Michigan
Bowling Green
Wolverines Pull Out Comeback Win at Bowling Green
12/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes
Site: Bowling Green, Ohio (BGSU Ice Arena)
Score: #2 Michigan 4, Bowling Green 2
Records: U-M (15-2-0, 10-1-0 CCHA), BGSU (8-5-0, 5-4-0 CCHA)
Attendance: 4,314
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Dec. 8 -- vs. Bowling Green (Ann Arbor, Mich.), 7:35 p.m.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team overcame a 2-1 deficit with three goals in the final five minutes of play to pick up a 4-2 win at Bowling Green. Matt Rust(Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) tied the game on a deflection with 4:21 remaining and Chris Summers(Milan, Mich.) -- playing his first game of the season at forward -- tipped in a rebound for the game-winner with 1:23 to play. U-M then added an empty-net goal. Billy Sauer made 27 saves for the 50th win of his career.
The Wolverines have won all seven of their road games this season to equal their best road winning streak since 1994-95 to 1995-96.
The opening period of play featured a plenty of physical play as both the Wolverines and Falcons took advantage of their opportunities to finish checks all over the ice.
The first power play of the game went to BGSU when U-M was called for tripping at 10:37. U-M hardly let the Falcons enter its zone and subsequently did not allow a shot during the man-disadvantage.
Steve Kampfer(Jackson, Mich.) was penalized for tripping at 15:13 when he took out a rushing Falcon. Sauer stopped all three shots he faced, however, the best opportunity by BGSU was actually stopped by Mark Mitera(Livonia, Mich.), who got his body in the way of a shot from between the circles.
The Wolverines finally opened the scoring at 19:24 of the first period. The Falcons won a faceoff in their own zone but failed to clear the puck as Chad Kolarik(Abington, Pa.) picked the puck out of midair with his stick in the left circle. As the puck was moved to Max Pacioretty(New Canaan, Conn.) near the left post, Kevin Porter(Northville, Mich.) skated to the right slot, where he would take Pacioretty's dish and lift it high over goalie Jimmy Spratt for his 17th goal of the year.
BGSU held the shots on goal advantage at 12-8 in the first 20 minutes.
Chad Langlais(Spokane, Wash.) committed a slashing penalty at 1:11 of the second period to give the Falcons momentum. U-M got lucky as BGSU's leading scorer Derek Whitmore (13 goals) missed left on a wide-open shot from just outside the crease.
The Wolverines picked up their first power play at 5:29. Porter had two good opportunities -- first on a one-timer, then on a rush -- but U-M could not pad its lead.
U-M went on the power play again at 10:48. The man-advantage was wiped out by a charging the goalie call 52 seconds later. At 12:50 -- two seconds after Bowling Green's penalty expired -- Falcon Dan Sexton stuffed a rebound past Sauer to tie the game at 1-1.
BGSU returned to the power play at 13:17 as a result of a holding infraction. While the Falcons didn't score on the power play, they took a 2-1 lead just four seconds after the U-M penalty expired. David Holway tapped a James Perkin crossing pass through Sauer from the edge of the crease.
Pacioretty had two chances to tie the game late in the middle stanza. With 3:15 left in the frame, Pacioretty's elevated backhand shot in tight was stopped by Spratt's blocker. With 18 to go he tried another low backhander while cutting across the crease from left to right.
Michigan had a 13-9 shots advantage in the second period to even up shots for the game at 21 apiece.
Forty-one seconds into the third period Carl Hagelin(Sodertalje, Sweden) was whistled for tripping. Sauer made a pair of tough saves to keep the U-M deficit at one goal.
Michigan kept the puck in the Falcon end for nearly two minutes during the middle of the third stanza. Although the Wolverines didn't score they forced a holding the stick penalty at 9:23. Michigan registered just two shots on goal -- one from outside the blue line -- with its power play.
After two near misses the Wolverines knotted the game at 2-2 with 4:21 left in regulation. Matt Rust deflected Aaron Palushaj's cross-ice pass past the goalie's glove. Aaron Palushaj(Northville, Mich.) and Rust drew the assists.
Summers scored with 1:23 remaining on a goalmouth scramble. Travis Turnbull(Chesterfield, Mo.) just missed when he rolled the puck into the left post. Turnbull stayed with the play and tapped the puck into the middle of the crease as Spratt and the defense scrambled. Summers arrived just in time to notch his first goal of the year.
Bowling Green had its chances in the final minute of play. Todd McIlrath had two shots. With 54 seconds left he whacked a loose puck out of midair and into Sauer's midsection. He tried to force another shot in low with 30 seconds remaining, but Sauer stood his ground to make the final save.
Kolarik deposited an empty-net goal with seven seconds on the clock to ice the win.
The Wolverines will finish the home-at-home series against Bowling Green Saturday (Dec. 8) in Yost Ice Arena. Faceoff is set for 7:35 p.m.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
