Michigan
13-2-2, 10-1-1CCHA
Michigan Tech
4-12-1, 4-8-0WCHA
U-M Downs Huskies to Advance to GLI Championship
12/26/1998 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Michigan led the game from start to finish, opening the scoring on a Josh Langfeld (Coon Rapids, Minn.) goal with 2:33 left in the first period. Bobby Hayes (Westland, Mich.) won a face-off to the left of Huskies goalie David Weninger, directly back to defenseman Dave Huntzicker (Ann Arbor, Mich.). Huntzicker passed the puck along the boards to Greg Crozier (Williamsville, N.Y.) who fed the puck to Langfeld in front of the net. Langfeld's first shot was stopped, but he banged in the rebound for his team-leading ninth goal of the season.
The Wolverines added two goals in the second period and one in the third to take a 4-0 lead before the Huskies tallied their lone goal. Sean Ritchlin (Conseco, N.Y.) poked in a loose puck on a power-play 4:44 into the second period for his fifth goal of the season and a 2-0 U-M lead. Andrew Merrick (Syosset, N.Y.) made the score 3-0 with his first goal of the season off a scramble in front the Michigan Tech net at 13:49 of the middle period.
Sean Peach (Langley, B.C.) capped Michigan's scoring with his first of the season, on a power-play with 5:12 left in the game.
Josh Blackburn's (Choctaw, Okla.) bid for a shutout was ended with 3:09 left in the game when Michigan Tech's Brad Mueller tallied a power-play goal, his eighth goal of the season.
Michigan returns to action tomorrow (Dec. 27) at 5 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena as the Wolverines face the Michigan State Spartans in the GLI championship game.
GAME SUMMARY
| Goals By Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
| Michigan Tech | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Michigan | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
1st period
1, MICH, Josh Langfeld 9 (Greg Crozier, Dave Huntzicker) 17:27.
2nd period
2, MICH, Sean Ritchlin 5 (Scott Matzka, Bubba Berenzweig) 04:44 (pp).
3, MICH, Andrew Merrick 1 (Bill Trainor, Dave Huntzicker) 13:49.
3rd period
4, MICH, Sean Peach 1 (Craig Murray, Sean Ritchlin) 14:48 (pp).
5, MTU, Brad Mueller 8 (Jason McKee, Mat Snesrud) 16:51 (pp).
Shots on goal: MTU 4-5-9-18; MICH 11-16-7-34.
Power plays: MTU 1 of 5; MICH 2 of 6.
Goalies: MTU, David Weninger 4-12-1 (34 shots-30 saves); MICH, Josh Blackburn 13-1-2 (18-17).
Referee: John Boche
Linesmen: Joe Romano, Mark Nebel
Attendance: 18,612
Time: 2:33
NOTES
- Michigan was without the services of defensemen Mike Van Ryn (London, Ontario) and Jeff Jillson (North Smithfield, R.I.), who are representing their countries in the IIHF World Junior Championship in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Team USA lost 6-3 to Finland in its first game on Saturday (Dec. 26) and will return to action against the Czech Republic on Dec. 28. Canada opens play vs. Slovakia on Sunday (Dec. 27).
- This is the 11th straight year that Michigan has made it to the GLI championship game.
- Andrew Merrick tallied his first point of the season.
- Michigan is undefeated in its last 10 games (8-0-2).
- The Wolverines have not allowed more than two goals in nine consecutive games, tied for the second-longest streak of its kind in school history.
HEAD COACH RED BERENSON
On defensemen Scott Crawford and Kevin Magnuson ...
"I thought Magnuson and Crawford did a good job stepping in for (Jeff) Jillson and (Mike) Van Ryn."
JUNIOR CENTER ANDREW MERRICK
On playing in the GLI ...
"The tournament is fun. It's a good time of the year -- no school to worry about. It's just a fun tournament. I like playing in Joe Louis Arena."
On his first goal of the season ...
"It's about time. It felt good to get the monkey off my back."
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
