Late Comeback Gives U-M Second Straight Tie at NMU

Saturday, February 19

Marquette, Mich.

7:05 PM

Michigan

22-7-3, 17-5-3CCHA

Northern Michigan

19-9-4, 14-6-4CCHA

OT 1

Michigan

Northern Michigan

2/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

MARQUETTE, Mich. -C The fifth-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team scored twice in the third period to tie Northern Michigan 2-2 in overtime Saturday (Feb. 19) in front of 3,919 fans at the Berry Events Center. It was the second consecutive tie for the Wolverines and Wildcats, who skated to a 1-1 draw the previous night.

Trailing 2-0 midway through the third period, Jeff Jillson (N. Smithfield, R.I.) ended the Wolverines' longest scoring drought of the season when scored his seventh goal of the season. Just two minutes later, Jed Ortmeyer (Omaha, Neb.) stuffed in the rebound from a Mike Comrie (Edmonton, Alberta) shot to tie the game.

The start of the game was the reverse of the previous night, as Northern Michigan (19-9-4, 14-6-4 CCHA) took the early lead in the game when Bryce Cockburn scored just 1:43 into the game. After Bryan Phillips brought the puck down the left side and passed it across the ice, Cockburn was able to get control of the puck and punch it through Josh Blackburn's (Choctaw, Okla.) five-hole for the score.

Offensively, it took until four minutes into the game before the Wolverines managed their first shot on goal. However, Michigan ended up outshooting the Wildcats 7-5 in the period, including a shot by Comrie that squeezed past Dan Ragusett and nearly trickled into the goal.

Michigan (22-7-3, 17-5-3 CCHA) managed 13 shots in a wild second period but failed to find the net. Ragusett stopped the Wolverines on multiple close-range shots, including one each from Mike Cammalleri (Richmond Hill, Ontario) and Andy Hilbert (Howell, Mich.) while Michigan was on a five-on-three power play, and another by Geoff Koch (Exeter, N.H.) on a breakaway.

Fortunately for the Wolverines, the Michigan offense controlled the latter half of the second period as Jillson was given a two-minute minor and a 10-minute misconduct for a cross-check from behind.

With the tie, Michigan is two points ahead of Michigan State in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings. The Wolverines face the Spartans at Yost Ice Arena on Friday (Feb. 25) at 7:35 p.m. before meeting them in a non-conference game at Joe Louis Arena the next night (Feb. 26) at 7:05 p.m.

Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423