The Northern Michigan University Wildcats doubled their season win total
last night with a 5-4 Western Collegiate Hockey Association victory over
the Tigers of Colorado College.
 
This was a rather strange game.  For one thing, the paid attendance was
3,891 while the actual attendance was announced as 3,011.  In other
words, 880 of our loyal season ticket holders didn't show.  Actually, I
suppose for a day-after-Thanksgiving game this isn't so surprising.
 
The first period, with the exception of the first three minutes when the
Wildcats kept play in the Tigers' end, was all Colorado College.  I've
never seen a game when virtually the entire first period went without a
penalty being called--nor were there any obvious plays which were
ignored by the officials.  There was VERY little contact between the
players.
 
The Tigers took the first lead at 5:47 when Colin Schmidt was credited
with a fluke goal.  He was attempting a centering pass from behind the
Wildcat net; the pass struck the skate of NMU defenseman Steve Carpenter
and deflected into the goal behind Corwin Saurdiff.  The period ended at
1-0, and the first penalty wasn't called until more than 17 minutes had
expired.  It was on CC, and quickly followed by another on the Tigers,
but the 'Cats did nothing with the 5-3 and 5-4 advantages with which
they ended the 1st and began the 2nd periods.
 
The second period was entirely different in character as the Wildcats
came out hitting everyone in sight, and naturally the Tigers responded
in kind.  Penalties came fast and furious.  There were so many power
plays that it was difficult to keep track.  Many of them were extremely
short (one was only five seconds) due to the overlapping nature of the
penalties being called.  At least two serious injuries occurred.  NMU
senior defenseman suffered a separated shoulder when he was attempting
to put a check on a CC player and missed most of the opponent's body but
caught the boards flush on his shoulder.  He will be out several weeks.
A CC player also had to leave the game and may be out for a while as
well (sorry, his name isn't in the morning's Mining Journal, and I don't
recall it from the game or the TV replay).
 
The Wildcats knotted the score at 10:03 of the wild second period on
Mike Harding's third goal of the season; assists went to Brent Riplinger
and Jason Hehr.  Hehr had passed to Riplinger between the net and the
right faceoff circle; Brent's shot was blocked by Tiger goalie Ryan Bach
but the rebound was left between Bach and the goal and Harding (in a
play which in "real time" seemed to take seconds!) slapped it into the
net.
 
At the 17:36 mark the Wildcats took a 2-1 lead on a similar play during
a scramble in front of the net when previously-unknown Scott Smith got
his first goal of the year with assists from Steve Woog and Bill
MacGillivray.  However, Colordo College tied it again less than a minute
of playing time later when Steve Nelson deflected in a screaming slap
shot from the blue line by Chris Hynnes; ? McNeil was also given an
assist.
 
In the third period the 'Cats jumped out to a quick two-goal lead.  At
1:29 Don Ruoho scored his 3rd goal of the season (but first since the
opening series with Alaska-Anchorage) with a hard shot from the right
faceoff circle.  Bach got his pads on it but the puck got through and
slid-ever so slowy-across the goal line.  The puck stopped not far
beyond the line, and the goal judge didn't turn on the light.  This was
in the end where my seats are, and it looked clear to me.  Anyway, the
official who was positioned right on the goal line ruled it a goal.
Ironically, some of the Tigers pounded angrily on the glass at the goal
judge, who hadn't made the call!  That made it 3-2.  Then at 4:50 season
scoring leader Greg Hadden put a nice wrist shot over Bach's left
shoulder after passes from Harding and Saurdiff.  Yes, the goaltender
received an assist due to his clearing pass to mid-ice taken by Harding.
 
The Tigers showed no quit whatsoever and stormed back to tie the game at
4-4.  They got their third score at 10:53 when Hynnes scored on another
blazing slap shot from the blue line.  That guy has an AMAZING shot.
Saurdiff let it go through his pads, and was obviously unhappy with
himself about that--as was Rick Comley.  Then at 13;19 Jody Jaraczewski
was the beneficiary of a centering pass which somehow suddenly slid out
of a pack of Wildcats and Tigers tussling over the puck between the left
faceoff circle and the boards.  The puck crossed the slot and was
quickly fliced into the lower left corner of the net by Jaraczewski
before Saurdiff could move far enough from his left to his right.
 
The game-winner was scored by freshman forward Kyuin Shim when he scored
his second goal of the season from just in front of the net's right hand
post.  The credit should mostly go to new hero Scott Smith, however, who
held the puck behind the Tiger net for several seconds, fought off two
CC players while Shim got into position to the right of the crease, and
slid a great pass to him.
 
The injury to MacDonald--and a Charley horse suffered by Troy
Johnson--had Rick Comley down to three lines, which as he said in the
postgame radio interview, "isn't supposed to happen to you at home."
Comley was quoted in the Saturday Mining Journal as saying, "Tonight was
a big, emotional win for us.  Our confidence isn't real good yet which
caused us some problems in the early going.  But, when (Colorado College
) tied things up, we came back to win.  Working to come back like that
will make us a better team." Tiger coach Brad Buetow said, "I think that
we dominated the first period.  Afte that, we got off our game.  We lost
our discipline, our work ethic, and we lost the game."
 
Rematch tonight at 7:05 EST in Lakeview Arena
 
Goalie saves: NMU, 18 (Saurdiff 4-8-6); CC 25 (Bach 8-10-7) (First time
Wildcats have outshot opponents all season, I think!)
 
Penalties: NMU 9, CC 13
 
Powe play opportunities: NMU, 1-9; CC 2-6 (The Wildcats' string of
successfully killed power plays reached 31 in this game before the
Tigers finally broke through with Hynnes' marker.)
 
Looking forward to tonight!
 
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                     *      Steve Christopher, NMU       *
                    *  "Go 'Cats!''Goin' for it again in  *
                    *     '93--With a lot less "O"        *
                    *       but a little more "D"!        *
                     *        [log in to unmask]         *
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