The CCHA Championship is set and it will be a battle of the nation's
top offense versus the nation's top defense as Michigan will face
Notre Dame following a 5-2 victory over Michigan State.

It's the Wolverines first win at Joe Louis Arena against the Spartans
in their last eight tries.

A scoreless first period did not go without controversy. The Spartans
had two goals waived off. The first one ringing off the right post,
which was originally ruled a goal.

The second review was a shorthanded breakaway for Justin Abdelkadar,
in which he was chopped down by Jack Johnson. The puck appeared to
cross the goal line before Abdelkadar crashed into Sauer and net,
knocking it off. Fox Sports Detroit didn't show the overhead view on
replay, and the side angle was tough to say whether or not it crossed
the line when watching it frame-by-frame, but it appeared Sauer might
have had the puck under his glove then it came loose after the net was
dislodged.

CCHA Director of Officials Brian Hart said the puck hit off the post
and bounced outward a bit and did not cross the line before the net
was knocked off. He also cited some rule that the way the puck
entered the net with Abdelkadar tumbling in, it entered illegally.

Therefore, a penalty shot was awarded to Abdelkadar. He tried to go
five hole, but U-M goalie Billy Sauer shut the doors to keep the game
scoreless.

The Wolverines broke open the game early in the second period with a
pair of goals by Chris Summers and Kevin Porter 1:04 apart.

Porter would add his second of the game with 4:13 left in the period
on a beautiful effort in which he did a spin-o-rama while cutting in
front of the net and managed to hold on to the puck and send a
backhander past MSU goalie Jeff Lerg.

Michigan would carry that lead until 6:37 left in the third period
when Jim McKenzie broke the shutout to make it 3-1.

But 50 seconds later, Chad Kolarik would get the goal back for the Wolverines.

It would prove to be an important goal because Tim Kennedy would score
with 3:56 remaining to make it 4-2.

That's as close as the Spartans would get as T.J. Hensick would add an
empty net goal from center ice to cap off a three point night and 5-2
Wolverines win.

Michigan will face the Fighting Irish tomorrow night for the CCHA
Championship. Notre Dame defeated Lake Superior State, 3-0, in the
early game. The Lakers and Spartans meet in the consolation game.

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Website video note... the Michigan vs. Northern Michigan January 12
game should be online tomorrow for download.

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/