Michigan
22-3-2, 15-2-2CCHA
Northern Michigan
10-15-2, 7-11-1CCHA
Wolverines Wane in Tie with Northern Michigan
2/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #2 Michigan 3, Northern Michigan 3
Records: U-M (22-3-2, 15-2-2 CCHA), NMU (10-15-2, 7-11-1 CCHA)
Attendance: 6,779
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 2 -- vs. Northern Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.), 7:35 p.m.
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery | Video Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan hockey team skated to a 3-3 tie against Northern Michigan on Friday (Feb. 1) at Yost Ice Arena. Despite out-shooting the Wildcats by a 44-24 margin and holding two one-goal leads, the Maize and Blue could not pull through with an outright win. Kevin Porter(Northville, Mich.) and Max Pacioretty(New Canaan, Conn.) each tallied a power-play goal and an assist in the game, with Travis Turnbull(Chesterfield, Mo.) chipping in a marker of his own.
Midway through the first period, Northern Michigan capitalized on a U-M turnover deep in its own zone, jumping out to the 1-0 lead. Nick Sirota, the Wildcats' leading scorer, grabbed the puck behind the net and sent a no-look pass to Jared Brown. The freshman tipped the disc to Gregor Hanson crashing the crease, and Hanson lifted a shot over the goal line at 10:18.
Michigan broke onto the scoreboard with Turnbull's 10th goal of the campaign at 9:22 of the middle session. Louie Caporusso(Woodbridge, Ontario) snagged a pass from Kampfer and raced into the zone. Caporusso fed a short dish through traffic to Turnbull, who one-timed a shot over Brian Stewart's blocker to knot the score at a goal apiece.
With the man advantage, the Wolverines took the 2-1 lead at 16:09. Chad Langlais(Spokane, Wash.) fed Porter, who blasted a shot from the right faceoff circle. Porter's attempt was turned aside, but Pacioretty was there to put back the rebound for the freshman's his fifth power-play goal, and seventh marker overall, of the season.
Northern Michigan answered back with a shorthanded goal to tie the game at 2-2 just 1:44 after the U-M tally. Matt Butcher picked up the puck and dashed toward Sauer uncontested. The sophomore's slapshot lit the lamp for NMU at 17:53.
The Maize and Blue regained the lead on Porter's team-leading 23rd goal of the 2007-08 campaign. With the four-on-three man advantage, Pacioretty dished to Kolarik, who relayed the puck to Porter stationed at the top of the slot. Porter boomed a shot that ricocheted through traffic in front of the net, finding its way past Stewart at 7:44. With the tally, the senior recorded the 75th goal of his career.
Mark Olver tied the game once more on a power-play tally at 11:40 of the third period. Behind the net, Matt Siddall hit Olver sliding through the middle of the ice, and the freshman lifted a one-time shot over Sauer to deadlock the game at 3-3.
The third period turned into a battle of special teams, with each team earning four chances with the man advantage. Both Northern Michigan and U-M notched a power-play goal in the 20 minutes -- but the Wildcat's PPG tied the game, sending it into overtime.
The teams traded shots in the opening minutes of the extra session, but with just under two minutes remaining, Billy Smith was whistled for hooking. The Wolverines pressured Stewart but could not get one past the NMU netminder, and the game ended with a 3-3 tie.
The Wolverines will faceoff against Northern Michigan again on Saturday (Feb. 2) at Yost Ice Arena. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:35 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
