The Michigan Daily-Friday, October 15, 1982-Page 7
artans avorite in tight CCHArace
By MIKE McGRAW
This may be hard for some die-hard
Michigan fans to swallow, but in this year's
Central Collegiate Hockey Association race, all
signs point to one clear favorite-Michigan
State. Not, only do the Spartans return their top
fourteen scoreres from last year, including
Mark Hamway and Newell Brown, who
finished in the top four in the conference, but
they bring back all of their defense along with
leading CCHA goalie, Ron Scott.
Despite all this talent and a number three
national ranking by Sports Illustrated, State is
not ready to take their place at the NCAA finals
just yet. "We're a long way from being an out-
standing team," said assisstant coach Terry
a®,
Christensen. "The conference will be very
tough this year. I think Michigan Tech and
Bowling Green will certainly be battling for the
top."
HOWEVER, TECH and Bowling Green each
must go through the experience of new coaches
this year and that is certain to slow the teams
somewhat, especially early in the season.
Bowling Green is led by the Hills-Mills com-
bination of All-American Brian Hills, a senior
center from Windsor and the CCHA's leading
scorer last season, and Barry Mills, the
Falcons top defenseman. The defending CCHA
regular season champions will also have senior
goalie Mike David, third in the conference in
81-82. That should be enough to propel BG into
another first division finish.
Michigan Tech has lost the all-time coaching
victories leader of college hockey in John
MacInnes and Rick Boehm, the Huskies'
leading scorer his first three years at Houghton
before an injury sidelined him for most of last
year, but virtually everyone else is returning.
THIS YEAR MTU will be powered by junior
center Bill Terry (26 goals, 24 assists last year)
and right wing Steve Murphy (19, 23). Never-
theless, new coach Jim Nahrgang will have a
difficult time leading Tech to a customary high
finish.
Last year Lake Superior started out slowly
under first-year coach Bill Selman, but once he
and the team got acquainted, they were tough
W-
to beat, winning 10 games in a row at one point.
"I'd like to think we'll start this season like we
ended the last one," said Selman. "We have 13
lettermen returning, but we also have 13
freshmen so if we have a weakness it would be
lack of experienced depth."
Leading the way for Notre Dame this year
will be seniors Kirt Bjork and Rex Bellomy,
who last year scored 34 goals between them.
The Irish enjoyed their best season in five
years in '81, their first in the CCHA. Thundering
down from Big Rapids come the Ferris State
Bulldogs, always a tough opponent. Goalie Rob
Hughson (3.95 goals against) will be one of the
leading contributors to the FSU effort this year
alon with second leading scorer Paul Cook.
)RTHERN MICHIGAN is looking to boun-
ack from a 12 game losing streak late last
>n behind a strong offense led by Dave
ush. Coach Jerry Welsh expects his Ohio
team to be much improved over last year
1 the Bucks finally came on late in the
in, winning 10 of 14, Miami and Western
igan should be able to surprise a few
s, if not challenge for playoff spots in a
battle in the middle of the conference.
rois-Chicago enters their first official
>n in the CCHA with the largest college
ey arena in the country and a reputation of
* the conference doormat. But coach
.onte says his team will not roll over for
ne and foresees a possible .500 record for
lames.
~ toFC
L= ~~I I I STATENI
Western Micltaganuniversity
.IZ Z
Falcons return as CC
By TAM BENTLEY
Question: What happens when a college hockey
squad has nineteen lettermen returning from the
previous season?
Answer: It can come out of its season with a 27-13-2
*overall record and a CCHA first-place standing over
teams such as Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Notre
Dame And Michigan. Who was the team with such an
impressive list of conquests? Well, the squad that
took the CCHA by storm was none other than the
Falcons of Bowling Green State University who made
an impressive comeback off their 1980-81 season
record of 13-24-2.
"They had great talent and they really made the
talent jell," said Michigan head coach John Giordano
regarding Bowling Green. "No question at all, they
were the toughest team we played and I'm sure we
can look for more of the same from Bowling Green
again this year."
