Michigan
11-5-1, 7-3-1CCHA
Nebraska-Omaha
9-7-0, 5-7-0CCHA
Wolverines Blow Out Mavericks for Weekend Sweep
12/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team defeated the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks 7-3 on Saturday night (Dec. 10) at Yost Ice Arena to earn the weekend sweep. Jason Bailey (Nepean, Ontario) had a career-high two goals to go along with an assist and Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.) recorded a goal and an assist. Both T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) and David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.) each earned two helpers in the game, while Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) picked up the win to improve to 8-3-1 in his career.
Turnovers plagued the Wolverines early, and Nebraska-Omaha took advantage to take an early lead on a goal from Scott Parse at 1:54. Brandon Scero intercepted Michigan's clearing attempt just inside the blue line. Scero sent a pass down to Parse at the top of the crease, and Parse poked it between Sauer's legs to give the Mavericks a 1-0 advantage.
The Wolverines earned the first power play of the game just over four minutes in, and Michigan netted the tying marker with just five seconds left on the power play. Mark Mitera (Livonia, Mich.) sent a pass from his defensive zone to a streaking Brandon Kaleniecki (Livonia, Mich.) down the right board, creating a 2-on-1 with Ebbett. Kaleniecki fired a wrister high past Kaufmann's glove to tie the game 1-1 at 6:14.
Less than minute later, the Mavericks took the lead again on an unassisted goal by Bill Thomas. Johnson blocked a centering pass in the high slot, but a trailing Thomas went in on a short break, made a quick move, and put one past Sauer to make the score 2-1 at 7:09.
The Wolverines came right back just over a minute later to tie the game. Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) weaved his way through traffic, making his way to the right side of the slot, and using the defenseman as a screen wristed a shot blocker-side past Kaufmann to even the score 2-2 at 8:16.
The Mavericks earned a power play with seven minutes remaining, but U-M killed it off, allowing no close chances, to keep the score even. Michigan was rewarded for its hard work, earning its second man advantage of the game, but could not capitalize. Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, Ontario) had the best chance on the power play on a rebound attempt, but Kaufmann stopped the shot.
Michigan took its first lead of the game on an innocent goal by Bailey with 28 seconds left in the first frame. Kaleniecki fired one from the top the left circle that Kaufmann blocked away to the corner. Bailey picked up the puck and sent a pass to the front of the net that hit the defenseman who was covering Ebbett in front and bounced past Kaufmann to give Michigan a 3-2 lead at 19:32.
Michigan was called for a minor penalty with nine seconds left to play in the first. Nebraska-Omaha did not have time set up the man advantage, and the Wolverines went to the intermission up 3-2.
The Mavericks opened the second period with 1:51 of power-play time. Cogliano created two scoring chances on the penalty kill, scoring on the second attempt. Cogliano raced out of the zone, moved in one-on-one with the defenseman, and fired it past Kaufmann from the high slot to give U-M a 4-2 lead at 1:20. Greg Barnett replaced Kaufmann in the Mavericks' net a minute later.
Kaleniecki earned another great chance during 4-on-4 play. Ebbett faked out a defender and moved in on a 2-on-1 with Kaleniecki. Ebbett fed a pass over to Kaleniecki, who had a gaping net but shot the puck just wide. Ebbett then gave U-M a 5-2 lead at 13:40 of the second period. Bailey carried the puck into the zone and dropped a pass back to Ebbett in the slot, where he beat Barnett.
Michigan picked up its third power-play chance of the game after Kaleb Betts was called for a five-minute major and a game misconduct for checking from behind. Betts also earned a two-minute minor for knocking Bailey to the ground after the play, giving Michigan seven minutes of power-play time.
Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich.) made the score 6-2 at 19:08 on a shot from inside the blue line that trickled under Barnett and just over the goal line. Hensick and Porter earned assists on the power-play marker. Just over 30 seconds later, Michigan netted another man-advantage tally. Dest fired a slapper on net that Barnett fumbled. The puck hit off Bailey's skate and slid over the goal line to make the score 7-2 at 19:41, putting U-M up five goals skating into the second intermission.
The Wolverines started the third period with just over three minutes of power-play time but were unable to generate much offense. Danny Fardig (Ann Arbor, Mich.) had a great chance after the power play expired but poked a shot wide from right in front of the net.
Noah Ruden (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), who started the third period in goal, came up with three big saves on chances in close following the Maize and Blue power play to quench the Maverick offensive attack.
UNO earned the first power-play opportunity of the third period at 9:47. Ruden and the U-M penalty kill took care of the Mavericks' fourth chance of the night. Michigan's best chance in the third came on a strong move to the net by Johnson, but his shot slid just wide.
The Mavericks went on the power play once again with five minutes left in the third period following two Johnson infractions. A penalty on Tim Miller (Davisburg, Mich.) gave UNO a two-man advantage, which they capitalized on to make it to 7-3 at 17:45. Bill Thomas scored on a rebound in the left circle. The Wolverines killed off the rest of UNO power play and skated to the 7-3 victory to earn the weekend sweep.
The Wolverines take an 18-day break and then move on to face Colorado College in the Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena (Dec. 29). Faceoff is at 8 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
