Michigan
21-10-1, 16-7-1CCHA
Michigan State
18-8-3, 14-6-3CCHA
Michigan Fights Back to Tie Michigan State
2/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
DETROIT, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team fought back from a three-goal deficit against the No. 6 Michigan State Spartans to earn a 3-3 tie at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday (Feb. 10). Chris Summers (Milan, Mich.), skating in his second game as a forward, recorded two goals for the Wolverines, and added an assist on the game-tying goal scored by Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, Ontario). Cogliano's tally came with 1:51 left in regulation. The Wolverines outshot the Spartans by a 57-22 margin in the game.
Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) provided Michigan with its first shot of the night when he attempted a wraparound one minute into the game. T.J.Hensick (Howell, Mich.) followed with the first quality scoring chance of the game. Behind the MSU net, Hensick intercepted a drop pass and circled in front, but was stopped by Jeff Lerg's trapper.
Michigan kept applying pressure to the Spartan goalie, getting off seven shots before Michigan State was able to register its first attempt on a light wrister five minutes into the first stanza.
Justin Abdelkader and the Spartans opened the scoring at 11:56, three seconds after an MSU power play had expired. Michigan State knocked down U-M's clearing attempt at the blue line and moved the puck to Abdelkader above the right circle. Abdelkader had a two-on-one chance, but elected to shoot and beat Sauer to the short side.
Bryan Lerg increased MSU's lead to 2-0 at 13:00. Another clearing attempt was knocked down, and Ethan Graham quickly sent a shot on goal from the point. Sauer made the initial save, but Lerg snuck a shot high inside the left post as the U-M goalie sprawled out.
U-M had a power play with six minutes left in the period but it mustered just one shot on goal. Although the Wolverines had an 18-11 shot advantage through the first 20 minutes, U-M trailed 2-0.
Less than two minutes into the second period, a Summers shot hit the right post while skating down the left wing. MSU recovered the rebound to deny a second chance for the Wolverines.
After denying a Spartan power-play opportunity, U-M gave up a shorthanded marker at 7:57 to Abdelkader, notching his second goal of the night on a breakaway.
Michigan finally broke onto the scoreboard at 8:52 of the middle period on a Summers' rebound. Steve Kampfer (Jackson, Mich.) snagged a failed clearing attempt at the blue line and rifled a shot toward the net that Lerg sticked aside. Summers, stationed in front of the net, managed to get a stick on the rebound and light the lamp for the Maize and Blue. The goal, Summers' second of the year, cut the Wolverine deficit to 3-1.
Despite outshooting the Spartans 16-8 in the second session -- and 34-19 in the game -- Michigan still trailed by a two-goal margin after 40 minutes of play.
Summers scored his second goal of the game at the 1:41 mark of the third period to trim U-M's deficit to 3-2. Cogliano stickhandled through three Spartans, sending a shot on goal from the slot. Summers fought off his defender and flipped the puck high into the net over Lerg.
Michigan successfully killed a Spartan power play that began 30 seconds after Summers' tally. A minute after the man-advantage, Sauer made a pair of key saves in close to keep U-M within a goal.
The Wolverines picked up their fourth power play of the game with 9:44 left in regulation. U-M mustered only a single shot during the man-advantage.
With the MSU defense scrambling, Tim Miller (Davisburg, Mich.) had a great chance with just more than three minutes to go. Matt Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) got multiple Spartans to slide to the ice with a fake shot and then fed Miller below the right circle. Miller's shot was kicked away by Lerg's left pad.
Cogliano scored the equalizer (3-3) on an outstanding effort with 1:51 left on the clock. Summers carried the puck below the goal line along the left side and slid it in front. Cogliano dropped to one knee and shot the puck through his defender's legs and over the goalie's glove hand.
With the score knotted at 3-3 at the end of regulation, Michigan had its first chance in overtime when Miller scooped up a loose puck behind the net. Miller flipped the puck toward the net where it was batted out of midair by Brandon Naurato (Livonia, Mich.). However, Lerg deftly gloved the puck to end the threat.
The Wolverines continued to pressure the Spartans in OT. Hensick swept around the back of the net before sliding the puck to Porter in the slot, but Porter's one-timer sailed high over the net.
The Wolverines will head north to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to take on Lake Superior State on Friday (Feb. 16). The series against the Lakers will conclude on Sunday, Feb. 18, when the two squads travel to Detroit to play at Joe Louis Arena. The game is set for a 3 p.m. puck drop.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
