Notes & Quotes: #7 Miami (Ohio) 2, #9 Michigan 1
11/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
U-M killed off seven Miami power plays to extend its streak of successful penalty kills to a season-best 23. Michigan negated all five RedHawk power plays last night, 10 WMU power plays last weekend and the last man-advantage chance for Alaska on Nov. 8.
Chris Summers scored his first goal since Jan. 11, 2008, vs. Western Michigan. The power-play marker was the first of Summers' career. He has nine career goals.
Summers' tally snapped U-M's longest goal drought of the season at 95:39. U-M scored late in its 5-0 shutout of WMU on Nov. 15 and was held scoreless last night and through the first period tonight.
Michigan is 1-4-0 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.
Michigan's record against Miami stands at 66-20-3. U-M is 22-17-2 in Oxford.
Michigan suffered its first road sweep in 11 away series. U-M last dropped both games of a road series on Dec. 2-3, 2005, at Miami at the old Goggin Ice Arena.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Red Berenson
Opening statement... "It was another hard-fought game. Obviously goals are precious and obviously we were not able to capitalize on our chances. Miami is a great team and they're getting good goalkeeping and good defense. They're a solid team right from front to back. I thought we had our moments. We played hard against them and made it interesting but couldn't capitalize on our chances."
On stopping all seven Miami power plays... "There were some good parts of the game, definitely. When you lose sometimes everything seems bleak. I thought our penalty killers did a great job. They had to kill that five on three and the five-minute major. [Miami] has a good power play and maybe they didn't need that goal. I thought we got the goalkeeping and the penalty killing and we got the only power-play goal. Some good things happened in the game."
On comparing tonight's game to last night's game... "I thought it was a better effort [tonight]. We played with more intensity and more flow. I can't tell you whether we were stronger or fresher or more motivated or what it was, but I know our team wanted to bounce back and they gave us everything they had. It was a close game. It was a good team effort on our part."
U-M Junior Defenseman Chris Summers
On his goal... "It was just a shot getting through. It was an unbelievable screen from [Travis] Turnbull and that's the difference. If he's not in front screening the goalie that puck doesn't go in."
On what the team can take away from this series... "I thought we played a great game tonight. I thought maybe Friday night we didn't play as well but tonight we played a solid game and the difference is going to be that they capitalized on their opportunities and we didn't on all of ours."
On if the penalty kill is a positive coming out of the weekend... "It is a positive and I thought the power play was good at times. The biggest thing, like I said, is capitalizing on your opportunities, whether it's five on five, power play or penalty kill."
U-M Sophomore Forward Louie Caporusso
On the amount of scoring chances that he and the team could not score on... "It was one of those games where sometimes they all go in and sometimes they don't. Today, I had a couple opportunities to put them in but one went off the post, the goalie got a good save a couple times -- I think I hit like three posts. It was just one of those games."
On Miami's puck possession and strong defense... "I think they did their homework on us for sure. They were better positionally than us this weekend and that was the difference I think. That, and they capitalized on their chances."
