Michigan
9-3-0, 5-3-0CCHA
Ohio State
8-5-0, 7-3-0CCHA
Five Unanswered Goals Help Ohio State to Series Split
11/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The No. 5 University of Michigan hockey team lost a 5-2 decision at the hands of Central Collegiate Hockey Association leader Ohio State Saturday night (Nov. 15) at Value City Arena. The OSU win salvaged a weekend split for the host and No. 14-ranked Buckeyes. Michigan dropped to 9-3 overall and 5-3 in CCHA play.
Junior Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.) and sophomore Brandon Kaleniecki (Livonia, Mich.) scored for the Wolverines, bookending the five OSU tallies. Four Buckeyes had multi-point outings, while goaltender Mike Betz made 44 saves to secure the win.
The Wolverines wasted little time in taking the lead. Helminen and Mike Brown (Northbrook, Ill.) each notched his third point of the series as they combined on a goal 21 seconds after the opening faceoff. Helminen capitalized on a turnover to fire a shot that deflected off of Betz's glove and then the post. Brown shot the rebound over the net but was the first to recover the puck behind the cage. He pushed the puck nearby to Helminen, who rolled out in front of the net to beat Betz and gain the 1-0 advatage.
Scott May evened the score three minutes later from the top of the crease, as he slotted the puck through Al Montoya's (Glenview, Ill.) pads on a quick centering pass from teammate Dave Barton. The goal was the first OSU tally against Montoya in over two games.
Ohio State then took its first lead of the weekend on a similar play at 15:40. Senior Chris Olsgard dished the puck to linemate Kenny Bernard, who moved in two-on-one down the right boards. Bernard then threaded a pass across the goal mouth to junior Lee Spector. Spector fired a quick shot into the open net before Montoya could react.
Michigan was victimized by a first-minute marker to begin the second period. OSU's Dave Steckel centered the puck and it deflected off Helminen's skate. As he tried to control the puck his stick knocked it forward and into the net to give OSU a 3-1 lead just 28 seconds into the new stanza.
Kalenicki nearly scored with seven minutes remaining in the second, but Betz got enough of the shot to push it wide. Positioned by himself atop the crease, Kaleniecki fired the one-time blast on a pass from sophomore Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.), who had gained possession in the right corner.
The Maize and Blue spent the final five minutes of the period with a man advantage when Olsgard was whistled for hitting from behind. Michigan's power play struggled to find open shots, and the Buckeyes got a break when senior senior defenseman Doug Andress found forward Paul Caponigri open in the neutral zone. Caponigri moved in one-on-one and shoveled the puck on net as he lost an edge in front of the goal. Montoya made the initial stop but could not recover to keep JB Bittner's follow-up attempt out of the net as Caponigri slid through the crease.
Though U-M kept its shot advantage, with 26 through two periods, the Wolverine offense had difficulty finding its rhythm through the neutral zone throughout the second period.
OSU added to its lead with a Dan Knapp marker at 11:52 of the third period. Knapp's backhander from Montoya's right side beat the U-M goalie to his blocker side.
Kaleniecki's goal at 16:11 closed out scoring. Ebbett was credited with the assist.
Michigan has a week off before it resumes play for the 11th annual College Hockey Showcase. The Wolverines will play Wisconsin Friday, Nov. 28, at Yost Ice Arena and host two-time defending NCAA champion Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 29. Both games are scheduled for a 7:35 p.m. start.
N O T E S
Al Montoya's shutout streak against OSU ended at 137:01 with the Buckeyes' goal at 3:46 in the first period. The stretch spanned parts of four games, including consecutive shutouts on March 21, 2003, and Nov. 14, 2003.
Dwight Helminen now has five goals and two assists for seven points in eight career games against the Buckeyes. He is the Wolverines' second-active leading scorer against OSU.
Sophomore Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) was held scoreless in the series. It marks only the third time in his career that Tambellini has not scored a point during a weekend set.
In their three losses the Wolverines have been outscored 19-9. In its nine wins, Michigan has only given up 18 goals.
The Maize and Blue's eight-game unbeaten streak (6-0-2) against Ohio State came to an end with the loss.
Michigan is 2-3 on the road this season.
The Wolverines have surrendered three shorthanded goals this season.
The loss marks Michigan's first loss in the second game of a weekend series this season. Michigan earned second-game wins against Miami (Oct. 11), Quinnipiac (Oct. 18), Northern Michigan (Oct. 26) and Ferris State (Nov. 8) prior to tonight's loss.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
