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Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Sports Monday - March 23, 1
Josh Dubow
'M' icers stymie Miami, 6-2
a Wolverines' penalty killing keys CCHA semifinal victory
'M' Icers stricken
by Andy De Korte
Daily Hockey Writer
by Madeley malady
by Josh Dubow.
Daily Hockey Writer
DETROIT - Michigan and Lake Superior met for the fifth time this
season yesterday at Joe Louis Arena, and once again Laker goaltender
Darren Madeley and his defense stifled the high-powered Wolverine attack.
Lake Superior held Michigan to one goal in its 3-1 victory in the CCHA
final.
Michigan did not provide a stiff enough challenge to penetrate Madeley.
Wolverine coach Red Berenson repeatedly talks about his team's need to
"shoot smart," and yesterday this deficiency proved fatal for the
Wolverines. Michigan's biggest problem against Lake Superior this season
has been finishing its chances, and yesterday proved no different.
"I think we outplayed them," Michigan forward David Oliver said, "but
we couldn't capitalize on our chances. It was just one of those games.
Madeley's a good goalie, but we weren't bearing down in front of the net.
We made him look great tonight."
"I thought we played well enough to win," Berenson said. "We didn't
put some of our chances in. We either weren't as sharp around the net as we
should have been, or when we wxee, Madeley or their defense made the bia'
play.
In the five games this season
against Michigan, Madeley has
posted a .941 save percentage versus
his .918 against the rest of the na-
tion. That Madeley's stats improve
against one of the nation's top of-
fenses is in part a credit to the Lak-
ers stepping up their defensive ef-
fort, and in part inefficiency from
Michigan's offense.
Madeley attributes his success to
his strong defense. Despite rookie hl'
defenseman Tim Hanley's constant 1at
shadowing of Felsner in the Laker ifr
zone, Madeley was fearful of the
CCHA's leading scorer's prolific /'' - 1,1
scoring ability.
"Denny is the scariest man on the Madeley
ice," Madeley said. "He scares me
from the time he gets on the ice. He's so big and powerful you need differ-
ent tactics. If you don't make a decision he'll power over you."
The problem for Felsner and the Wolverines was that they were making
too many wrong decisions. While Madeley stifled some of Michigan's
chances, Michigan botched many others.
"I thought we overhandled the puck in their zone," Berenson said. "We
were skating around instead of getting the shot. We didn't need a fancy
goal, just a goal."
The Lakers do not give up many transition chances, but when they did,
the Wolverines could not take advantage of them. One play midway through
the first period typified this.
Felsner, Brian Wiseman and defensemen Doug Evans had a three-on-one
against the Lake defense. However, Michigan did not even get a shot off on
Madeley when a Felsner drop pass to Evans went astray.
The Wolverines vaunted power play also struggled to test Madeley. On
their five power plays, they were only able to muster three shots on goal.
Often this season, Michigan has made good'goalies look great, or
average goalies look good. But against a great goalie like Madeley, you
need to take advantage of all your chances.
Because Michigan didn't exploit Madeley when it had a chance, it
needed to rely on lucky bounces to beat Madeley.
"We outplayed them the whole game," Oliver said. "On their first two
goals, the puck just bounced their way. It would of been nice to see a few of
those go in for us."
But to win, the Wolverines need to do more than outplay their opponents
-- they need to outscore them.
DETROIT - Redskin Ken
House scored the first goal of
Saturday's game against Michigan
just 30 seconds into the contest, a
feat Miami had not accomplished in
four regular season games against
the Wolverines.
However, Miami could not keep
the momentum going as Michigan
answered with the first of four
unanswered goals just 10 seconds
later en route to Michigan's 6-2 vic-
tory in its CCHA semifinal match-
up.
"It was really important to get
the first goal, we've won about 62
(66) percent of our games when we
score first," Miami coach George
Gwozdecky said. "Unfortunately, it
was only important for 10 seconds,
but it was still good to get the goal
under our belts."
