THE MICHIGAN DAILY To Host Colorado Ters Tonig , ree Team Battle for Second Rages STAR BEGINS TO RUSH: Defenseman Palenstein Scoring Like Forward By JIM BERGER As the Michigan hockey team looks forward to the upcoming series with Colorado College, it is quite evident that the scoring and rushing of defenseman John Pal- enstein will -pose a definite threat to the Tigers.- Thus far this season, the 180- lb. defenseman ,has chalked up 13 points, with five goals and eight assists. In the last three games he has scored four goals.- "He has finally come out of his shell, and started to carry the, puck; he's a good rushing defense- man when he wants to be," said Michigan Coach Al Renfrew of Palenstein, whose hat trick and; two assists in the second home game with Minnesota, were key, factors in Michigan's 9-3 victory. I WAYNE GEE. . .. CC big gun N A Rule HN o ToApply To WCHA By DAVE ANDREWS The Western Collegiate Hockey Association play-offs will go on as scheduled March 10-11 despite a recent NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee decision to make the choices for the NCAA Champion- ships via the selection committee route. A WCHA memorandum from Alfred C. Nelson, secretary-treas- urer of the league, states that the recent NCAA ruling "does not in any way abrogate the right of the WCHA to continue its play-offs as a part of its competitive pro- gram ... Nelson also indicated that the NCAA has relinquished any claim to receipts from the WCHA play- off s. Within Law Actually the two-team western delegation to the NCAA cham- pionships is within the letter of the law specified by the NCAA as the actual selection is made by a three - man coaches committee composed of what boils down to be the three league coaches not involved in the playoffs. "They usually select the two playoff winners, but actually are not required to," said Michigan hockey coach Al Renfrew. He cited the possibility where a first place team in the regular season could still be chosen for an NCAA position even though it had lost out in the playoffs. They keep interest up for the duration of the season and make every game important. Besides that, the receipts from the playoffs give quite a boost to the budget, Renfrew said. The profits from the playoffs are di- vided amongst the seven teams, he explained, and should they be held at Minnesota' and Denver where the crowds can range up to 8,500 they could add two or three thousand dollars to the account. U U First Line Leads As far as Michigan scoring is concerned, the first line Larry Babcock, Al Hinnegan, and Red Berenson, continues to be Michi- gan's leading scoring trio. In Michigan's 18 games thus far this year, Berenson has caged 19 goals, assisted in 18 others, and with his 37 points, is one of the leading scorers in the WCHA. Babcock and Hinnegan, Beren- son's linemates, have . almost equally contributed to the success of the line. Babcock has 19 points with 10 goals and 9 assists, and Hinnegan has nine goals and eight assists for a total of 17 points. Overall, this line has scored the amazing total of 36 goals, almost half of the team total of 74. Juggles Line With Pat Cushing injured for a good part of the season Renfrew has done quite a bit of shuffling between his second and third lines. Bill Kelly with 14 points on seven goals and at many assists, has alternated at center on both the second and third line, as Renfrew has tried to use the for- HOCKEY STATS checking ability of Kelly to best advantage. Renfrew has also employed the talents of Jerry Kolb, four goals and three assists, on both the second and third lines. For most of the season Kolb has played wing on the second line with Joe Lunghamer, 11 points, and Captain Dale Mac- Donald, also with 11 points. Goalies Equal Michigan's two goalies, Jim Coyle and Dave Butts, who have alternated in every series, have been remarkably equal as far as statistics are concerned. Coyle has been 'credited with 259 saves while Butts has made 256 stops, but 32 goals have been scor- ed against Coyle, as compared to the 25 yielded by Butts. Penaltywise the Wolverines have been terrors chalking up 268 pen- alty