Elsewhere in the league, the Michigan State Spar-
tans came off an unimpressive 12-22-2 tenth-place
finish in the WCHA season for 1980-81 to snatch
second place in the CCHA, posting an overall record
of 26-14-2. Last year the Spartan icers left the WCHA
and entered into the CCHA for their first season. The
team also boasted nineteen returning lettermen to
spark the squad.
THE CCHA'S third place was grabbed by the
Huskies of Michigan Tech, who also moved from the
WCHA last year to spend their first season in the
CCHA. A 23-14-3 season was aided by the return of
eighteen lettermen and the confidence gained from
the outstanding 29-14-1 season of 1980-81. The biggest
Oblow dealt to the Huskies, though, was the four-game
routing taken at the hands of the Michigan
Wolverines.
"I think our team went through the adjustment
period from the WCHA last year," said Jim'
Nahrgang, the new head coach of Michigan Tech who
replaced the retired John MacInnes, college hockey's
all-time winningest coach with 565 game wins. "We
may have thought it was a better conference and I
think we thought we could throw our sticks on the ice
and win, but in order to win in the CCHA you have to
play 60 minutes of excellent hockey every time out
because anyone can beat you on any given night."
The Michigan Wolverines managed a fourth-place.
tie with Notre Dame and ended the season with an 18-
A champs
15-5 overall record while the Fighting Irish came in at
23-15-3. Both teams completed the formation of the
CCHA, as they too, left the WCHA behind.
THE BULLDOGS of Ferris State claimed sole
possession of the CCHA's sixth place with an overall
record of 15-18-3.
Seventh place though was another story as it
resulted in a two-way tie between Lake Superior at
19-17-3 and Northern Michigan at 15-21-0. The Soo
Lakers, whose past season parelleled that of their
1980-81 finish of 14-21-1, flourished under the direction
of first-year head coach Bill Selman.
"I was concerned about establishing a particular
style of play," Selman said. "There was a lack of
respect for the program, but we quickly got the
reputation of being a disciplined team."
Ninth, tenth and eleventh places were taken by
Western Michigan, 14-19-1, Ohio State with 16-17-1 and
Miami closing out at 16-19-1, respectively.
Michigan's Giordano discussed the competition he
and his Wolverine icers faced last year. "The other
teams were excellent. Tech, State and Notre Dame
were great. We didn't have any easy games," he said.
"I don't see it as a pushover league."
1981-82 OVERALL GOALTENDING
Goalie, School Games
Ron Scott, Michigan State............................... 39
PETER MASON, MICHIGAN .............................. 16
Mike David, Bowling Green ................................ 35
PAT ANSELL, LAKE SUPERIOR STATE .................. 17
Jon Elliott, Michigan ...................................... 26
Tom Allen, Michigan Tech ................................. 27
Rob.Hughston, Ferris State ................................ 27
1981-82 OVERALL SCORING LEADERS
Player, School1
Brian Hills, Bowling Green.......... .. .................
GEORGE McPHEE, BOWLING GREEN..........................
Newell Brown, Michigan State ................................
Mark Hamway, Michigan State ....................................
DAVE POULIN, NOTRE DAME ...................................
ROSS FITZPATRICK, WESTERN MICHIGAN .....................
BILL ROTHSTEIN, NOTRE DAME ................................
LARRY MARSON, OHIO STATE ..................................
Steve Mulholland, Lake Superior State .............................
Eric Ponath, Northern Michigan ......... ....................
Dave Mogush, Northern Michigan. .................. ........
MICKEY GANDLER, LAKE SUPERIOR STATE ..................
Bill Terry, Michigan Tech........................................
Steve Morris, Miami...............................................
Peter Wilson................................................
BOB SCURFIELD, WESTERN MkHIGAN...................
Bruce Martin, Northern Michigan ..................................
JIM BAKERFERRIS STATE.....................................
STEVE SHERMAN, LAKE SUPERIOR STATE ....................
Paul Cook, Ferris State ............................................
PLAYERS IN ALL CAPS ARE NOT RETURNING
G.A.
109
36
125
49
88
91
93
tS
Avg.
2.85
3.03
3.41
3.44
3.50
3.62
3.95
Sav.
