0
Page 12 -The Michigan Daily-Friday, October 9, 1987
1987-88
Hoc
Preview
Blue talent brewing,'M'icers
improved
By JULIE HOLLMAN
Add a little seasoning to a recipe
and you add a little zest, a little zip.
Michigan's 1987-88 hockey team
is like an old dish with new spice.
The Wolverines are one year older
and one year more experienced and
they plan to take a fresh sense of
confidence with them into the top
half of the Central Collegiate
Hockey Association standings.
Last year, Michigan was a young
team sporting ten unproven
newcomers. This year, all those
players are back. The team is still
young, but now they are
knowledgeable and attuned to the
ways of college hockey.
"HAVING ALL these young
players is an advantage," stated
fourth-year coach Red Berenson. "We
are growing and the improvement of
the team will come from these kids."
With an additional season under
their belts, the Wolverines should
gel more quickly than last year. In
the 1986-87 season, Michigan
suffered through a 4-14 start before
they stepped on the right track and
found some direction, finishing with
a 10-7-1 season-ending streak. This
year Berenson's team could be a top
force in the league.
"We won't struggle this year like
last year," said Berenson. "We have
more poise and more chemistry. We
are full of guarded optimism that we
can finish in the top four."
Although the bulk of the team's
chemistry lies with the sophomore
class, the Wolverines also exhibit
some senior pride which should add
guidance to the mixture. Michigan's
senior class is led by assistant
captains Joe Lockwood and Brad
McCaughey and right winger Billy
Powers. All three players, who have
been drafted by NHL teams, should
provide strong leadership and solid
play.
JUNIOR CAPTAIN Todd
Brost and junior defenseman Myles
O'Connor help to balance out the
age and experience of the team.
O'Connor's skills and character will
be tested this season as he steps in
to fill the void left by last year's
defensive dreadnought, Jeff Norton
who joined the United States
Olympic Team. Berenson believes
O'Connor can aptly handle this
responsibility of leading the most
talented defense he has seen in his
Michigan coaching career.
"O'Connor is our most
experienced defenseman and he is a
good two-way player. He handles the
puck well and gets the puck out of
our zone. Defense should be a
strength for us." Berenson said.
The offense also possesses greater
balance along with more skill and
more size. Berenson expects to see a
balanced scoring attack coming from
any of seven players. Lockwood,
Brost, McCaughey, Powers, Mike
Moes, Rob Brown, and Ryan
Pardoski make up the nucleus of the
offense. Last year, McCaughey was
second only to the league's second-
highest scorer Brad Jones in team
scoring, with 26 goals and 49
points.
UNFORTUNATELY, the
offense will have to do without the
services of prolific left wing Bryan
Deasley, who is out for four to six
weeks with a broken ankle. Deasley
represents Michigan's first ever first
round NHL draft pick. He was
selected by the Calgary Flames.
Sophomore Warren Sharples
takes over the netminding duties full
time with classmate Glen Neary
filling in as backup.
"I'm happy to have the starting
job but I haven't proved anything
yet." said Sharples. "I'm in a
familiar position though. I've seen
all the teams and been in all the
buildings and I have experience to
draw on now. I know what to
expect."
"Sharples is a reflex goalie. He
improved his skating and his puck
handling and is capable of making
the big save," said Berenson.
SOPHOMORE walk-on Tim
Genyk will serve as the third goalie.
This year's recruits look
promising and should contribute but
they will not have the pressure of
last season's ten newcomers. Mark
Sorensen will start on the blue hre
and so far Sharples is happy to hay
Sorensen in front of him.
"I'm glad we got him," said the
Michigan goalie "He's impressed me
so far. Only time will tell but I
think he'll be top calibre by the time
he's done."
Said Berenson: "Sorensen can
4andle the league. He is well
:epared for college hockey. He sees
,ie ice well and understands the
game."
Michigan is a team which feels its
has a lot to prove to itself and to the,
fans but this pressure should act as a
spark for an up and coming team.
I
t
Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON
Michigan center Mike Moes is one of ten returning sophomores who bring confidence and poise to the Wolverines. Michigan hopes to
recapture their season-ending form of last year and better its 14-25-1 record.
SEVEN TOP GOAL SCORERS RETURN:
Blue exhibitsbalanced
By IAN RATNER
Despite a disappointing seventh-
place finish in the CCHA last
season, Michigan looks forward to
returning six of its seven top goal
scorers from a team that scored 153
goals in league play.
Unfortunately, the Wolverine
defense allowed 174 goals (second
worst in the league). Michigan also
lost its leading goal scorer Brad
Jones (32 goals) to graduation.
