Michigan
3-0-0
Boston College
0-1-0
Wolverines Fend Off Boston College to Stay Undefeated
10/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team held off No. 5 Boston College for a 3-2 victory on Friday (Oct. 14) in front of a raucous crowd of 6,982 fans at Yost Ice Arena.
The Wolverines led the entire game, but the Eagles were unrelenting with their speed and hitting. T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) scored U-M's second goal and assisted on the eventual game-winner, which was scored by Travis Turnbull (Chesterfield, Mo.) for his first career tally. BC nearly sent the game to overtime with 28 seconds left in the third period, but its apparent goal by Brian Boyle was waved off after Peter Harrold bowled into Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) in the goal crease.
| | Hensick recorded his third straight multi-point game. |
The Wolverines wasted no time on the 5-on-3 advantage as Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich.) took a feed from Matt Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) at the point and fired one low to the stick side past Schneider to put the Wolverines up 1-0 at 1:44.
Michigan created two more chances on the 5-on-4 advantage. Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich.) nearly slid one in on a low wrister from the point, but the shot sailed wide. Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) kept the puck in at the boards and fed a goal-mouth pass to Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.), but Ebbett had a bad angle and hit the outside of the post.
The Wolverines earned another power-play advantage at 5:27 but had trouble gaining the zone to begin the power play. Their first opportunity in the zone, however, turned into a goal. Hunwick took a shot from the point that Turnbull attempted to tip, but the puck fell right onto Hensick's stick. Hensick wheeled around to the slot and buried a shot high to the glove side at 7:20.
Just over two minutes later, Ebbett was called for a five-minute major and a game misconduct for checking from behind. The Eagles took advantage of a faceoff win at 11:04 to move the score to 2-1. Off the faceoff, Chris Collins beat Michigan to the puck at the low circle and Collins took a shot that handcuffed Sauer. Sauer nearly blocked the shot, but the puck trickled under his legs into the net. Michigan preserved its lead behind a few key saves from Sauer and killed off the remainder of the penalty.
The Wolverines added to their lead with a goal at 6:54 of the second period. In a goal-mouth scramble in front of the Boston College net, Turnbull banged the puck between the goalie's pads.
Michigan earned its sixth power-play attempt at 8:52. Boston College nearly scored shorthanded on a Nathan Gerbe breakaway, but his shot attempt went wide. The Wolverines were unable to generate much open ice or scoring opportunities on the man advantage.
Boston College cut the Wolverines' lead to one at 11:42 of the second period. In transition, Brian Boyle fired a shot toward the net that went trickling past Sauer. The Michigan defense could not reach the puck before Dan Bertum tapped it home to make the score 3-2.
A Hunwick penalty gave the Eagles their fourth power-play attempt of the game at 12:58. The Wolverines stifled Boston College on the kill to protect their one-goal lead.
Turnbull nearly gave Michigan a two-goal lead with three minutes remaining in the period. He tipped a Tim Cook point shot, but the puck just trickled wide. Turnbull set up another chance with a pass to Porter in the high slot. Porter's show, however, was snared by Schneider.
Boston College received the second major penalty of the game at 19:33 of the second period. Tim Kunes received a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking from behind. The Wolverines could not score on 27 seconds of man-advantage time and the score remained 3-2 heading into the second intermission.
The Wolverines began the third period with 4:33 of the five-minute major remaining. Hensick set up Porter on the doorstep a minute in, but the BC goalie flashed a pad to keep the puck out of the net. Kaleniecki had a chance moments later but could not whack the loose puck home.
U-M was whistled for an infraction with 37 seconds left in the major penalty to negate the rest of its power play. The Michigan penalty killers did their job though, quelling the shortened power play with ease to keep the score 3-2.
Both Michigan and Boston College continued to exchange high-quality scoring chances as the third period continued. U-M had two power plays during the middle of the frame but could not capitalize.
Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, Ontario) came in on a strong move to the net with 1:09 to play but was called for charging the goaltender to put the Wolverines down a man for the remainder of regulation.
Boston College's Harrold got around the U-M defense with 30 seconds to play and mustered a shot on net. He then continued through the crease and crashed into the right side of Sauer. Boyle smacked the loose puck into the net for an apparent game-tying goal, but the referee instead penalized Harrold for charging and disallowed the goal.
Michigan will take tomorrow off before concluding the weekend against Merrimack on Sunday (Oct. 16) at Yost Ice Arena. Faceoff is set for 3 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