992
328
985
322
765
754
734
1981-82 Final CCHA Statistics
Pct.
.901
.901
.887
.868
.897
.892
.888
Games Goals
41 34
40 28
32 22 .
41 34
39 29
33 30
38 27
33 19
39 20
28 17
32 29
39 24
31 26
36 21
42 301
32 19
29 24
34 19
39 22
35 22
Assists1
47
52
51
31
30
28
30
38
36
36
22
27
24
29
19
31
24
28
24
23
Points
81
80
73
65
59
58
57
57
56
53
51
51
50
50
49
49
48
47
46
45
C
f
han in auard
Ne cahsatrC lo
82-83 CCHA Schedule
By CHUCK JAFFE
The four new coaches entering the Central Collegiate Hockey Association this
season will all face different challenges. There is a new coach with a new team, an
old coach with his old team, an old coach with a different team and a new coach
with an old team.
Val Belmonte takes over the head coaching reins at the University of Illinois-
fhicago, the league's newest member, while Jim Nahrgang moves from an
assistant's po ition to the to shot at Michigan Tech. Bill Wilkinson shifts from
Bowling Greeh to Western Michigan and Dick Bertrand leaves for the confines of
Ferris State. Together, these men, along with second-year coaches John Giordano
of Michigan and Bill Selman of Lake Superior, signal a changing of the guard in
CCHA hockey.
But the new coaches do not necessarily bring a new style of play with them. In-
stead, they are trying to refine the CCHA's tight-checking, disciplined type of play,
while adding new enthusiasm to their programs.
"A coach basically has his own philosophies, and adjusts to meet his players,"
said Selman, a founding father of the league from his coaching days at St. Louis
University. "There is a certain difference if you enter the league from outside or as
*n assistant, but the main task of a new coach is setting up his systems and getting
the players to work with it."
Illinois-Chicago coach Val Belmonte faces the stiffest challenge of the new
coaches. The Flames are coming off a one year probationary period, and are now
full-fledged CCHA members. Belmonte, however, takes over a program com-
prised mostly of freshmen and sophomores, and with little hope of reaching the
playoffs this year.
"No matter what league you are going into you have to prepare your players for
it mentally," said Belmonte, who spent last season as an assistant cuach at Har-
vard. "I don't want to be the doormat to anybody. We'd have to be nuts not to shot
for a playoff spot.
"A coach has to make believers in his program," he continued. "The players
*have to believe in themselves, in their school, in their system, and in their coach. If
we can instill that confidence, then we should be able to win some hockey games.
This is a tough league, and weekend-in, weekend-out you have to be ready to play
well or lose."
Michigan Tech's Jim Nahrgang does not have to build a program, as he
takes over a Husky team loaded with experience. He must,
however, replace John MacInnes, hockey's all-time winningest
coach, who left Tech with 565 career wins and left Nahrgang
with big shoes to fill.
"I haven't really felt any pressure yet about replacing a
legend," said Nahrgang, who was MacInness' assistant for four
years, "If I start trying to do things the way John did I'm going
to be in big trouble. These players know my style, and I had a
hand in recruiting all of them, so we know what to expect of each
other."
Bill Wilkinson also knew what -to expect when he left his
asistant's position at Bowling Green for the head coach's Nahrgang
post at Western Michigan. Now he is in the middle of rebuilding . . .replacing
a team which lost much of its leadership after suffering through
a 14-19-1 season. a legend
"They are a lot better than I anticipated," said Wilkinson, who left the Falcons
after three seasons. "We lost a lot of firepower, but we have worked hard defen-
sively, and hope to improve. We have a solid team, and we'll just have to grind out
our wins."
"Bill's adjustment won't be that difficult," said Lake Superior's Selman. "He
brings with him a good knowledge of the league. He's paid his dues, and we're all
anxious to see how he will do."
Selman and the rest of the coaches are also anxious to see Dick Bertrand's
Ferris State Bulldogs. Bertrand left Cornell University for the post, and may bring
with him a different style of play than midwesterners are used to.
