Michigan
6-5-2, 4-3-2CCHA
Wisconsin
6-6-0, 4-2-0WCHA
Special Teams Give U-M College Hockey Showcase Split
11/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team netted four special-teams goals, including a season-high three power-play markers, to down Wisconsin by a 5-3 margin on Saturday night (Nov. 24) at Yost Ice Arena, salvaging a split in the ninth annual College Hockey Showcase.
The Wolverines (6-5-2) snapped a three-game home losing streak with the victory, outshooting the Badgers by a 41-25 margin. The win also marked U-M's first win against a team from the WCHA this season and gives the Wolverines at least one victory in the College Hockey Showcase for the ninth straight year.
Michigan took a 1-0 lead early in the first period off the stick of junior forward Mike Cammalleri (Richmond Hill, Ontario), who scored on the Wolverines' first power play of the night. Cammalleri received a cross-ice pass from junior forward John Shouneyia (West Bloomfield, Mich.) at the high slot, then fired a shot into traffic that found its way past UW netminder Bernd Bruckler.
Wisconsin (6-6-0) retaliated with the two goals less than a minute apart to take a 2-1 lead heading into the second period. Rene Bourque tied the game at 13:58 on the power play before Matt Murray gave the Badgers a 2-1 lead with his marker at 14:28.
Shouneyia evened things up at 2-2 just over two minutes into the second period, scoring on the power play. Sliding down the left side of the slot, Shouneyia was found by freshman forward Eric Nystrom (Syosset, N.Y.), who drew Bruckler to the right side before feeding a pass across the crease to Shouneyia for the one-time goal into an open net.
The Wolverines took the lead for good with less than three minutes remaining in the second on the first of two straight goals by sophomore defenseman Mike Komisarek (Islip Terrace, N.Y.). Komisarek gave Michigan a 3-2 advantage at 17:46 when he intercepted a clearing attempt by Bruckler and sent it into an empty cage, then increased the Wolverines' lead to 4-2 just over five minutes into the third period, scoring shorthanded on a blast from the right point.
Wisconsin cut the lead to one just 26 seconds later when Dan Boeser wristed a shot past senior goaltender Josh Blackburn (Choctaw, Okla.), who was screened in front of the net.
With time winding down in regulation, the Badgers tried to pressure the U-M defense, pulling Bruckler, but an untimely penalty to Bourque at 19:20 halted Wisconsin's chance at a comeback. UW pulled Buckler again to even things up on the ice, but freshman forward Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.) was able to ice the game for the Wolverines, scoring an empty-net power-play goal with eight seconds remaining.
Blackburn made 22 saves to earn the win, while Bruckler stopped 36 of Michigan's 41 shots. Each team scored on the power play, with Michigan converting three of its seven chances, while the Badgers capitalized on one of their six opportunities.
The Wolverines will return to Central Collegiate Hockey Association play next weekend, taking on the Ferris State Bulldogs in a two-game, home-and-home series. Michigan will travel to Big Rapids, Mich., on Friday (Nov. 30) for the series opener at FSU's Ewigleben Ice Arena before returning home on Saturday (Dec. 1) to close out the weekend. Opening faceoff both nights is slated for 7:35 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY
| Goals By Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Michigan | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
1st period
1, MICH, Mike Cammalleri/8 (John Shouneyia, Eric Werner) 6:23 (pp).
2, UW, Rene Bourque/4 (Andy Wheeler, David Hukalo) 13:58 (pp).
3, UW, Matt Murray/2 (Andy Wheeler, Matt Doman) 14:28.
PENALTIES - Jed Ortmeyer, MICH (cross-checking) :30; Brad Winchester, UW (hooking) 5:40; Erik Jensen, UW (roughing) 7:45; Jay Vancik, MICH (roughing) 7:45; Erik Jensen, UW (slashing) 10:21; Eric Nystrom, MICH (interference) 13:35; Erik Jensen, UW (obstruction-hooking) 17:05.
2nd period
4, MICH, John Shouneyia/4 (Eric Nystrom, Eric Werner) 2:14 (pp).
5, MICH, Mike Komisarek/4 (unassisted) 17:46.
PENALTIES - Matt Murray, UW (holding) 1:18; Andy Wozniewski, UW (cross-checking) 1:43; Brad Fraser, MICH (high sticking) 9:31; Mike Cammalleri, MICH (slashing) 18:30; Mike Komisarek, MICH (roughing) 18:30; Jon Krall, UW (roughing) 18:30.
3rd period
6, MICH, Mike Komisarek/5 (Craig Murray) 5:16 (sh).
7, UW, Dan Boeser/3 (unassisted) 5:42.
8, MICH, Dwight Helminen/4 (Jason Ryznar) 19:52 (empty net) (pp).
PENALTIES - David Moss, MICH (cross-checking) 3:23; David Hukalo, UW (roughing) 12:23; David Moss, MICH (hooking) 15:09; Rene Bourque, UW (obstruction-tripping) 19:20.
