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MTU 1 2 1 0 - 4
DEN 1 2 1 1 - 5
 
Goalies Saves:
 
MTU Caravaggio 12 15 17 1 - 45
DEN Mullin     13 10  4 3 - 30
 
1st Period:
 
         MTU Jensen hooking 5:28
DEN Buzan( Ortiz) 8:07
         MTU Kyle Peterson holding 8:40
         DEN Ricci slashing 8:44
MTU Kryzer (Meyers) 10:49
         MTU Prokopetz  interference18:51
 
2nd Period:
 
MTU Prokopetz (Savage) 2:22
         DEN Buzan  spearing 5 min major + DQ 3:14
DEN Ricci (Hollingshead) 4:49 shg
         MTU Kyle Peterson interference 7:56
DEN Ricci (Gunther) 8:58 ppg
        DEN Dairon 10 min misconduct (ice shower of goalie) 12:33
        MTU Pat Mikesch interference 16:08
        MTU Savage slashing 16:46
        DEN Ricci hooking 19:23
MTU Pat Mikesch 20:00 ppg
 
3rd Period:
 
MTU Seale (Van TIghem) 00:21
        MTU Kisil bench minor: too many men on ice 4:40
DEN Ricci 13:16
 
Overtime
 
DEN Andersson 1:35
 
Power Plays:
    MTU 1 of 3
    DEN 1 of 7
 
 
Commentary:
 
In the first period, Garrett Buzan capitalized on a defensive mistake
when the defender failed to check. After by passing the defender,
Buzan was free to the net and scored at 8:07.  At 10:49, MTU scored
on a cherry picker as Meyers, in the MTU zone, passed the puck forward
to  Austyn Kryzer at center ice. Kryzer  skated in, faked a shot and
scored on the backhand.   THe first period was about as close as any
period this year.
 
At 2:22 of the 2nd Period, Jason Prokopetz deflected a Savage shot
from  the side of the right circle into the Denver net. Then Buzan
speared Brett Meyers in the face and was DQ'ed with MTU on a 5 minute
power play.  This proved if anything to be MTU's undoing as they
squandered the opportunity and worse yet, allowed Denver to get a
short handed goal. In a somewhat lack-a-daisical defensive play, an
MTU defender carelessly gave up the puck to Hollingshead. Ricci took
the puck into the MTU zone and stuffed it through the 5 hole at 4:49.
This one mistake probably cost the game for MTU as the momentum swung
hard over to Denver and MTU was unable to rebound until late in the
period. In the meantime, Denver killed the 5 minute major allowing
MTU only 2 or 3 shots on goal. Then Ricci scored again at 8:58  when he
deflected a bad angle shot into the net.  MTU's late period recovery
began when both Pat Mikesch and Andre Savage were called for penalties
during the 16th minute of the period. (What is an interesting fact of
non-importance is that both of these players are bluechippers for
MTU and both had been injured and not expected to play this weekend
as of last game.) This put MTU down 2 men for over a minute. When
they successfully killed off the Denver attack, MTU regained confidence
and started to again take the game over. As the buzzer sounded, Pat
Mikesch scored on a powerplay by tipping in a puck dug out of the corner
by Randy Stevens.
 
The score entering the third period was tied but quickly changed as
Travis Seale scored for MTU at the 21 seond mark by deflecting a
Van Tighem blast.  Then MTU again went into a shell.  The defense
gave Caravaggio almost no help as Denver broke free for shots on net
(18 in the period to only 5 at the other end) and consistently beat
the MTU defenders to pucks in the corners.  One could feel that
eventually, like the "block buster" game where on hits a ball against
tiles until they break, Caravaggio's granite wall in front of the net
would finally fail. Ricci made it happen on a hat trick play when an
odd puck bounced hard off the rink backboard and gave Ricci the
opportunity to beat Luciano at 13:16 to tie the game again.  MTU
continued to play listlessly until very late in the period when a couple
of freshmen finally attempted to win the game but couldn't get past
Denver's Jim Mullin.
 
The over time was quick.  MTU had the first breaks and shots on net but
to no avail. Then one of Denver's Swedes, Erik Andersson, decided that
it was time to quit work, scoring at 1:35, using Laaksonen as a screen
in front of Caravaggio.
 
As a side note, the referees were Mike Brandt and Mark Thomas. MTU
hasn't seen this pair this year. To all accounts, they called an
outstanding game.  Their calls were crisp and precise. Penalties were
clearly penalty situations while they let hockey be played like hockey
is supposed to be played.  I have seen both of these ref's in other games
and would consider these ref's to be exceptional in the WCHA.
 
While this was a close game, I felt that MTU has yet to give 60 minutes
of full team play in any game this season. This game was indicative
of this, particularly in the third period.  Hockey is 90% effort and
90% mental. Denver beat MTU mentally in the 2nd period when Ricci
got the short handed goal.  Denver beat MTU by effort in the 3rd period.
MTU's defensive play just is not happening at this time.  MTU is fortunate
to have an outstanding goalie; but until the team learns that hockey is
at least a sixty minute game and that every minute is an opportunity to
the team that takes it, I do not believe MTU is going to progress.  Last
week I asked the question, "Who wants to win more?"  Denver answered
this time.  MTU plays a large part the game well. But part and whole
are different matters.  I do not believe that MTU is getting a full game
effort out its "D" and it shows.  The wings are not controlling the board
play in the MTU zone and not beating the oppontent to free pucks late in
periods.  At least part of the reason is that I do not feel they are giving
the full effort to each opportunity.  Additionally, the team gets
complacent on a lead; thus no lead is ever safe. MTU plays a better
game when behind in the scoring by one or two points.  They are at their
worst when down by four goals or up by two goals.
 
The job is tougher tonight: down one game, the season depends on
this one game.  Again, I ask the question, "Who wants it more?"
 
Walt Olson
MTU