"A lot of people in the east feel that we play big and tough hockey in the mid-
west," Selman said. "I don't know if coach Bertrand will want to build his team for
size, or if he will go with a smaller team. Look on my roster and you will see that
we use all sizes of players, but his roster might show a different style."
Bertrand's team shows only three players shorter than 5-10, but the new coach
S has to stretch his team's Derformances to improve on last year's 15-18-3 record.
Bertrand
... mOveS west to Ferris State
1982-83 CCHA COMPOSITE SCHEDULE
Friday-October 22
FERRIS STATE AT BOWLING GREEN
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT MICHIGAN STATE
LAKE SUPERIOR AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN TECH AT OHIO STATE
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT MIAMI
NOTRE DAME AT MICHIGAN
Saturday-October 23
FERRIS STATE AT BOWLING GREEN
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT MICHIGAN STATE
LAKE SUPERIOR AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN TECH AT OHIO STATE
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT MIAMI
NOTRE DAME AT MICHIGAN
Friday-October 29
LAKE SUPERIOR AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
MIAMI AT FERRIS STATE
MICHIGAN AT BOWLING GREEN
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT NOTRE DAME
01110 STATE AT MICIHIGAN STATE
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN TECH
Saturday-October 30
LAKE SUPERIOR AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
MIAMI AT FERRIS STATE
MICHIGAN AT BOWLING GREEN
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT NOTRE DAME
OHIO STATE AT MICHIGAN STATE
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN TECH
NOVEMBER
Friday-November 5
BOWLING GREEN AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
FERRIS STATE AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
MIAMI AT OHIO STATE
MICHIGAN STATE AT MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN TECH AT LAKE SUPERIOR
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT NOTRE DAME
Saturday-November 6
BOWLING GREEN AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
FERRIS STATE AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN STATE
MICHIGAN TECH AT LAKE SUPERIOR
NOTRE DAME AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE AT MIAMI
Friday-November 12
LAKE SUPERIOR AT FERRIS STATE
MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN TECH
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN STATE
NOTRE DAME AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
OHIO STATE AT BOWLING GREEN
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MIAMI
Saturday-November 13
BOWLING GREEN AT OHIO STATE
LAKE SUPERIOR AT FERRIS STATE
MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN TECH
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN STATE
NOTRE DAME AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MIAMI
Friday-November 19
BOWLING GREEN AT LAKE SUPERIOR
FERRIS STATE AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN STATE AT MIAMI
MICHIGAN TECH AT NOTRE DAME
OHIO STATE AT MICHIGAN
Saturday-November 20
BOWLING GREEN AT LAKE SUPERIOR
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN STATE AT MIAMI
MICHIGAN TECH AT NOTRE DAME
OHIO STATE AT MICHIGAN
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT FERRIS STATE
Wednesday-November 24
Wisconsin at Illinois-Chicago
Sunday-November 28
MIAMI AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
MICHIGAN TECH AT MICHIGAN STATE
DECEMBER
Friday-December 3
BOWLING GREEN AT MICHIGAN TECH
FERRIS STATE AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
MIAMI AT LAKE SUPERIOR
MICHIGAN STATE AT NOTRE DAME
OHIO STATE AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN
Saturday-December 4
BOWLING GREEN AT MICHIGAN TECH
FERRIS STATE AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
MIAMI AT LAKE SUPERIOR
MICHIGAN AT WESTERN MICHIGAN-
MICHIGAN STATE AT NOTRE DAME
OHIO STATE AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
Friday-December 10
BOWLING GREEN AT MIAMI
FERRIS STATE AT MICHIGAN -
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
LAKE SUPERIOR AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE AT NOTRE DAME
Minnesota-Duluth at Michigan Tech
Saturday-December 1i
BOWLING GREEN AT MIAMI
FERRIS STATE AT MICHIGAN
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
LAKE SUPERIOR AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
01110 STATE AT NOTRE DAME
Minnesota-Duluth at Michigan Tech
Friday-December 17
MICHIGAN STATE AT LAKE SUPERIOR
MICHIGAN TECH AT FERRIS STATE
