Michigan
19-7-1,14-4-1
Alaska Fairbanks
12-14-3,11-11-1
U-M Power Play Derails Nanooks with Third-Period Surge
2/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team scored two power-play goals on a five-minute power play late in the third period to beat Alaska Fairbanks 4-1 on Friday night (Feb. 6) at the Carlson Center. Junior defenseman Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) netted the game-winner and classmate Brandon Rogers (Rochester, N.H.) added an insurance goal 1:22 later to give the fourth-ranked Wolverines a two-goal lead with six minutes left in the game.
Four Wolverines had two assists each, including junior Milan Gajic (Burnaby, B.C.) and freshman T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.), who assisted on both tallies during the major power play. Sophomore Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) made 36 saves in net for U-M while battling UAF's continuous pressure atop the goal mouth. Alaska native Jason Ryznar (Anchorage, Alaska) also added a pair of goals for the Wolverines.
The Wolverines got an early break just 19 seconds into the game when a bouncing puck in the neutral zone found its way on goal amidst a swarm of bodies fighting for the loose puck. The puck beat Montoya shortly before the Michigan goalie was also knocked into the net. The goal, however, was waved off as it was ruled that it was hit in by a high stick.
Alaska Fairbanks took advantage of its Olympic-sized ice sheet on a two-on-one break six minutes into play when senior Paul Austin found linemate Ryan Lang in the slot. Lang's attempt on goal was saved off Montoya's shoulder. Montoya took care of the rebound by grabbing it with his blocker in midair.
The Nanooks continued their aggressive play in front of Michigan's goal, running into Montoya for a second time in the game at 7:45. The play negated UAF's man advantage, as freshman Curtis Fraser was called for goalie interference. Michigan, however, did not capitalize on the ensuing abbreviated power play.
Michigan's offense got into gear inside of five minutes remaining when Werner found junior Mike Woodford Jr. (Westford, Mass.) in the high slot. Woodford's shot was saved by UAF goalie Preston McKay. The rebound bounced out right to the stick of freshman David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.), but he could not corral the bouncing puck for a chance on net.
McKay kept the Wolverines from going ahead 1-0 with an acrobatic blocker save on a U-M power play. Hensick found Gajic outside the right circle, but Gajic's one-time shot toward the upper right corner was stopped as McKay sprawled across the goal at 3:01.
Freshman defenseman Jason Dest (Fraser, Mich.) spoiled a Nanooks break at 9:41, chasing down UAF defenseman Felipe Larranaga, who had a partial breakaway after the puck was knocked to midice from just in front of the team benches.
Ryznar scored the game's first goal at 10:24 when he wristed the puck over McKay's blocker on a two-on-one break with sophomore Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.). Ebbett set up the tally with a pass to Ryznar inside of the right circle. Junior David Moss (Livonia, Mich.) also earned an assist on the play.
The two teams played back-and-forth hockey in the final minutes of the period. Montoya stopped a Ryan Campbell breakaway, set up by a Larranaga pass at 13:00 with the Nanooks on the power play.
Junior Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.) responded with a shorthanded rush, but his attempt on net bounced wide past the left post.
The speed of play allowed Alaska Fairbanks to tie the game 1-1 on the next rush with a Kelly Czuy goal at 14:09. Nathan Fornataro sent the puck low to Jordan Hendry in the right corner inside the Michigan zone. Hendry sent a bad-angle shot on Montoya and Czuy was able to knock the puck into the net before Montoya could control the short rebound.
The Nanook pressure in front of Montoya continued at the halfway point of the third period. At 9:00, two UAF forwards crashed the goal mouth, pushing Montoya into the net and knocking off his helmet. Fraser recieved his second penalty of the game, a five-minute major, to give the Wolverines' their fifth power play of the night.
Michigan capitalized 1:20 into the advantage with Werner's goal at 12:21. Gajic took a pass from Hensick and stalled at the halfboards to wait for Werner to come on ice after a line change. Once in the zone, Werner took a cross-ice pass at the left point and skated to the top of the circle before picking out the upper right corner of the net for the goal.
Still with the advantage, Gajic and Hensick set up Rogers to give U-M a 3-1 lead just 1:22 later, at 13:43. Gajic found Rogers with a similar pass as on Werner's goal. Rogers carried the puck inside the right faceoff circle and sent a shot over McKay.
Indside of 3:00 remaining, Czuy missed an opportunity on the doorstep. With the puck sliding across the crease, Czuy sent a quick shot wide of the net before Montoya could move across the goal mouth. That was all the offense UAF could muster as Ryznar added an empty-net goal with less than a minute left.
Michigan (19-7-1, 14-4-1 CCHA) and Alaska Fairbanks will complete the season series tomorrow night (Saturday, Feb. 7) at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. The game is set to begin at 11:05 p.m. EST.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
