Page 8-Friday, October 15, 1982-The Michigan Daily GIORDANO STR ESSES PUCK CONTROL Offense gets a new look ! , By CHUCK JAFFE Michigan hockey coach John Giordano is hoping that his team's new offense can turn Yost Ice Arena into a red-light district. Giordano doesn't want to convert the Wolverines' ice palace into a brothel, but rather hopes that Michigan's for- wards will turn the red goal light on often this season. Last year's hockey squad showed an outstanding defense, but an inability to score hindered the team during its playoff drive. Now Giordano has a crew of experienced veterans to go with highly touted recruits, and the result might be VIichigan's strongest scoring platoon in years. "WE'RE GOING TO BE the type of team that tries to con- trol the puck at the blue line,"' Giordano said. "I'd like to see as be more of a European-style team. We're doing a lot of ;counterattacks. and regrouping in practice, and that in- .dicates a controlled, playmaking offense." - The Michigan offense may well be controlled by the team's Co-captains. Center Ted Spears was last season's leading scorer, and he will team with freshman Chris Seychel and junior Jim McCauley to form Michigan's first line. Co- -vaptain Brad Tippett joins sophomore Paul Kobylarz and freshman Frank Downing on another line, while Joe Milburn, ;Jeff Grade and Dave McIntyre comprise the third line. The fourth and fifth lines of Kelly McCrimmon-Tom Stiles-Don Krussman, and Jim Mans-Paul Switzer-Billy Reid give the Wolvek-ines their deepest lineup in many years. "The coach is defensive-minded and stresses defense first, but he has been building us towards a balance in both ends," said Kobylarz. "We've been doing a lot of hitting in the cor- ners, and we're starting to flow better in practice." "EVERYONE HAS a great attitude and wants to be a win- ner," said Seychel, who assisted on three Ted Speers' goals in last week's Maize-Blue game. "I have to say that I have been blending in with Speers. I'm flowing with what he does because he has the experience. We don't work too badly together, so I love it. If I play with Ted regularly, I think I can expect some terrific things to happen." But another development that would be terrific would be the formation of a power play. While last year's extra-man unit looked inept at times, Giordano says this year's squad will be solid-in about six weeks. "We only started working on power play on Tuesday," the Michigan mentor said. "It will take a month to get going. We have a lot of new faces, and we don't use the easiest power play, but somewhere around the middle of November it'll be pretty well tuned up." / y Nww %wo U 4, - $ I ".s Daily Photo by BRIAN MASCK Senior Brad Tippett (14) attempts to slip the puck between the legs of sophomore goalie Jon Elliott (30) while junior transfer John DeMartino (5) tries to check the senior co-captain during last week's Maize-Blue hockey game. Rookies play big role on young icer squad By JOE CHAPELLE If only one word could be used to describe the upcoming Michigan hockey season it would be "transition." The Wolverines lost eight seniors to graduation and only have three seniors and two juniors returnthg for tonight's season opener against Windsor. The Wolverines will be looking to the freshman class to fill the vacancies left by graduation. CONSEQUENTLY, lack of experience will be a key problem for the icers this season, as the freshman class moves in to fill the spots left on the team by graduation. "You can do everything but give them game experience in practice," said Giordano. "When you have a crowd, especially a hostile crowd, you play differen- tly. These guys don't know what it's like to go on the road." 4 Giordano, however, may be looking at one of the best recruiting classes in the past few years. Freshman defensemen Bill Brauer, Todd Carlile and Pat Goff were each drafted by a National Hockey League team-Brauer by the Montreal Canadiens, Carlile by the Minnesota North Stars and Goff by the New York Islan- ders. All three are probable starters for tonight's opener. GOFF SCORED a goal in the Blue-Maize scrimmage game last week and Giordano said Brauer and Carlile have looked especially good in practice. Despite the potential that the freshmen defensemen have, Giordano said he is still a little worried about developing a good defense. The Wolverines in the past few weeks