Michigan
5-1-0, 2-0-0CCHA
Alaska Fairbanks
1-4-1, 0-3-1CCHA
U-M Sweeps Alaska Fairbanks with Six-Goal Outburst
10/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team earned a series sweep of Alaska Fairbanks in its first weekend of CCHA play, downing the Nanooks by a 6-2 count on Saturday (Oct. 26) at Yost Ice Arena. After UAF took a 1-0 lead, the fifth-ranked Wolverines outscored the Nanooks 6-1 en route to their fourth straight victory. Senior forward Jed Ortmeyer (Omaha, Neb.) and sophomore forward David Moss (Dearborn, Mich.) each had two goals as Michigan remained perfect at home this season.
| | Moss' first two-goal effort included the game-winner. |
The Nanooks were able to take the first lead when they converted on a scoring chance at the 9:12 mark. As a result of a turnover at the Michigan blue line, UAF earned a three-on-two break with Cam Keith carrying the puck along the left side and then feeding an open Aaron Voros for a backhand goal as he skated through the slot left to right. U-M had a man advantage late in the first period but was actually outshot by UAF 1-0 during the two-minute span. After the opening 20 minutes, Michigan had seven shots to Alaska Fairbanks' four yet trailed 1-0.
In the second period U-M got the equalizing goal at 3:43 from freshman forward Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.), who shoved the puck up and over the pads of the goalie at the right post following a fanned shot that turned into a pass from sophomore forward Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.), who was set up in the mid slot. Ortmeyer chipped in a shorthanded goal just 2:07 later when sophomore forward Michael Woodford (Westford, Mass.) recovered his own breakaway shot in the left corner and then spotted Ortmeyer alone in at the far post to give the Wolverines their first lead of the game.
The Maize and Blue added one more tally before the intermission with Moss stuffing a rebound past UAF goalie Preston McKay. Woodford redirected freshman defenseman Danny Richmond's (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) shot from the left half boards in front of the net, which allowed Moss to sneak behind the out-of-position Nanooks defense, gain control of the puck in the crease and give U-M a 3-1 lead heading into the second intermission.
With just 1:52 having elapsed in the third period, Alaska Fairbanks scored a power-play goal to bring itself to within one goal of Michigan. However, the Wolverines acted quickly to quell the Nanooks' comeback when Moss and Helminen scored back-to-back goals at 3:40 and 4:16. Moss' received a pass from freshman forward Brandon Kaleniecki (Livonia, Mich.) at the blue line and then skated around a defender in the slot. While deking the goalie he lost control of the puck but it still found its way through the five-hole of McKay. Helminen took a pass from sophomore defender Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) and fired a shot over the shoulder of McKay from the high slot.
Ortmeyer scored his second goal of the night at 15:48 to cap the scoring at 6-2 as he extended his reach from just outside the left of the crease to slide the puck around the outstretched pad of the goaltender into the right side of the net.
Michigan will take a week off from conference play as it hosts the U.S. National Team Development Program on Friday (Nov. 1). The exhibition contest will be played at Yost Ice Arena and is scheduled to start at 7:35 p.m.
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Red Berenson
On sweeping the series ... "I definitely think that home ice is a big factor. When you're behind at home, the fans give you an added boost and the whole environment here is conducive. If you can't play your absolute hardest in this situation, then you shouldn't be playing hockey. So there's no question that home ice is important and maybe that's one thing that's not right about the schedule but that's the way it is. So those were must wins for our team but they were evenly played games until certain points in the game where we were able to get the goals that we needed, and tonight was not a lot different than last night. We may have had the edge in play, they were in the game and then we got the goals that we needed to go ahead."
On how to keep the team's momentum going ... "I think this will be a good opportunity for us to refocus a little bit. We've got some bumps and bruises, we've got some players that I'd like to see get some game ice time, starting with Dave Wyzgowski, for example. I can't tell you we played our best hockey, we're going to have to play better than that but it was a good start to the CCHA schedule."
