Michigan
18-6-1, 12-4-1CCHA
Ferris State
18-8-1, 13-5-1CCHA
Gajic, Tambellini Spark Comeback Victory Over Bulldogs
1/31/2003 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Score: #7 Michigan 6, #9 Ferris State 4
Records: U-M (18-6-1, 12-4-1 CCHA), FSU (18-8-1, 13-5-1 CCHA)
Attendance: 6,917
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 1 -- at Ferris State (Big Rapids, Mich.), 7:05 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 7 University of Michigan ice hockey team overcame two first-period deficits to defeat No. 9 Ferris State 6-4 on Friday (Jan. 31) at Yost Ice Arena. The Bulldogs put up two goals in the opening 3:20 with the markers coming 1:49 apart, and FSU led 3-2 after 20 minutes of play before the Wolverines responded with four of the final five goals of the game. Michigan outshot Ferris State 37-22 in the game, including a 25-11 edge over the final two periods. U-M's nation-leading penalty-killing unit held Ferris State scoreless on four opportunities.
Freshman forward Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) and sophomore forward Milan Gajic each talllied two goals and Gajic added an assist for the Wolverines (18-7-1, 12-4-1 CCHA). Ferris State's Chris Kunitz, the leading scorer in the CCHA, scored his 21st and 22nd overall goals of the season, including an unassisted tally at 14:46 to give the Bulldogs the 3-2 lead after one period.
Ferris State (18-8-1, 13-5-1 CCHA) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead at the 1:31 mark of the first period by scoring on the first shot of the game. Carter Thomson won a draw in the right faceoff circle that went directly to Trevor Large in the slot for a one-timer that beat freshman goalie Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) over his right shoulder. Minutes later the Bulldogs extended their advantage to 2-0 when Kunitz scored on a rebound left in front at 3:20. Montoya made the initial point-blank save but could not recover to stop the second shot.
Michigan drew within one of FSU at 7:54 as junior defenseman Andy Burnes (Battle Creek, Mich.) picked up his first goal of the season. Sophomore forward Jason Ryznar (Anchorage, Alaska) prevented a clearing pass at the outer edge of the left circle where Gajic then picked up the puck and threaded it through a defender's legs to a wide-open Burnes. At the top of the slot, Burnes sniped a shot into the upper right corner of the net as the goalie was screened by a crossing forward.
The Wolverines then took the first penalty of the game but carried their momentum by out-chancing FSU on its own power play. Michigan tied the contest at 2-2 on a shot from Tambellini at 11:28. Senior forward Mark Mink (Livonia, Mich.) and Tambellini tipped the puck away from the Ferris State defense at the left half boards and proceeded to move towards the goal. Mink shed a defender and slid a short pass to Tambellini at the left hash mark, and he then sent a shot past the handcuffed Mike Brown.
Ferris State regained the the lead at 11:28 on a breakaway goal from Kunitz. Sophomore defenseman Brandon Rogers (Rochester, N.H.), while in the offensive zone, tried to flip a puck into the corner but his attempt was blocked by Kunitz, who raced down the ice and beat Montoya to the left post for a 3-2 advantage.
The Wolverines had back-to-back power plays beginning at 15:27 and had countless scoring chances during the advantage but could not find the back of the Bulldogs' cage. U-M took a late penalty of its own to give Ferris State a power play heading into the second period.
To open the second period Michigan successfully killed its penalty and quickly turned its attention back to the offensive third of the rink. The Maize and Blue repeatedly prevented Ferris State clearing attempts and controlled the flow of the game for nearly five minutes before cashing in on its efforts at 5:21 to knot the game at three goals apiece. Sophomore forward David Moss (Dearborn, Mich.) broke into the offensive zone along the left side and stopped near the top of the left circle to fire a pass to Rogers, who was skating into the zone along the right side. Eyeing a seam in the defense, Rogers then hit Gajic with a perfect pass at the left edge of the crease for the goal as Brown was well out of position.
Michigan took its first lead of the game at 12:57 with a tally by freshman defenseman Danny Richmond (Buffalo Grove, Ill.). Sophomore forward Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.) began the play with a one-on-one but was unable to get a shot off. He held onto the puck in the left corner and passed to freshman forward Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.) a few feet away along the goal line. Ebbett found Richmond with a pass in the high slot and Richmond had enough time to look up and pick his spot between the goalie's glove and left pad with a wrist shot. A little over a minute later the Wolverines stretched their lead to 5-3 on a rebound marker by Gajic, his second of the game.
Seconds later at 14:37, Ferris State responded by receiving a goal from Simon Mangos. Mangos brought the puck over the blue line, was separated from the puck by a defender but recovered it and sent it through Montoya's five-hole after a Michigan defender whiffed on a clearing attempt.
Michigan had a power play that carried over from the second period but failed to convert. Gajic had a great chance to complete his hat trick two and a half minutes in on a semi-breakaway from between the circles but his shot rang off the right post, keeping the score at 5-4.
The Bulldogs garnered a man advantage at 3:57 but solid defensive play and key saves by Montoya prevented FSU from knotting the game up. FSU's Jeff Legue had a chance about a minute later but his shot ricocheted high off the crossbar. Just after that, Michigan countered with a scoring opportuntity and converted on it to take a 6-4 lead at 7:26. Senior forward Jed Ortmeyer (Omaha, Neb.) gave a tremendous effort at center ice as he dove and one-handed a pass up to a streaking Tambellini at the FSU blue line. Tambellini broke in alone on the goalie and gave a hesitation move before firing a shot by Brown's blocker.
Ferris State had a chance to get back into the game inside of five minutes to play when U-M committed an infraction. The Wolverines killed off their fourth penalty of the night and held on for the victory.
Michigan will wrap up its season series with Ferris State on Saturday (Feb. 1) at Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423
