Michigan
2-1-0, 0-1-0CCHA
Northern Michigan
2-1-0, 1-0-0CCHA
Michigan Suffers Season's First Loss at Northern Michigan
10/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Site: Marquette, Mich. (Berry Events Center)
Score: Northern Michigan 2, #2 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (2-1-0, 0-1-0 CCHA), NMU (2-1-0, 1-0-0 CCHA)
Attendance: 3,842
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 18 -- at Northern Michigan (Marquette, Mich.), 7:35 p.m.
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes
MARQUETTE, Mich. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team dropped the opening game of its CCHA season to Northern Michigan, 2-0, on Friday (Oct. 17). Neither team was particularly proficient on the power play -- U-M was 0 for 8 and NMU was 1 for 7 -- but the Wildcats' single man-advantage marker was all they needed to clinch victory. Billy Sauer(Walworth, N.Y.) stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced -- NMU's second goal was an empty-netter. His counterpart, Brian Stewart, denied all 15 Michigan shots on goal.
The decisive goal in the game came on NMU's first power play at 7:50 into the opening period when Phil Fox flipped a rebound up and over Sauer from the left side of the slot.
The squads alternated power plays during the rest of the period with Michigan coming up empty on both of its opportunities. U-M's best chance came in the final two minutes of the stanza when Matt Rust's (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) redirection just outside the crease was thwarted by the goalie.
The second period was scoreless with each team registering just four shots on goal. Early on the Wolverines were back on their heels as a result of two NMU power plays in the first five minutes of the frame.
After surviving NMU's man advantages, the Wolverines garnered two power-play opportunities of their own at 5:49 and 10:10. During the second man advantage, Tim Miller(Davisburg, Mich.) came inches from tying the game when he swatted at a loose puck near the right side of the crease -- Stewart managed to smother the attempt on the goal line.
The Wolverines were faced with a formidable task at 13:30 when David Wohlberg(South Lyon, Mich.) was whistled for kneeing -- a five-minute major. U-M's penalty killers received some relief less than a minute later when a Wildcat committed a cross-checking penalty. Even after NMU's power play resumed, the Maize and Blue defense remained stout to keep it 1-0 after 40 minutes.
Michigan was presented with numerous chances to tie the game in the first 15 minutes of the third period -- NMU was called for penalties at 2:58, 5:55 and 11:21. Nevertheless, the Wolverines could not solve Stewart. Rust had U-M's best scoring threat on a one-timer from the left slot that was headed for the goalie's five-hole.
An NMU penalty with 52 seconds left in regulation gave U-M one last chance to tie the game and send it into overtime. Travis Turnbull(Chesterfield, Mo.) seemed to score on a tip-in with 35 seconds left, but the referee confirmed his initial no-goal call after going to video review. The Wildcats then deposited the puck into U-M's empty net with two seconds left on the clock.
The Wolverines and Wildcats will wrap up their weekend series tomorrow night (Saturday, Oct. 18). Puck drop is set for 7:35 p.m. at the Berry Events Center.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
