It's a whole new The Michigan Daily-Thursday, September 10, 1981 --Page 9_D game for Blue icers New league, loss of Fricker face Giordano in first full season By MARTHA CRALL the re This season will be a whole new ex- fans perience for the Michigan hockey team defen in several ways: it has switched py, ha leagues; John Giordano begins his first Th full year as head coach; and All- American goalie Paul Fricker won't be steadfast in the nets, leaving a gap which may not be adequately filled. Probably the most noticeable change will be the league switch. Michigan, along with Michigan Tech, Michigan State and Notre Dame, move to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The move was made primarily for financial reasons, as travel in the WCHA involved excursions to Colorado Springs and Denver, Colorado and Grand Forks, North .Dakota. The Michigan icers join Nor- thern Michigan, Ferris State, Western Michigan, Lake Superior State, Ohio State and Bowling Green, in what has in the past been considered a weaker league than the WCHA. "THE NUCLEUS of the WCHA will still be there," Giordano maintained. "I think it will be a good league, a very competitive league." it is The 1981-82 campaign will also mark Gior Giordano's first full year at the Frick Wolverine hockey reins. Last year's Hart team performed in a manner consistent Hock with Giordano's emphasis on defense, years Out the 1981-82 squad is his project, from up gc '0 1980-81 Hockey ecruits on up. Thus, Blue hockey can expect the continuation of a sive philosophy featuring scrap- ard-hitting play. en there's the goalie question, and Speers- ... most scoring potential very definitely a question mark, dano concedes. Gone is sophomore ker (18-15), who signed with the ford Whalers of the National ey League, foregoing his last two s of eligibility. Also gone are back- oalies Rudy Varvari (4-2), who saw Statistics considerable playing time, and Bob Sutton (1-0), both of whom graduated. LEFT TO pick up the large amount of slack is senior Peter Mason. Mason has just six decisions (1-5) in his first three seasons as a Wolverine, none of them coming in 1980-81. "I'll have to see how Mason comes along this summer," Giordano said. "At times last season I felt that he was our second-best goalie. He has a shot at starting, but he has to prove to me yet that he can do the job." Giordano recruited last winter with that goaltending gap in mind, as he signed two goalie prospects, one a blue- chipper from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada named Jon Elliott. Elliott, unlike Fricker, is a stand-up goalie, and is ex- pected to battle Mason for the starting position. Giordano also signed Mark Chiamp, who played for the Redford Royals of the Detroit Junior "A" League and may also see playing time. BUT A PAIR of recruits never eases the mind of a coach who has lost a stalwart. "We were hurt a lot by the loss of Fricker," Giordano said. "My main concern is goaltending. As if the loss of Fricker is not enough, five of last year's top seven scorers (John Blum, Roger Bourne, Tim Man- ning, Jeff Mars and Gordie Hampson), have graduated. Thus, junior winger Ted Speers (22 goals and 23 assists for 45 total points), assumes added weight on his shoulders. "WE ARE LOOKING to Speers to lead the way up front," Giordano said. "He is the one with the most scoring potential there." Last season's leading scorer, defen- seman Steve Richmond (22-32-54), paces the returning Wolverine defen- sive corps. Four other senior defen- semen return to help Richmond out: Paul Brandrup (6-11-17), who was in- jured the second half of last season and has been moved from left wing, Dave Richter (2-13-15), Brian Lundberg (1- 6-7) and Mark Perry (0-5-5). "With the five senior defensemen, we shouldn't have problems there," said Giordano. "Richmond and Brandrup, who we are looking for to come back, can score goals." FOR ADDED DEPTH, though, Gior- dano signed two defensemen to back up the returning blue-liners. John Hawkins, who hails from Buffalo, New York, is a defenseman in the Giordano mold, one who concentrates on that part of the game. Also coming to play for the Wolverines is Mike Neff from Birmingham Brother Rice High School. Michigan's power play could encoun- ter some inefficiencies early in the season. It was dilapidated by the losses of Blum and Manning, who keyed its ef- fectiveness over the last two years and garnered co-MVP honors with 52 and 44 points, respectively. In Bourne (20-27-47), Mars (22- Name, Pos. GP Richmond, D ........,....................... 39 Blum, 0* ................................... 38 Bourne, C*.............. ............. . .38 Speers, RW .................................... 39 M anning, 0*................................... 38 M ars. RW * .................................... 38 Hampson, LW*................................ 40 May. RW ................................... 40 Tippett. C . ................................ 39 Krussman, C/LW .............................. 38 Brandrup, LW ................................. 25 Richter, 0/LW............................... 36 MeCrimmon, RW ............................ 35 Aui , C* ............................... 29 ss LW ................................... 25 Lundberg, D ........................ 40 Fardig, C ..................................... 9 *Perry, D.... ................................. 29 Reid. C .................................... 29 Baseotto RW *.................................. 2 Yoxheimer, RW ............................... 19 Fricker, * .........34 Carter"... D ................................... 3 McCauley, RW ........... ................... 7 varvari, G* .............. .................... 9 M ason, G ...................................... 1 S utton G*.................................. I BNCHI................................... 40 MICHIGAN ...40 OPPONENTS ................................. 40 GOALIE STA' Goalie (Record) GA Sutton* (1-0)................................ 3 Fricker* (18-15) ....... ....................... 128 varvari* (4-2) ................................. 