minutes on 106 penalties. Ber- enson leads again in this depart- ment with 38 minutes. However, Palenstein with. 22 minutes and Tom Wilson with 31, could give the Redhead a run for the top spot in this dubious department. Michigan Fll BcktoThr AtrSp'i With Stubborn"MS qBy TOM WEBBER gan scored nine goals in one game al period as the ever. Talk about irony-Michigan's and Red Berenson' didn't get any referees called only ten icers swept the crucial two. game of them; "goalie' Dave Butts, of in the span. Twice the to set with Minnesota and won their Michigan received an assist on a reduced to three players first overtime game in three sea- goal; there were four major .pen-, In all it was quite a sons, 'but still slipped to third alties in one gae (the second), , cia tt place in the Western Collegiate two of the game variety, and all. The Michgn tt Hockey League standings, of them came° in one period; the ments were more in the The;Wolerins dpose Mine-of fierce battles between The olvrins deose Mine-Wolverine defensemen scored. five bitter enemies. As expo sota'"from the much desired spot of the Michigan goals, after scor- Wolverines were treated behind Denver by spanking the in only" one .in the first 14, games.lyaaSoiisatai Qophers ;4-3 and 9-3 in ,a pair' of MuyhaAlie convenionwhnthey aeR wild games. A two ;week .lay-off.Thufist Ae smchlkconSpataon-lanothe e for exams took, its toll, however, the rt game se emschad'ke oSpth -laseries.e as the sluggish Wolverines had 'to plaed two Meinnth eapol sh d week eres settle for a split with arch rivalplydt neaoi thwekx Michigan state, before. Berenson once again pro- Won Only Two *Minnesota regained a slim lead vided the fire-power with -two The Spartans, had won ove~r the, Wolverines'b) raking the goals as the' Wolverines over- games in the league as Spatan 5- an 73, nd ainngcame a Gopher, lead and. even- to the Michigan's nine asprtans 5-2 and 7-3,andginn tually broke "a 3-3 tie. to win 4-3. but, as usual, the recon aie sltaNrt ota.llngBill Kelly notched the winner Lived o Biling . on a rebound. with less than five Ieiil The Minnesota-Michigan series minutes left.,nliil lived up to all its advance billings The Wolverines, riled by the up- The Michigan Atlik as the two teams entertained -ca- start gophers, were dressed to kill partment annlounced y pacity crowds to exciting;. fast, in. the second .game. They came that Tennis Captain G( but most of all rugged hockey. The out like a spring hurricane and bie, Jerry Kolb, Don frequent bodychecks led some counted three goals in the first Guy Curtis, and Steve'1 rookie observers to remark that two-and-a-half minutes. are ineligible for athlei the teams had forgotten that their A Michigan lapse showed that petition during the con primary mission was to go after the ;Gophers were not ;dead, how- mester. the puck, ever, as they came back with two In addition, the series had all goals of their own. But Palen- 'nothing. Combining the the bizarre events that could hap- stein's second goal of the night. goaltending of sophomc pen in a hockey game, happen, and one by Joe Lunghamner, still Chandik and a 45-foot sc For instance-the two 4teams had in the first. period, moved Michi- with less than a minute a total of 30 penalties in the se- gan' back into a three goal lead Spartans_ skated off wi ries; a defenseman, John Palen- and flattened the Gophers for the victory. stein of MiVchigan, &cored a hat- night. Dale Berenson and D trick In' the second game; Michi- Listless Period Dna~ld notc~hed the Berenson C Babcock W Hinnegan W MacDonald W Kelily C Lunghamer W Kob W White W Pendlebury W McGonigal W Cushing C , Palenstein D Rodgers D Nielson D Wilson D Butts G Saves: Coyle-259 Butts-26 Opponent"-14 G A Pts xPen. PIM 19 18 37 12 38 10 9 19 S 16 9 8 17 2 4 5 6 11 6 12 7 7 14 3 17 6 5 11 3 6 4 3 7 8 24 3 0 3 6 12 2 2 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 2 5 8 13 16 32 2 5 7 12 24 0 4 4 9 18 0 0 0 14 1 0 1 1 0 0 Goals Against: Coyle-32 Butts--25 '1' WINTER SALE MEN'S 100% Wool Flannel Dress Pants Flap or Pleat $ 77 '" . -Q p II e VV pp I VALENTINE? WELL-TAILORED *,CUFF ALTERATIONS AT COST