Michigan
1-0-0
Niagara
1-2-0
Montoya Pitches Shutout in Debut as U-M Tops Niagara
10/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The No. 3 University of Michigan ice hockey team opened up the 2002-03 campaign the way it hopes to end the season -- with a win at Buffalo's HSBC Arena -- as the Wolverines downed Niagara 3-0 Friday evening (Oct. 11) in a semifinal of the Xerox Punch Imlach College Hockey Showcase. The Wolverines advance to face No. 13 North Dakota at 7 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 12) in the championship game of the tournament, while Niagara will face Canisius in the consolation game at 4 p.m.
| | Montoya made 29 saves en route to the shutout in his first college contest. |
The Wolverines jumped out to an early 1-0 lead 5:45 into the contest when sophomore defenseman Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) netted a shorthanded marker. With the Purple Eagles on their first power play of the evening, sophomore forwards Michael Woodford (Westford, Mass.) and David Moss (Livonia, Mich.) carried the puck into the Niagara zone on a 2-on-1. Moss got a shot on net, which caromed into the slot for Werner, who was trailing the play. Werner took the puck and lifted it over the glove hand of NU goaltender Jeff VanNynatten.
Moss and Woodford teamed up again just under five minutes into the second period to give Michigan a 2-0 lead, this time including senior forward Mark Mink (Livonia, Mich.) on the action. Woodford, from the Niagara goal line, sent the puck to Mink in the right faceoff circle for a shot that threaded the needle between the right post and VanNynatten. Freshman forward Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) gave U-M a three-goal lead at 12:58 when he netted his first career goal, beating Van Nynatten on his glove side along the ice.
Michigan finished the game 0-for-6 on the power play, while Niagara was 0-for-8. VanNynatten made 27 stops in the losing effort.
In the first game of the night, freshman forward Zach Parise had a hat trick and an assist as No. 13 North Dakota dominated Canisius 8-0. Five other UND players notched goals, while sophomore goaltender Jake Brandt made 18 saves en route to the shutout. North Dakota (1-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) outshot Canisius (0-1-0, 0-0-0 MAAC) by a 48-18 margin, including a 31-4 mark in the first 40 minutes.
N O T E S
Eric Werner's shorthanded goal was the second of his career. Four of Werner's six career goals have been scored on special teams (2 SHG, 2 power-play goals).
Werner has gotten off to an early start with his goal scoring this season. Last year, he did not net his first goal until his 15th game (Dec. 1 vs. Ferris State).
Al Montoya is the third straight U-M freshman starting goaltender to notch a shutout in his collegiate debut. Marty Turco blanked York 8-0 in his first appearance on Oct. 14, 1994, while Josh Blackburn posted a 2-0 win over Lake Superior State in his first Michigan game on Oct. 11, 1998.
Michael Woodford and David Moss equaled career highs for assists in a game with two each.
The HSBC Arena is the site of the 2003 NCAA Frozen Four.
Michigan's game against North Dakota is a rematch of the semifinal from last year's Great Lakes Invitational, a game the Sioux won 5-4 in overtime. Michigan is 0-1-1 in the last two games against UND.
Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423