27 M ason (0-0) ................................... 1 MICHIGAN (23-17).......................... 161 + OPPONENTS (1723) ................... . 185*+ + -includes two empty net goals, **-one empty net goal OVERALL (23-17) WCHA (15-13)-5th place *( Asterisk denotes those players not returning in 1981-82.) Daily Photo by BRIAN MASCK= WOLVERINE CENTER Brad Tippett winds up for a slapshot after eluding opposition defenders in action last season. With five of the top seven Blue scorers lost to graduation, icer coach John Giordano will look for more offensive produc- tion out of Tippett (inset), a skilled penalty-killer, than the nine goals and 18 assists he accumulated last campaign. G 22 9 20 22 7 22 15 15 9 8 6 2 7 3 5 1 2 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 185 161 A 32 43 27 23 37 16 23 21 18 12 11 13 7 7 2 6 4 5 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 326 264 SAV 34 1044 210 7 1295 1156 TP 54 52 47 45 44 38 38 36 27 20 17 15 14 10 7 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 511 425 P/M 24/46 45/93 12/24 10/20 7/14 15/30 20/40 38/76 17/34 7/14 21/42 29/56 16/40 9/18 6/12 27/62 4/8 7/14 6/12 0/0 9/18 0/0 0/0 1/2 0/0 0/0 0/0 5/10 349/721 315/628 16-38), and Hampson (15-23-38), the Wolverines have lost three top linemen to graduation, as well. Sophomore Enzo Augimeri (3-7-10), who saw con- siderable playing time as a freshman, is not expected to return at this point, either. He had originally informed Giordano that he did not want to con- tinue to play hockey, so the coach of- fered his scholarship to someone else. Now Augimeri wants to come back, but scholarship money may no longer be available. GIORDANO, however, "filled the holes" by signing four forwards. Jeff Grade, a member of the 1980-81 National Junior Team, is a proficient scorer, as are James Huber, who played Junior "A" hockey in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Paul Kobylarz, a center from Catholic Central High School. Giordano also nabbed Craig Noren from Lakeland High School. "We are bringing in almost 20 kids this year," Giordano said. "Eight have signed, and we expect to have about 12 walk-ons. That means 20 kids have a shot at making the team, and they may push somebody who has already played here out of a job. The Wolverines, who finished 21-17 overall in 1980-81 and a surprising fifth place in the WCHA at 15-13, will again have to rely on hard-working in- dividuals, because star potential is not abundant. And although the Wolverines made it to the second round of the playoffs last year (after a 10th-place finish was predicted by many), they have to battle not only Michigan Tech (which finished second), but also CCHA powerhouses Northern Michigan and Ohio State for first place in the new-look CCHA. When you Buy a Bicycle GO WITH THE RALEIGH PROS. ,AM/A SCHWINNO Bicycle craftsmen of the world. -B C z :: BCYES ruji 3 of the World's Most Famous Makes * We Sell Quality Bicycles and for all your Cycling Needs- " " " Lights Baskets The Friendly Store where " Complete service on all makes " GREAT CAMPUS LOCATION " Serving students for 50 years " Great game selection A, "4 . V r students get their "Wheels" " Huge lock selection " Backpacks CAMP'US BIKE & TOY, M & F 9:30-7:30 T-Th 9:30-6:00 Sat 9:30-5:30 TISTICS AVG 2.92 3.93 4.06 7.40 3.99 4.58 PCT .919 .891 .886 .875 .889 .862 514 E. William 662-0035 ... -.... ,, Grapplers not quite best o By JOHN KERR The 1981-82 Michigan wrestling team, having lost only one member of last year's starting unit to graduation, is a good bet to improve on last season's 7-9 dual meet record and, fourth place Big Ten finish. Only 126-pounder Jim Mathias has Sraduated and Wolverine coach Dale Bahr now feels that Michigan can be a contender in the Big Ten next season, although still not ready to win it. Ac- cording to Bahr, Iowa, the defending (Big Ten some improvement this season. In the heavyweight division, Wolverine senior Eric Klasson, who won the Big Ten title two years ago and finished second last season, "should have a super year," according to Bahr. John Beljan, who was sidelined most of last season with an injury, is also being counted on heavily. "EVERYBODY, ALL up and down the line, should benefit from a year's experience," said Bahr. Three new faces should also aid the Michigan cause this year. Incoming freshman Greg Wright from Berea, Ohio is a highly regarded recruit who compiled a 139-8-1 record in high school. Wright, who won the Ohio state cham- pionship last season, finished second as a junior, and placed third in his sophomore season, can wrestle at either 126 or 134 pounds. Another freshman, Scott Rechsteiner from Bay City, Michigan, is expected to contribute, as well. Rechsteiner, the brother of Michigan's starting 177- pounder Rob, is a 167-pounder who won the state championship once and finished third another time during his high school career. He is "very strong" according to Bahr, with the ability to benchpress 350 pounds. NEW LENNOX, Illinois native Kirk Trost is the Wolverines' third recruit. A 190-pounder, Trost, also recruited as a football player, is stronger than fellow recruit Rechsteiner, registering 380 pounds on the bench press. Trost placed second and third in the Illinois state in high school. Bahr is looking for quick help from these new recruits. "I expect the freshmen to contribute immediately," he said. These freshmen, along with Mc- Farland, McKay, Klasson, Beljan, and other Michigan returnees Rob Rechsteiner, Nemir Nadhir, Bill Goodill, Mark Pearson, and Tim Fagan should make the Wolverines a prominent force in Big Ten wrestling this season. b a Not sure which TI is right for you? We stock the complete line of Texas Instruments calculators. And we understand what we sell, so we can assist you in selecting just what you need. We're competitive. In fact, we'll match any deal or refund your money. : Fr i :. " f: . i . r ' ,. 1,, ; Welcome Students HOURS <,/Mon-Sat 7 am-Midnight McKay ... All-American honors national champion, is the obvious team I