothered it. Sauer kept Michigan within three, making key saves late in the period.
Tim Cook (Montclair, N.J.) nearly gave Michigan its first goal of the game on a point shot toward an open net that Johnson had vacated, but a Nanooks defender made a leg save in the crease. Despite better play for the remainder of the period, U-M went into the first intermission down 3-0.
Michigan came out strong in the second period, earning its second power-play chance of the game at 2:19. The Wolverines generated open shots, but none found the back of the net. The Wolverines earned another man advantage at 6:50 of the second period. After several failed chances, another Nanooks penalty gave Michigan 32 seconds of two-man advantage time. Michigan was unable to capitalize despite several close-in opportunities.
UAF took a 4-0 lead at 11:24. Kyle Greentree skated around the net and tried to bank a shot off of Sauer. Sauer held the post, but Adam Powell crashed in and poked the puck past Sauer.
Michigan came right back as Brandon Kaleniecki (Livonia, Mich.) sent Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) on a breakaway and Kolarik fired a shot low past Johnson to narrow the deficit to 4-1 at 11:48.
U-M had two power-play chances during the second half of the second period but could not capitalize despite many tremendous scoring opportunities. Michigan's best chance came on an odd-man break with just under five minutes left in the second. Brandon Naurato (Livonia, Mich.) and Travis Turnbull (Chesterfield, Mich.) each had point-blank shots, but Johnson made the save on both chances. With four seconds remaining in the second period, U-M earned another power-play chance. Michigan went to the second intermission down 4-1 despite an 11-5 shot advantage in the middle frame.
U-M opened the third with a power play but did not create any scoring chances. UAF earned its first power-play opportunity of the third period at 3:41. The two teams traded penalties 25 seconds apart, giving UAF a 4-on-3 advantage that the Nanooks failed to score on. Michigan earned two more short power-play chances but could not generate goals on either.
Miller netted Michigan's second marker on a delayed penalty at 9:48 of the third period to cut the UAF lead to 4-2. Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich.) skated around the back of the net and fed a pass to Miller at the top of the right faceoff circle. Miller ripped a shot over two diving defenseman and over the shoulder of Johnson.
UAF went on the power play at 12:15 of the third period. An aggressive penalty kill led by Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.) stifled the UAF power play. Shortly after the successful kill, Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, Ont.) was dragged down on a offensive chance, giving Michigan another man advantage, but UAF once again killed it off. Just as the power play ended, U-M went on yet another power-play. U-M earned a two-man advantage for 44 seconds following another UAF penalty but failed to score once more.
Michigan pulled Sauer for a 6-on-3 advantage but could not get a shot on net as UAF returned from the box to make it a 6-on-4. With 29 seconds remaining Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich.) was cited with a boarding penalty to end Michigan's hope of a comeback.
The Wolverines have just a lone exhibition game next weekend on Friday, Jan. 13, when the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 Team ventures across Ann Arbor. U-M returns to regular-season play with a road contest at Michigan State on Jan. 17.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