Shots on goal: UW 10-5-10 25; MICH 12-15-14 41. Power plays: UW 1 of 6; MICH 3 of 7. Penalties: UW 9 (18 min); MICH 8 (16 min). Goalies: UW, Bernd Bruckler 1-2-0 (59:01 minutes, 40 shots-36 saves) , EMPTY NET (00:59, 0-0); MICH, Josh Blackburn 6-5-2 (60:00, 25-22). Referee: Steve McInchak. Assistant Referees: Butch Friedman, John LaDuke. Attendance: 6697. Time: 2:30.
| Individual Player Statistics | |
## Wisconsin G A PIM Sh +/- --------------------------------------- 4 Brian Fahey........ 0 0 0 2 0 5 Mark Jackson....... 0 0 0 0 0 7 Andy Wozniewski.... 0 0 2 1 0 8*Brad Winchester.... 0 0 2 2 0 9*Matt Hussey........ 0 0 0 5 0 10 Jake Heisler....... 0 0 0 0 -1 11*John Eichelberger.. 0 0 0 1 0 12 Alex Leavitt....... 0 0 0 0 -1 13 Rob Vega........... 0 0 0 2 0 14 Matt Murray........ 1 0 2 2 +1 17*Jon Krall.......... 0 0 2 0 0 20*Dan Boeser......... 1 0 0 2 0 21 David Hukalo....... 0 1 2 2 0 23 Dave Hergert....... 0 0 0 2 0 24 Matt Doman......... 0 1 0 0 +1 26 Erik Jensen........ 0 0 6 0 -1 28 Rene Bourque....... 1 0 2 3 0 31 Andy Wheeler....... 0 2 0 1 +1 Totals............. 3 4 18 25 0 | ## Michigan G A PIM Sh +/- --------------------------------------- 2 Nick Martens....... 0 0 0 3 0 3 Eric Werner........ 0 2 0 1 -1 4 Andy Burnes........ 0 0 0 1 0 7 Brad Fraser........ 0 0 2 1 0 8*Mike Komisarek..... 2 0 2 5 +1 9 Milan Gajic........ 0 0 0 2 -2 10 Dwight Helminen.... 1 0 0 3 +1 11 Joe Kautz.......... 0 0 0 0 +1 13*Mike Cammalleri.... 1 0 2 3 0 14 Craig Murray....... 0 1 0 4 +1 15*Jay Vancik......... 0 0 2 1 0 17 Michael Woodford... 0 0 0 1 +1 18 David Moss......... 0 0 4 1 +1 21*Eric Nystrom....... 0 1 2 3 0 22 Jason Ryznar....... 0 1 0 1 -2 25 Mark Mink.......... 0 0 0 3 0 26*Jed Ortmeyer....... 0 0 2 4 0 28 John Shouneyia..... 1 1 0 4 -2 Totals............. 5 6 16 41 -1 |
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Red Berenson
On the team's performance tonight vs. last night ... "I thought we competed a lot harder tonight. I thought we played stronger on the puck, stronger in one-on-one battles. We knew Wisconsin would be an older, stronger team. Most of their players are upperclassmen and we know how they play. I thought it was a good challenge for our team to hang in there with them."
On the psychological effects staying above .500 has on a young team ... "We're not talking about .500 as much. We're just talking about how we play. We weren't happy with the way we played last night. We respect that Minnesota is a great team but we were still unhappy with how we played. Tonight, I like how we played much better and it's not just the outcome of the game. It's a lot of the things that we did throughout the game."
On the team's offensive improvement ... "We were a little better with the puck but we still have a long way to go. We have to get better at receiving passes, just fundamental skill things. We need to pick our corners when we're shooting the puck and take advantage of our scoring chances. Last night we had two breakaways and three goal-mouth plays and we didn't capitalize on any of them. That's five 'grade A' chances. At the end of the game you look back and say it could have been a different game. The other part of the game that we're really concerned about is our defensive play away from the puck. Three of Minnesota's goals last night were goals that we should have prevented just with better coverage and better player identification. Our whole team, not just our younger players, has to do a better job at that."
On the defensive play of John Shouneyia and Dwight Helminen ... "They played well. Dwight Helminen might be our best defensive centerman. He has great instincts, great speed and he's a tireless skater. He's a strong penalty killer and he's a player that gets better and better with every game. John Shouneyia, I thought, had a pretty good weekend. He needs to participate offensively and give our team some offensive depth and I thought he added something tonight in that area."
Junior Center John Shouneyia
On the impact of the power play tonight ... "We scored a couple power-play goals and that's really huge for us because we've been struggling with it. I think we were just trying to establish a shot right off the bat. Then, we were trying to move in and out after that and try to keep them guessing a little bit. I think we really [took advantage] of our chances. Mike Cammalleri had a great shot from the point and (Eric) Nystrom had a screen in front, and just getting traffic in front of the net and getting our shots through really helped us have success this weekend."
Sophomore Defenseman Mike Komisarek
On his offensive performance of late ... "I just try to get my shots through and not get them blocked and luckily for me they went through a screen and the shots found the net for me. Something we practice each week is walking across the blue line and firing shots on net and trying to find the right angle and seeing where that forward is coming from and not getting the shot blocked."
On wanting to get a home win tonight ... "I know we were disappointed after the game last night. We definitely came out on our heels and we were sort of caught off-guard, whether it was not being prepared or not being ready to play. We wanted to come out tonight and, right off the bat, bring the play to them. We got a good goal early. Towards the end of the period, we were caught off-guard when they got two quick ones on us. But I think we're pretty happy with the way we battled hard all game and we got a good win for our team. Now, all we have to do is keep going and try to focus on good things."
Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423
