Notes & Quotes: #7 Miami (Ohio) 2, #9 Michigan 0
11/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
U-M killed off five Miami power plays to extend its streak of successful penalty kills to a season-best 16. U-M stopped all 10 WMU power plays last week and the last man-advantage chance for Alaska on Nov. 8.
U-M has allowed just one first-period goal in the last seven games, including a perfect stretch over the last three games.
Prior to Miami's first goal of the night, Michigan had established its longest team shutout stretch of the season at 91:15. U-M had not allowed a goal since the third period of the Nov. 14 loss vs. WMU. Bryan Hogan shut out WMU on Nov. 15.
Michigan is 1-3-0 against nationally-ranked competition this season. U-M split with then-NR/No. 19 NMU on Oct. 17-18 and lost to No. 7/6 Boston University on Oct. 25.
The Wolverines have not been shut out twice in one season since the 2003-04 campaign. In addition to tonight's loss, U-M dropped the Oct. 17 match at NMU 2-0.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Red Berenson
Opening comment... "Goals are precious. [Miami's] a good hockey team and they don't give you much and we weren't able to get anything. That's the difference in the game. Billy Sauer gave us a chance. It was a close game. I don't like, obviously, giving up that second goal. It was a tough goal, an unearned goal, but that was our mistake."
On killing Miami's five-on-three power play in the first period... "It was a part of the game that could have been a huge part of the game. They've got the best power play in our league, so we felt fortunate to kill the penalty off, let alone a two-man advantage. But that never showed up at the end of the game."
On what it will take to win on Saturday... "We have to, obviously, have a better game. I thought our penalties were needless penalties. We have to eliminate that. You can't let this team go on the power play. On the other hand, our power play has to be a factor, too. [The power play] was a non-factor [tonight]. We didn't generate much on our power play. The special teams is a part that we have to improve. Then we have to put our five-on-five chances in. We didn't get many chances, but you have to put your chances in on the road if you're going to win. And you need solid goalkeeping. I thought we got that tonight but the goals didn't come. We have to bounce back tomorrow night."
U-M Sophomore Forward Aaron Palushaj
On the offensive opportunities early in the game... "We had an early power play in the first [period]. I had a chance, [Brian] Lebler had a great chance and [Ben] Winnett had a chance all on that first power play, but we didn't capitalize. We kept fighting that first period and Billy [Sauer] kept us in the game. Then just one break we go down 1-0 and a bad bounce we go down 2-0, and we couldn't recover."
On Miami's penalty kill... "They kill like us. It's nothing that we haven't seen. We see it every day in practice. We had some chances. We just didn't bury them."
On the team's offensive energy throughout the game... "We were definitely in it and focused. It's just sometimes the puck doesn't go your way. On Friday's we have this little jinx where we can't put the puck in the net or something."
U-M Senior Goaltender Billy Sauer
On his play tonight... "I felt fine. I just try to do what I can. I can't score goals. I don't think I can or should try. I felt fine. Even from the start of the game through the end I thought I played well."
On the second Miami goal... "It tipped right off the ice and, unfortunately, literally rolled over the top of my blocker and I couldn't catch it before it hit the goal line. It's one of those bad bounce things where the guy is right in front of me and I know it's going to be tipped, but I didn't get enough of it."
On untimely turnovers in the defensive zone... "Obviously one turnover led to a goal. You can't overlook that. It definitely doesn't help the flow of the game. If we have a good chance for a breakout and can't get it out and they get another chance it hurts us."
