'M' hockey blows late lead, settles for tie with Ohio State

COLUMBUS - Josh Blackburn and the Michigan hockey team were 70 seconds away from a big road victory Saturday night.

But the Wolverines opportunity melted away like the watery ice at Value City Arena late in the third period. The puck - which had seemed so large to Blackburn all night - dribbled across the goal line at 18:50, resulting in a 1-1 split decision with Ohio State, while keeping Michigan two points behind Michigan State in the CCHA standings.

"We feel like we should have won and could have won - and didn't win," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "But it was a great game, a great crowd, and I think it was a great event for the CCHA."

While the event may have been great, the rink conditions at Ohio State's new arena were anything but - making puck handling an absurd proposition for either team.

DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily The Michigan hockey team surrendered a goal with 1:10 to go, earning a 1-1 tie with Ohio State in Columbus.

"The ice conditions were terrible, there's no question," Berenson said. "And I don't want to criticize anyone - I know their coach understands that - and it'll take some fine tuning to get their act together in terms of the ice."

Value City Arena had been used earlier in the day for an Ohio State basketball game, and officials were having logistical problems keeping the ice frozen.

The poor conditions though did not deter referee Roger Graff from calling several penalties in the first or second periods.

Twenty players - 10 Wolverines and 10 Buckeyes - were banished to the box in the first two stanzas.

"We didn't come here to take penalties. We came to play more of a penalty-free game," Berenson said. "But we ended up taking way too many penalties. Part of it is the refereeing and part of it is just the emotion in the game, the position the other team puts you in and the pressure in the game."

Ohio State coach John Markell agreed that the early periods had more than a healthy dose of penalty minutes.

"It was rough sledding in the first period," he said. "I think we were nervous because of the (large) crowd, and it contributed to the early penalties."

All that being said, Michigan's only goal came with both teams at full strength. Early into the second period, Michigan forward Geoff Koch was breaking toward the far side and fed a cutting Mike Comrie for the go-ahead goal.

"Koch was out front, and two guys went to Josh Langfeld so I just tapped it in through the five-hole. Good things happen when you put it on net," Comrie said.

But that would be the extent to which any good things happened on net for the Wolverines. Despite several good chances, Michigan couldn't convert, and was forced to protect a one-goal lead when the clock began to wind down on the third period.

And just as it began to seem things would end up in Michigan's favor, Ohio State's Hugo Boisvert found a wide-open Ryan Jestadt to tie the game.

Overtime offered Michigan several good chances, but neither team could convert.

"(Scott) Matzka had a couple chances, I had a deflection, we knew we were always in the game," Comrie said of the extra stanza. "Just like the NHL, it would be a better game if there was better ice. But that's all right, it's hockey."

Blackburn saved 25 of 26 shots on the night and held the Buckeyes scoreless in overtime.

"Blackburn gave us a chance to win the game, and that's all you can ask of your goalie," Berenson said. "If that's one of the factors in winning on the road, Blackburn had a solid game."

While Ohio State went 0-for-8 on the power play, Michigan missed all nine of its opportunities with the man advantage.

"On the power play, I thought we were strong at the start of the game when the ice was good, and we seemed to deteriorate with the ice as the game went on," Berenson said. "And you can't blame the ice, but it may have been a factor."

01-25-99