UM-Dearborn Uses Power Play Goals to Down Cougars

UM-Dearborn Uses Power Play Goals to Down Cougars
January 19, 2024

(Howell, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar hockey team struck first, but the visiting UM-Dearborn Wolverines used four power play goals to take down Cleary in a WHAC matchup Friday evening.

Justin Reddy got things going, when he fired a shot off the post and into the back of the net, with an assist from Bennett Sheppard, to make the score 1-0 Cougars.  Dearborn would equalize just three minutes later, and then took the lead on a power play goal just past the halfway mark of the opening period.  Devon Campbell would tie the game with seven minutes to play, with assists from Reno Parker and Derry MacBeth, when he slotted the puck home on a rebound attempt.  The game would remain tied 2-2 into the first intermission.

The Wolverines would strike three times in the second period, while holding Cleary scoreless in those twenty minutes, taking a 5-2 advantage into the game's final period of play.  Cleary had life when Garrett Alton opened his account on the power play, with assists from Jonny Gardiner and Zach Eakes, to cut the deficit to two goals.  Two consecutive power play goals for the Wolverines extended their lead, but Zack Wiener would knock the puck out of the air and into the net to get one goal back with just under five minutes to play.  A Bennett Sheppard goal with 40 seconds left cut the score to 7-5 in favor of the Wolverines.  Cleary would pull goalie Nick Schittenhelm to give an extra skater, but UM-D would strike across the ice for an empty net goal to seal the game.

Nick Schittenhelm would suffer the loss in goal, making 30 saves on 37 shtots faced.  

Cleary falls to 11-17 overall, 7-11 in the WHAC.  The two teams will meet again on Saturday at 3:00 PM at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse.

*Picture Courtesy of BadCatMedia*