OHIO STATE AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
Saturday-December 18
MICHIGAN STATE AT LAKE SUPERIOR
MICHIGAN TECH AT FERRIS STATE
OHIO STATE AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
Tuesday-December 28
Lake Superior at Wisconsin
Great Lakes Invitational Tournament
(UM, MSU, MTU, ND at Detroit, MI)
Northern Michigan at Jeno's Classic, Duluth, MN
Wednesday-December 29
Lake Superior at Wisconsin
GLIT Consolation and Finals
Northern Michigan at Jeno's Classic
RPI Tournament, Troy, NY
Bowling Green vs. Lowell
Thursday-December 30
Northern Michigan at Jeno's Classic
Bowling Green at RPI Tournament
JANUARY
Friday-January 7
FERRIS STATE AT OHIO STATE
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT MICHIGAN
MIAMI AT MICHIGAN TECH
MICHIGAN STATE AT BOWLING GREEN
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
Notre Dame at Lake Superior
Saturday-January 8
FERRIS STATE AT OHIO STATE
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT MICHIGAN
MIAMI AT MICHIGAN TECH
MICHIGAN STATE AT BOWLING GREEN
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
NOTRE DAME AT LAKE SUPERIOR
Friday-January 14
FERRIS STATE AT MICHIGAN STATE
MIAMI AT NOTRE DAME
MICHIGAN AT LAKE SUPERIOR
MICHIGAN TECH AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
0111 oSTATE AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
iwaCPL'Ki .I HAtU;AS2AT BOfWINGGEE2 fI'~N
Saturday-January 22
BOWLING GREEN AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
LAKE SUPERIOR AT OHIO STATE
MICHIGAN AT MIAMI
MICHIGAN TECH AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
NOTREDAME AT FERRIS STATE
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN STATE
. I
,I f k
Friday-January 28
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT BOWLING GREEN
LAKE SUPERIOR AT MICHIGAN TECH
MIAMI AT OHIO STATE
MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN STATE
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT FERRIS STATE
NOTRE DAME AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
Saturday-January 29
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT BOWLING GREEN
LAKE SUPERIOR AT MICHIGAN TECH
MICHIGAN STATE AT MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE AT MIAMI
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT FERRIS STATE
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT NOTRE DAME
FEBRUARY
Friday-February 4
BOWLING GREEN AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
FERRIS STATE AT MICHIGAN TECH
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT OHIO STATE
LAKE SUPERIOR AT MICHIGAN STATE
MICHIGAN AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
NOTRE DAME AT MIAMI
Saturday-February 5
BOWLING GREEN AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
FERRIS STATE AT MICHIGAN TECH
"ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT OHIO STATE
LAKE SUPERIOR AT MICHIGAN STATE
MICHIGAN AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
NOTRE DAME AT MIAMI
Friday-February 11
BOWLING GREEN AT NOTRE DAME
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT MIAMI
MICHIGAN AT FERRIS STATE
MICHIGAN STATE AT MICHIGAN TECH
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT LAKE SUPERIOR
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT OHIO STATE z
Saturday, February 12
BOWLING GREEN AT NOTRE DAME
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT MIAMI
MICHIGAN AT FERRIS STATE
MICHIGAN STATE AT MICHIGAN TECH
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT LAKE SUPERIOR
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT 01110 STATE
Friday-February 18
LAKE SUPERIOR AT MICHIGAN
MIAMI AT BOWLING GREEN
MICHIGAN STATE AT FERRIS STATE
NORTHERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN TECH
NOTRE DAME AT 01110 STATE
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
Saturday-February 19
FERRIS STATE AT MICHIGAN STATE
LAKE SUPERIOR AT MICHIGAN
MIAMI AT BOWLING GREEN
MICHIGAN TECH AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
NOTRE DAME AT OHIO STATE
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
Frkday-February 25
BOWLING GREEN AT OHIO STATE
FERRIS STATE AT LAKE SUPERIOR
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT NOTRE DAME
MIAMI AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN STATE AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN TECH AT MICHIGAN
Saturday-February 26
FERRIS STATE AT LAKE SUPERIOR
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO AT NOTRE DAME
MIAMI AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN STATE AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN
Wilkinson
... trades Falcons for Broncos
,
cv -