Michigan
6-3-0, 3-2-0-0CCHA
Alaska
5-3-1, 3-2-1-1CCHA
Wolverines Surrender Early Lead, Fall at Alaska
11/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Score: Alaska 4, #7 Michigan 1
Records: U-M (6-3-0, 3-2-0-0 CCHA), Alaska (5-3-1, 3-2-0-0 CCHA)
Attendance: 3,137
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 8 -- at Alaska (Fairbanks, Alaska), 7:05 p.m. AST (11 p.m. EST)
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team dropped a 4-1 decision to the Alaska Nanooks on Friday night (Nov. 7) at the Carlson Center.
David Wohlberg(South Lyon, Mich.) opened the scoring in the first period, but the Maize and Blue did not capitalize on its chances to extend the lead. As a result, Alaska tied the game and took the lead away from U-M during a 1:10 span midway through the second stanza, taking a 2-1 advantage. It remained a one-goal game until the final three minutes of regulation when Alaska scored off a rebound and added an empty-netter.
The Wolverines controlled the pace of play throughout the early portion of the game, scoring the game's first goal at 7:36. Wohlberg scored his second goal of the season from the high slot by wristing the puck inside the right post. Travis Turnbull(Chesterfield, Mo.) fed Wohlberg from the left circle as the Wolverines rushed into Nanook territory. Brandon Burlon(Nobleton, Ontario) picked up the second assist by head-manning the puck to Turnbull in the neutral zone.
The first period featured zero penalties for either team. Alaska outshot Michigan 10-8 in the stanza. However, only three Nanook attempts truly tested Sauer.
The first penalty of the game was called at 4:35 of the second period. Michigan had two favorable chances from the slot, but Alaska goalie Chad Johnson turned both aside.
The Nanooks tied the game and took their 2-1 lead with goals at 12:14 and 13:24. Adam Naglich garnered a partial breakaway and snuck the puck through Sauer's legs with a forehand-to-backhand move. The second Alaska tally was scored by Scott Ender, whose dump in from the right edge of the blue skipped in front of the net and eluded Sauer.
Despite holding an 11-4 shot advantage in the second period, the Maize and Blue headed into the second intermission trailing, 2-1.
Chad Langlais(Spokane, Wash.) had a great chance to tie the game four minutes into the third period when he stole a lazy pass and headed off on a breakaway. Langlais tried to stuff the puck five-hole, but Johnson dropped to his knees to keep Alaska ahead.
U-M went on the power play for the second time of the game at 6:24. The Wolverines' first unit cycled and criss-crossed the puck through the Alaska zone but was unable to hit the back of the net on its two shots on goal.
The Nanooks secured their win with a rebound tally from Dion Knelsen at 17:28. The point shot was stopped by Sauer, but the puck deflected directly to Knelsen in the right circle. Alaska added an empty-net goal with 1:06 left in regulation.
The Wolverines and Nanooks conclude their only series of the season on Saturday (Nov. 8) at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. Faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. AST (11 p.m. EST).
N O T E S
Michigan falls to 35-7-0 all-time against Alaska, including a 15-4-0 line in Fairbanks. U-M had won the last four meetings heading into tonight. This was the first meeting between Red Berenson and first-year Nanooks coach Dallas Ferguson.
David Wohlberg has a goal in each of the last two games. The freshman has a 2-1-3 line for the season.
Defenseman Brandon Burlon's first career point, an assist, came in his first career game. The rookie missed the first eight games of the season with an ankle injury.
The Wolverines were assessed zero penalties tonight, while the Nanooks were penalized just twice for four penalty minutes. U-M was 0-for-2 on the power play.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Red Berenson
On tonight's loss... "It was a 1-0 game for a period and then Alaska took advantage on that two-on-one opportunity and then they got a break -- it looked like a bad bounce on the second one. Then we didn't have an answer for it. We got a power-play chance and we started to outplay them, but we didn't have an answer to that goal. The longer you go, the more you're pressing and then we give up one. It's tough to get that back at the end. You're hoping for a break. [Alaska] played a great defensive game and made their chances count, and they didn't give us much."
On the offense... "I thought we played pretty well. Our lines played decent. We didn't generate a lot of offense, whether it was Louie Caporusso's line or which line it was. The line that got the most shots in the first two periods was Danny Fardig's line. They weren't giving us many shots. Most of our chances were coming from the point and the point shots weren't getting through. If you look at the shot chart and how many shots were blocked or missed the net and most were coming from the point. They stacked it in pretty good in front of the net."
On not committing a single penalty... "I think the game was well-played. Both teams played hard and they played clean. There wasn't anything stupid. The referees called a good game. It was one of those games where maybe we didn't extend them enough and maybe they didn't extend us enough. Regardless, we had the momentum in the game and we couldn't make it count on the scoreboard."
U-M Junior Defenseman Chris Summers
On the game's deflated atmosphere... "It's obviously a hard game to get into, but that's any road game. We have to create our own energy no matter where we're playing. It was a tough game, but I thought we responded well. I actually thought we played a very good game through the first two periods. We had a few letdowns and we have to learn to bounce back from those."
On if the scoring chances were available, yet not capitalized upon... "I think that's going to be one of the biggest differences tomorrow. We obviously had our chances. We're going to look at the video and take the positive out of it. I don't think it was a 4-1 game by any means. I think tomorrow's biggest thing is going to be shutting them down defensively."
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
