Michigan
26-13-1,18-9-1CCHA
Notre Dame
31-6-3, 21-4-3CCHA
Wolverines Fall to Notre Dame in CCHA Title Game
3/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
DETROIT, Mich. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team gave up a one-goal lead to Notre Dame, falling in the CCHA championship game 2-1 on Saturday (March 17) in Joe Louis Arena. Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) scored the lone goal for the Wolverines, and Billy Sauer (Walworth, N.Y.) stopped 35 of the 37 shots he faced in the game.
The Wolverines' NCAA Tournament circumstances will be released Sunday (March 18). The NCAA selection show will air at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The 16-team bracket will also be available online at NCAAsports.com.
Sauer played tough in the loss, stopping 35 of Notre Dame's 37 shots.
Notre Dame had the first quality scoring chance in the game's first minute on Erik Condra's one-on-one breakaway. Condra carried the puck down, but the play was broken up by Matt Hunwick (Sterling Heights, Mich.) just outside of the crease. Trailing the play, Wes O'Neill had another try at the puck but his shot was stopped.
The teams traded scoring chances early in the period but neither could put the puck in the net. Kevin Deeth rifled a shot on Sauer, but the sophomore made a quick pad save. The rebound was gobbled up by Chris Summers (Milan, Mich.) who took the puck the other way for a chance of his own.
The Wolverines came close to putting one on the board when Andrew Cogliano (Wodbridge, Ontario) raced through the neutral zone and fed a pass to David Rohlfs (Northville, Mich.). The senior wristed a shot at David Brown, but the puck deflected off the post to deny Rohlfs the goal.
Michigan drew first blood in the game on Porter's 23rd goal of the season. T.J. Hensick (Howell, Mich.) threw a shot toward Brown that went wide of the net. Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich.) grabbed the loose puck and fired a shot of his own that Brown turned aside, but Johnson scooped up the rebound and relayed it back to Porter at the top of the slot. With Brown still sprawled on the ice, the left winger fired a high shot that lit the lamp with just six seconds left in the period for the 1-0 U-M lead.
After one period of play, Michigan outshot ND by an 11-9 margin.
Johnson was whistled for checking from behind early in the second stanza, giving the Irish a power-play opportunity. Condra registered the only shot on goal during the span, but Garrett Regan corralled the rebound and flung it on net. The attempt hit Sauer, but the puck trickled just wide of the net.
Notre Dame evened the score at 13:58 of the middle frame. Ryan Thang dumped the puck down to Deeth, who shook his defender behind the net and bounced a shot off Sauer's pads. The rebound found Condra in the slot and the sophomore roofed a shot to tie the game 1-1.
The Irish took the 2-1 lead near the midway point of the third period on a marker by Jason Paige. Regan flipped a shot from the blue line that was corralled by Sauer, but the U-M netminder mishandled the puck, allowing Paige to skate around him and find the back of the net at 8:52.
Notre Dame's Tom Sawatske was called for a penalty, giving Michigan a power-play opportunity with two minutes left in the game. Sauer vacated the net for the extra attacker, giving the Maize and Blue the six-on-four advantage. Michigan buzzed around the net, registering three shots on goal but could not put one past Brown. Time ran out on the Wolverines, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish won the CCHA Tournament crown.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
