Michigan
17-9-0, 12-6-0CCHA
Alaska
7-13-4, 5-10-3CCHA
Third-Period Flurry Delivers Series Sweep of Nanooks
1/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team earned a road sweep of Alaska by beating the Nanooks 5-2 on Saturday night (Jan. 20) at the Carlson Center. With the score tied at 1-1 in the third period, the Maize and Blue erupted for three goals over 2:09. Brandon Naurato (Livonia, Mich.) had a career-high three points on one goal and two assists. He had the primary helper on U-M's first and second goals before tallying the fourth. Goalie Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) was very good for the second straight night, making 32 saves for the win.
U-M picked up the first power play of the game at 8:23 of the first period. Early in the advantage T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) and Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) broke in on a two-on-one. Kolarik's backhanded attempt was denied by Chad Johnson. A minute later Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) was thwarted while driving down the center of the zone. On the ensuing Nanook shorthanded rush, Sauer had to make a tough blocker save when Kyle Greentree split the U-M defense and flicked a high backhand shot.
Alaska's first power play came at 11:14 and the advantage quickly became two men three seconds later. Sauer made a solid left pad save on Fraser 20 seconds in, but Fraser eventually capitalized at 12:09 on a backdoor feed from Adam Naglich to make it 1-0.
Porter was whistled for hooking at 15:38 to leave the momentum of the game with Alaska. The Wolverines successfully killed off the penalty and headed to the locker room still down 1-0.
The Nanooks outshot the Wolverines 15-7 in the first frame. Ten of the final 12 shots in the period were taken by Alaska as a result of three power plays.
Michigan was assessed a fourth straight penalty at 2:02 of the second period. Sauer made two saves during the penalty kill, but his right post made the biggest stop during the two-minute span. Brandon Knelson had an open net on the back post but his shot ricocheted off the pipe and then Sauer.
The Wolverines received their second power play of the night at the 4:42 mark. U-M struggled to maintain possession in the Alaska zone and was unable to tally the game-tying goal.
Michigan went back on the power play at 8:17. The pressure improved compared the previous man-advantage, but the Wolverines were still left without their first goal.
After negating the Nanooks' fifth power play of the game, Michigan evened up the score, 1-1, at 16:13 on a well-executed play in transition. Travis Turnbull (Chesterfield, Mo.) carried the puck down the right wing and across the UA blue line before leaving the puck for Naurato. Cogliano flew down the middle to get in position for a pass and converted Naurato's pinpoint feed for the redirection goal.
Michigan failed to capitalize on the momentum when it went scoreless on a power play that began 33 seconds after Cogliano's goal.
U-M finally took advantage of a power play at 5:26 of the third period to grab a 2-1 lead. Naurato wound up and lined a slap shot on goal from above the right circle. Tim Miller (Davisburg, Mich.) and Nathan Fornataro chipped at the loose puck, but fortunately for U-M the puck deflected up and over Johnson into the Nanook net for the go-ahead tally.
David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.) gave Michigan a 3-1 cushion just 30 seconds later by taking a cross-ice pass from Porter and sending it through Johnson's five-hole from the right circle.
Naurato then scored at 7:35 to give the Maize and Blue its third goal in a span of 2:09 and a 4-1 lead. Miller dug out the puck from behind the Alaska net and threw it into the slot to Naurato, who promptly slid the puck between Johnson's legs.
Braden Walls scored on a goal-mouth scramble at 14:02 to narrow the Michigan lead to 4-2, but Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich.) added an empty-net goal at 18:25.
Michigan returns to Yost Ice Arena for two games next weekend (Jan. 26-27) against Ferris State. U-M swept the Bulldogs in a road series in November.
N O T E S
Michigan's record against Alaska now stands at 33-6-0. In Fairbanks, U-M leads 15-3-0. U-M's last sweep in Fairbanks came in 2001-02. There were two splits in between sweeps for Michigan.
Andrew Cogliano extended his point streak to a career-best eight games with his second-period goal. He has a goal in seven of those contests for a 10-2-12 line during his point spree. Cogliano has points in 15 of the last 16 games for a 14-7-21 line.
Cogliano's goal was his 29th point of the season, surpassing his point total as a freshman in 2005-06. Cogliano's 17th goal of the season gives him the team lead. Kevin Porter is second with 16 tallies.
Billy Sauer has given up two or fewer goals in six of the last seven games. He made 32 saves on 34 shots tonight.
Brandon Naurato recorded a career-high three points with a goal and two assists. His previous best was two points.
Tim Miller has recorded six points in his last four games, earning two points on three occasions. He had 1-1-2 vs. Northern Michigan on Jan. 12, two assists last night against Alaska, and a goal and an assist tonight.
Miller set career highs for goals and points in a season. He has five goals and 16 points. The sophomore's 11 assists equaled his mark from last season.
Matt Hunwick's assist tonight moved him into a tie for 14th place on Michigan's defenseman assists list. His 62 assists tie him with Todd Carlile (1983-86).
Mark Mitera set a career high for assists in a season with his 11th helper of 2006-07.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
