Live Blog: Michigan @ Miami (Ohio) Game 1

By Gjon Juncaj, written on Nov. 21, 2008

The Daily hockey writers are here in Oxford, Ohio to bring you coverage of the weekend series pitting the Wolverines against the Red Hawks. I’m sitting in an incredibly cozy (ie obnoxiously cramped) press box at the Steve Cady Arena, which might be the nicest, classiest venue I’ve ever seen a game in (though I have gotten used to Crisler so maybe I’m the wrong guy to ask). The four of us writers (and a photographer) are staying in this hotel for the weekend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6YLm–bgaI

Here’s Michigan’s lineup

1st Line: Tim Miller, Louie Caporusso, Aaron Palushaj
2nd Line: Brian Lebler, Carl Hagelin, Robbie Czarnik
3rd Line: David Wohlberg, Matt Rust, Ben Winnett
4th Line: Brandon Naurato, Travis Turnbull, Luke Glendening

Blue-Liners:
Chris Summers, Tristin Llewellyn
Chad Langlais, Greg Pateryn
Brandon Burlon, Scooter Vaughan

END OF THIRD PERIOD

FINAL SCORE: MICHIGAN 0, MIAMI (OHIO) 2

24.9 REMAINING Turnbull hammers in a Louie Caporusso rebound through traffic to beat Reichard, but the official review overturns it, either because the net came loose before the puck crosses the goal line or because another Michigan player dove into Reichard incidentally due to the huge pile. The game will end with Reichard getting the shut-out.

3:04 REMAINING Miami goes on the power play thanks to a Brandon Naurato penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. With a two-goal deficit and down a man, a Michigan comeback looks very unlikely.

8:44 REMAINING Not a whole lot of excitement going on so far, so I’m going keep up with the unintentionally comedic ’80s music videos: Ready for the World - Oh Sheila : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=locRDFcIuiY

18:08 REMAINING Miele strike again, setting up shop in front of the net and deflecting a shot from the point past Sauer for the two-goal lead.

MICHIGAN 0, MIAMI (OHIO) 2

END OF SECOND PERIOD

Not too much action after the Miele goal. The Wolverines still aren’t maintaining the puck for extended periods of time in the Redhawk zone. Miami is doing an excellent job breaking up crossing passes and tipping shots. The Lebler shot in opening moments of the first period remains Michigan’s best scoring chance of the night. Meanwhile, while Sauer hasn’t stood on his head, he made two or three critical saves to bail the Wolverines out of turnovers in their own zone. Neither goalie is playing like they deserve to lose, but Michigan’s offense isn’t giving their netminder much help.

11:27 REMAINING Miami’s Brandon Smith goes to the box and we have another Wolverine power play.

13:07 REMAINING The Redhawks’ Andy Miele dances behind the Wolverine net with the puck, fakes to his right and quickly cuts left and sneaks the puck between Sauer’s skate and the post.

MICHIGAN 0, MIAMI (OHIO) 1

15:36 REMAINING Miami’s Vincent Loverde goes to box for the first penalty of the frame.

END OF FIRST PERIOD

So far a pretty evenly played first period. Miami has a 13-10 shot advantage. Both goalies have had a couple of really nice saves apiece. If there is one noticeable difference between the two teams, it’s the Michigan is having a little more trouble clearing puck out of their own zone; though part of that problem was exacerbated with the 5-on-3 the Wolverines had to kill off. I would like to point out that Miami had a couple of near-breakaways that were broken up thanks to come furious back-checking by Langlais. It’s intense out there. Not that I’m surprised, since they played this song during warm-ups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGOPQrf1yvI.

4:11 REMAINING The Wolverines successfully kill off the 1:48 of 5-on-3 play. Sauer made a couple of great stops on his stomach to hold off the Redhawk surge, an absolutely huge sequence of events.

6:37 REMAINING After the longest delayed penalty I’ve seen so far this season, Ben Winnett gets an obstruction penalty. Twelve ticks later, Llewellyn is called for a penalty; we’ve got a Miami 5-on-3.

9:26 REMAINING The Redhawks’ Pat Cannone gets sent to the box for interference in the neutral zone.

12:04 REMAINING Czarnik takes the Wolverines’ first penalty of the night on a high sticking call.

13:28 REMAINING Miami forward Gary Steffes whiffs on the puck near the right door step, squandering a great scoring chance on Michigan goalie Billy Sauer. Miami records their first two shots of the night during the possession, and now we have Caporusso winning the ensuing faceoff.

17:50 REMAINING Miami’s freshman goalie Cody Reichard already has six saves, including a glove-hand robbery of Lebler in front of the crease.