"Other teams thought if they
could shut Jones down, they could
shut our team down," said Michigan
head coach Red Berenson. "And often
that was true."
Berenson plans to offset the loss
of Jones with a more balanced
scoring attack that features four
senior wingers, junior captain Todd
Brost, four sophomores, and a
talented crop of newcomers.
SENIORS B R A D
McCaughey, Joe Lockwood, and
Billy Powers add experience at right
wing. McCaughey tallied 26 goals
and 49 points last season and should
provide much needed offensive
firepower. Berenson feels that
McCaughey, an Ann Arbor native,
can be as prolific a scorer as Jones.
"If he's on his game every night,
he can score goals with the best
players in the league," said
Berenson.
Lockwood, an alternate captain
along with McCaughey, has proven
to be a solid two-way player. He
collected 13 goals last season,
scoring
including a school-record five
shorthanded goals. Powers is another
scorer. He contributed 13 goals
during his junior campaign.
"Powers is capable of producing
big numbers. It's a matter of
consistency," said Berenson. "You'll
see senior pride on this team and that
will help our forwards overall."
Michigan's centers are solid but
small with a pair of 5-8 players in
Brost and sophomore Rob Brown,
and 5-10 Mike Moes.
"I like big centermen but I
haven't been able to find them," said
Berenson. "But talent and character is
more important than size."
BROST NOTCHED 16 goals
and 47 points last season. His
exceptional work habits led to his
selection as team captain by his
teammates. With a season of college
hockey under their belt, Moes and
Brown will be expected to provide
steady play.-
Both sophomores played
prominent roles on the penalty-
killing unit as they contributed four
of a team record 16 shorthanded
goals. And Brown's grinding style
impresses his coach.
"Brown will outwork most
players," said Berenson.
Michigan's newcomers have an
opportunity to contribute regularly
at left wing with the loss of Bryan
Deasley. The sophomore is out for
at least the first four weeks of the
season. A first-round pick of the
NHL's Calgary Flames Deasley
broke a bone in his ankle, falling
down stairs before fall practice.
But classmate Ryan Pardoski is
healthy and 12 pounds heavier.
Newcomer Don Stone looks to have
secured himself on a line with
McCaughey and Moes. Stone, who
possesses a" deft scoring touch,
shifted from the center position.
Other newcomers vying for
playing time are forwards Kent
Brothers, Billy Jaffe, and Jim
Ballantine. But coach Berenson
stresses that the pressure to perform
WlAr
MICHIGAN
a vv ao
1987-88 Hockey Roster
No.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
14
15
16
17
18
20
21
22
23
24
26
27
29
30
Name
Todd Copeland
Mark Sorensen
Myles O'Connor
Randy Kwong
Brad Turner
Mike Moes
Billy Jaffe
Todd Brost (C)
Joe Lockwood (A
Don Stone
Rob Brown
Kent Brothers
Jeff Urban
Ryan Pardoski
Billy Powers
Brad McCaughey
Alex Roberts
Tim Helber
Bryan Deasley
Jim Ballantine
Warren Sharples
Gary Lorden
Sean Baker
Glen Neary
Tim Genyk
k)
Pos.
D
D
D
D
D
C
RW
C
) RW
C
C
RW
LW
LW
RW
(A) RW
D
C
LW
C
G
D
LW
G
G
Ht.
6-2
6-0
6-0
6-0
6-2
5-11
6-1
5-8
6-0
5-10
5-8
6-1
6-2
6-1
6-0
6-2
6-2
5-11
6-2
5-11
5-11
6-3
6-0
6-1
6-1
Wt.
205
180
180
181
200
190
195
175
180
165
172
200
190
170
185
195
195
170
205
170
185
195
195
200
194
Yr.
So.
Fr.
Jr.
So.
So.
So.
Fr.
Jr.
Sr.
Fr.
So.
Fr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Fr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
HEAD COACH: Gordon "Red" Berenson
ASSISTANT: Larry Pedrie
GRAD ASSISTANTS: Rob Palmer, Doug May
GOALIE COACH: Stefan Popa
TRAINER: A.J. Duffy
Michigan Schedule
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct..
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
9
10
16-17
23-24
30-31
6-7
13
14
BOWLING GREEN
at Bowling Green
at Miami
at Ohio State
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
at Ferris State
at Michigan State
MICHIGAN
STATE
WESTERN
Jan. 8-9
Jan. 15-16
Jan. 22-23
Jan. 30
Feb. 5
Feb. 6
Feb. 12-13
Feb. 26
OHIO STATE
at Ilinois-Chicago
MICHIGAN STATE
at Michigan State
at Western Michigan
WESTER N
MICHIGAN
LAKE SUPERIOR
at B'owling Green
Nov. 20
i