Michigan
25-9-3
Bowling Green
8-24-3
Balanced Attack Produces U-M Win in First-Round Action
3/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Yost Ice Arena)
Event: CCHA Tournament First Round
Score: #7 Michigan 3, Bowling Green 1
Records: U-M (25-9-3), BGSU (8-24-3)
Attendance: 6,749
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 15 -- vs. Bowling Green at CCHA Tournament First Round (Yost Ice Arena), 7:35 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team won the first game of the CCHA Tournament first round Friday night with a 3-1 decision over Bowling Green in front of 6,749 fans at Yost Ice Arena. Three unanswered goals by three different players spanning the second and third periods were all the Wolverines needed as freshman goaltender Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) made 25 saves in his first postseason action.
Bowling Green, seeded 11th, was outshot 40-25 in the contest but was able to keep the game close throughout, and the Falcons actually held a 1-0 lead after the first period. The No. 2-seeded Wolverines turned the tables in the second period, however, using the power play to swing the momentum. The Wolverines finished 1-7 on the man advantage, while BGSU was unable to capitalize on its power play opportunities, going 0-5.
Bowling Green was able to draw first blood with just under eight minutes remaining in the first period. Moments after BGSU's second power play of the game had concluded, a shot from Chris Pedota from the high slot was kicked out to the left side of the net by Motoya. Falcon forward Mike Falk corralled the loose puck and wristed a shot high to the near side and it found its way over a sprawling Montoya.
Michigan was able to convert its own rebound opportunities in the second period to bring the game even and eventually take a 2-1 lead going into the third frame. Just under a minute into the period at the 19:04 mark and with the Wolverines on the power play, freshman forward Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) took a poor-angled shot from the near side that BGSU goaltender Jordan Sigalet was unable to control as the puck trickled to the top of the goal crease. Senior forward John Shouneyia (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) swooped in from the far side and backhanded the puck over Sigalet's glove to erase the Falcons' one-goal lead.
Eight minutes later, with 10:47 remaining in the second period, the Wolverines were able to capture their first lead of the game, on a Bowling Green breakdown in its own zone that eventually led to senior forward Jed Ortmeyer (Omaha, Neb.) parked right in front of the Bowling Green goal for another rebound putback. Tambellini, located on the goal line on the far side, fired the initial shot which ricocheted off the post and right in front of the goal, where a wide-open Ortmeyer was able to bang home the puck. Entering the third period Michigan led 2-1, with a 28-15 advantage in shots on goal.
In the third, Michigan added an insurance goal after junior defenseman Andy Burnes (Battle Creek, Mich.) was able to draw three Falcon defenders with him to the near side before sliding a pass to sophomore forward Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.), who was open in front of the goal. On the pass Sigalet slid to prepare for the one-time shot. Helminen remained patient, however, and moved the puck around the sliding Sigalet and shot the puck into the open goal to conclude the scoring and give Michigan the 3-1 lead.
The Wolverines return to action against Bowling Green in game two of the series Saturday night (March 15, 7:35 p.m.) at Yost Ice Arena. A Michigan win would give them a 2-0 victory in the best-of-three series, while a Falcons win would force a third and deciding game Sunday at 7:35 p.m.
Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423