have been concentrating on improving their defensive game. "I can't keep from stressing that these players need to mature, and it's hard to4 speed that process up," said Giordano. "We are working hard on defense." THE WOLVERINES, however, are also trying to balance the defensewith -a solid offensive game, Two freshmen recruits that should help the Wolverines of- fensively are Chris Seychel and Tom Stiles. Seychol, a native of Allen Park, had three assists in last week's scrimmage, feeding the puck to senior Ted Speers, who garnered four goals in the game. Giordano has high hopes for both recruits, and both have been steadily im- proving in practice, according to the Wolverine hockey mentor. "Seychel is a good offensive player," said Giordano. "Stiles just keeps getting better and better. You tell him things and he picks them up right away." OVERALL, Giordano sees this year's freshman class as one of the best in the past few years at Michigan. "I would say that our recruiting this season has been very good," said Gio- dano. "It was certainly better than the recruiting we've had in the past two seasons." Among the other rookies joining the Wolverine roster this season are Jim Swit- zer of Spring Lake, Michigan, Frank Downing of Orchard Park, New York, and Jim Mans of Trenton. Alex Sosa of West Bloomfield, Michigan, will be a back-up goaltender for sophomores Jon Elliott and Mark Chiamp. Another new member of this year's squad is defenseman John DeMartino, a junior transfer from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. The St. Clair Shores native brings some needed defensive experience from Dearborn to Ann Arbor and is touted by Giordano as a possible starter in tonight's opener against Windsor. Maize goalie Jon Elliott (30) freezes the puck as Blue1 attempts to put the puck into the net. Tom Stiles John DeMartino (5) apply defensive pressure. NewT'D By JOE CHAPELLE Wolverine hockey coach John Gior- dano may feel like he is living out the old "from feast to famine" scenario with the Wolverine defense this season. Michigan lost five defensemen to graduation last year who, taken together, represented the bulk of the experience and talent on last season's. squad. Among the defensemen lost to graduation were last year's co-captains Steve Richmond and Dave Richter, Paul Brandrup, last season's alternate captain, Brian Lundberg and Mark Perry. Consequently, the defense this year is almost completely without ex- perience. "THE DEFENSE is the big question mark," said Giordano. "We really don't have anyone with experience. We have to rebuild the entire defense." The success of the Wolverine defense this year will most likely hinge upon the performances of sophomores Doug May, John Hawkins, and Mike Neff. All three saw intermittent action last season, with Neff seeing the most. "Neff is a good thinker, but he needs to improve his puck handling and passing. May is a solid defensive player. He plays good defense and han- dles the puck well," said Giordano. THE VACUUM left by graduation last year may be filled this season with three highly touted recruits from Min- nesota, Bill Brauer, Todd Carlile, and Pat Goff. All three were drafted by dif- ferent pro hockey teams, Brauer by the Montreal Canadiens, Carlile by the )' keys Blue Giordano starts anew filling blue-line losses . ;". x . GIORDANO HAS set some clear goals for the defense to live up to this season. "If we do not give up more than eight shots on goal per period I feel we can win," said Giordano. The goaltending situation, unlike the rest of the defense, will have some ex- perience this season. Sophomore goalie Jon Elliott, who garnered CCHA Rookie- of-the-Year honors last season, should return to his starting position this year. "Elliott is a good goaltender. He has played well but must continue to im- prove," said Giordano. However, this season Mark Chiamp, a returning sophomore from East Detroit, should provide some com- petition for Elliott for the starting spot. "He (Chiamp) has been the biggest surprise. He has played very well in practice. We are thinking of setting up a rotation," said Giordano. Giordano is optimistic about the total defensive picture. "It's the nature of a young team to present a challenge," said Giordano. "A lot of our success this year will depend on how fast these players mature." 4a Y L\IV if :. 8pp- 4 a ':_ - - ,.4,i4 _~