Wolverines Edge OSU to Reach CCHA Title Game

Friday, March 19

Detroit, Mich. (Joe Louis Arena)

8:30 PM

Michigan

23-10-6, 17-8-5CCHA

Ohio State

21-15-4, 17-10-3CCHA

Ohio State

Michigan

3/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

DETROIT, Mich. -- Mark Kosick (Victoria, B.C.) tallied two goals and assisted on Sean Ritchlin's (Conseco, N.Y.) game-winning score as the University of Michigan ice hockey team defeated Ohio State 3-2 in the semifinal round of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament Friday night (March 19).

The victory, in front of 14,621 fans at Joe Louis Arena, propelled Michigan into the CCHA championship game, in which the Wolverines will face Northern Michigan, a 5-3 winner over CCHA regular-season champion Michigan State in the first semifinal game. The title contest is slated for 7:30 p.m. Saturday (March 20).

Ohio State scored 7:45 into the game to claim a 1-0 lead when Eric Meloche scored a power-play goal after knocking in the rebound of a Hugo Boisvert shot from the point.

Kosick knotted the game at 1-1 with a power-play goal of his own at 14:07 of the opening period. Bubba Berenzweig (Arlington Heights, Ill.) set up the goal with the initial shot. Berenzweig's shot was blocked, but Kosick picked up the rebound in front of the net and poked it past OSU goalie Jeff Maund.

Kosick added a second goal 3:30 into the second period to give Michigan its first lead, 2-1. With the Wolverines on a 5-on-3 power play, they worked the puck deep in the offensive corners until Josh Langfeld (Coon Rapids, Minn.) fed the puck out in front of the net, where Kosick was again set up to guide the puck in. The goal was Kosick's 11th of the season, and it marked the first time this season he has scored two or more goals.

The Buckeyes tied the game, 2-2, on Dan Cousineau's goal at 12:01 of the middle period. Cousineau, from just inside the right face-off circle, netted a rebound off of a Chris Richards blast.

Ritchlin answered with the game-winner 2:37 later. Kosick won a face-off to the left of Maund, sending it directly back to Ritchlin, who one-timed a shot just under the crossbar over Maund's stick-side shoulder. The goal was Ritchlin's 11th of the season and his fifth game-winner.

The teams played a scoreless, penalty-free third period, although both teams had numerous scoring chances. Mike Van Ryn (London, Ontario) saved the Wolverines on one opportunity late in the game, racing back from center ice to poke the puck away from Neal Rech, who had a clean breakaway.

Goaltender Josh Blackburn (Choctaw, Okla.) came up with two big saves in the final 30 seconds of the game to preserve the win. Blackburn ended the contest with 32 saves on 34 shots.

GAME SUMMARY

Goals By Period	1	2	3	F
Ohio State	1	1	0	2
Michigan	1	2	0	3

1st period
1, OSU, Eric Meloche 11 (Hugo Boisvert) 7:45 (pp).
2, MICH, Mark Kosick 10 (Bubba Berenzweig) 14:07 (pp).

2nd period
3, MICH, Mark Kosick 11 (Bubba Berenzweig, Josh Langfeld) 3:30 (pp).
4, OSU, Dan Cousineau 6 (Chris Richards) 12:01.
5, MICH, Sean Ritchlin 11 (Mark Kosick) 14:38.

Shots on goal: OSU 8-10-16-34; MICH 6-12-6-24.
Power plays: OSU 1 of 5; MICH 2 of 4.
Penalties: OSU 4 (8 minutes); MICH 5 (10 minutes).

Goalies: OSU, Jeff Maund (24 shots-21 saves); MICH, Josh Blackburn 23-9-6 (34-32).

Referee: Matt Shegos
Linesmen: Kevin Langseth, Larry Lulich
Attendance: 14,261
Time: 2:44

NOTES

This is Michigan's sixth trip to the CCHA championship game since the Wolverines joined the league in 1981-82.

The Wolverines are 3-2 in CCHA championship games, and Michigan has won the CCHA Tournement the last three times it has played in the championship game (1994, 1996 and 1997).

This is the first time that Michigan will face a team other than Lake Superior State (1991, 1992, 1994 and 1996) or Michigan State (1997) in the title contest.

Michigan will be the home team as Northern Michigan entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed while the Wolverines are seeded second.

Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423