On goaltender Al Montoya's play ... "(As) I told you at the start, I wasn't worried about our goaltending and Al hasn't given me any reason to worry about him. I liked his presence, he handles the puck well, he makes some big saves. Like any other goalie, he's going to give up a goal and some goals he doesn't like, but I like the kid. I like the way he's playing and definitely he's got the team's confidence and that's the most important thing."
Senior Captain Jed Ortmeyer On opening the league schedule with a sweep ... "We have to take care of our league first and to get four points in a weekend is definitely one of our goals going in. The last couple of years it's come down to one point at the end of the season and we can't afford to give up any points this early in the season. We were pleased with how we played."
On wearing the maize jerseys tonight ... "It's a good feeling to see the maize, it's a special feeling for us and it means a lot. We walked into the locker room and saw those and everyone had a little extra jump in their step. It was good to go out and get a win in those. It was a big weekend for Michigan with Homecoming and the football game and for us to come out and get a couple of wins this weekend was definitely something special."
On the penalty killing and his shorthanded goal ... "We want to be aggressive, we want to try to get down on them right away so they don't have time to set it up. We dump it in, we try to put a lot of pressure on them to make sure that they don't break it out, get it into the zone and get it set up. Mike (Woodford) was able to pick off a pass and he just hit my stick and it went in. It was a good play on his part."
Sophomore Forward David Moss
On why his line is clicking ... "We have the pit bull (Brandon) Kaleniecki on our line. We're just doing the simple things and getting the puck and playing well in our zone, and we're getting lots of chances because of that."
On the importance of crashing the net ... "It's important, we just try to get the puck to the net and shoot it and get rebounds. Any kind of chance we can get, we'll take."
On his confidence ... "I feel more confident this year. The points are coming, but I think our line is playing really well right now as a unit so I have to give as much credit to them."
Sophomore Forward Michael Woodford
On the play of goalie Al Montoya ... "Well, I think he's a young kid, he's only 17 years old, this is his first real weekend where it's league play and it's important and the goals count for and against. I think he was a little nervous but he's a heck of a goaltender and once he makes those first couple of saves, he's ready to play the game. He may let in a goal here and there, but we have full confidence back there. When the third period comes around, he's making those big saves."
N O T E S
Michigan showed off its newest duds as it wore the maize jerseys for the first time since all three of the Michigan jerseys were redone for the 2002-03 season.
The Wolverines have scored five goals or more in each of the past three games. Michigan has had a player with two goals in the four straight contests.
This was the second time this season that U-M's opponent scored first. Michigan is 1-1-0 when facing that situation.
For the second straight night Michigan notched three goals in a period. In the series opener, U-M scored three times in the third period, while in the finale it picked up the trifecta in the second period.
With the three-goal margin of victory, each of U-M's wins this year have been by three or more goals.
Michigan has won its last 11 CCHA regular-season games dating back to 2001-02, including five straight series sweeps.
Jeff Tambellini has a goal in five of the six games this season and a scoring streak of six games (6-1-7).
Dwight Helminen extended his point streak to five games (3-4-7), scoring a goal for the third consecutive game. He also racked up his second straight multi-point game.
Jed Ortmeyer scored two goals against UAF, the first being his first goal of the season. He has scored two goals in game six times during his career. Ortmeyer's shorthanded tally was the second of his career and the first since his freshman campaign in 1999-2000.
With his assist on Ortmeyer's shorthanded goal, Michael Woodford has a helper in five of Michigan's six games, including one in each of the Alaska Fairbanks contests. Woodford, who has assisted on both of U-M's shorthanded goals (Eric Werner vs. Niagara, Oct. 11), logged his second multi-assist game of the season.
David Moss recorded the first multi-goal game of his career. He has three goals in six games this year after just four markers in 43 games in 2001-02. He also extended his point streak to three games (2-4-6). Moss has a point in five of the six games played this year (3-6-9).
Danny Richmond has notched a point in two of his last three games (1-2-3), while Brandon Kaleniecki stretched his point streak to three games (4-1-5).
Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423