The goal did quickly erase
Gwozdecky's fear that his team
could have trouble playing through
the distractions of its first-ever
weekend at the Joe.
Penalty killing proved to be the
key for both teams as the night pro-
gressed. Although Michigan staked
out a 2-1 lead on a David Roberts
goal early in the first period, the
Wolverines couldn't capitalize on
any of their three power play
chances in the period and were 0-6
for the game.
"The power play just doesn't
work all the time," Michigan's
leading power play goal scorer
'I thought we were
holding on a lot
tonight even if the
score didn't indicate
it'
- Red Berenson
Michigan hockey coach
David Oliver said. "They kept
changing up their game, and we kept
adjusting, but we didn't get crisp
passing, and we didn't score."
Brian Wiseman generated some
scoring of his own. Starting near his
own red line, he took the puck end-
to-end, split the defensemen at their
blue line and had enough punch left
to beat Miami goalie Mark Michaud
low to his glove side.
Michigan's own penalty killers
were tested soon after Wiseman
made the score, 3-1. David Roberts
and Cam Stewart were able to keep
the puck in Miami's zone for long
periods of the three power plays
Michigan needed to kill.
Between shorthanded stretches
defenseman Mike Stone scored with
one of hockey's toughest shots - a
backhand to the top of the near cor-
ner of the net to the goalie's glove
side over a defenseman.
Miami refused to be put away,
scoring on a power-play blast from
just inside the blue line to climb
back to a two-goal deficit. The lack
of a knock out punch caused Mich-
igan coach Red Berenson the most
concern.
"We played well enough to win,
but that won't be good enough (in
the finals.) I don't think we played
as well as we wanted to," Berenson
said. "They were always in the
game. I thought we were holding on
a lot tonight even if the score didn't
indicate it."
The 4-2 score was as close as
Miami would get. Wiseman scored
by redirecting an Al Sinclair drive
from the right point. Ted Kramer
notched his 17th goal of the season,
and second of the night, into an
empty net to close the scoring.
MICHIGAN 6, Miami 2
ate Joe Louis Arena
FIRST PERIOD
Miami 1, Michigan 0. House 25 (Blasi,
Miller) :31.
Miami 1, Michigan 1. Kramer 16 (Stewart,
Ward) :41.
Penalties - Michigan. Stiver (roughing);
Miami, Wilson (roughing) 1:49.
Michigan 2, Miami 1. Roberts 15 (Oliver)
3:45 (4 on 4).
Penalty - Miami, Daikawa (holding) 4,09.
Penalty - Miami, Michaud (slashing),
served by House, 8:09.
Penalty - Miami, Marshall (checking from
behind) 14.00.
SECOND PERIOD
Penalties - Michigan, Ward (roughing);
Miami Fischeor (roughing) 4:33.
Michigan 3. Miami 1. Wiseman 26 (Tamer)
6:31 (4 on 4).
Penalty - Miami, Mallon (hooking) 9:'01.
Penaly - Michigan, Stewart (hooking)
928.
Michigan 4, Miami 1. Stone 7 (Helber,
Evans) 11:49.
Penalty - Michn Kramer (roughing)
13:46.
Michigan 4, Miami 2. Eigner 6 (Blasi, Oates)
15:01(ppg).
Penalty - MichiganStone (holding) 17:06.
THIRD PERIOD
Penalty - Michigan, Tamer (checking from
behind) 3:45.
Michigan 5, Miami 2. Wiseman 27 (Sinclair,
Felsner) 1023.
Penalty - Miami, Wilson (interference)
13:54.
Michigan 6, Miami 2. Kramer 17 (Roberts)
19:54 (eng).
Scer' by perild -
Mim .... .. .. 1 1 0 - 2
Michigan:.......... 2 2 2 - 6
Sht on gal
Miami........... 5 9 8 - 22
Michigan........... 13, 10 8 - 31
Goaltenders- Miami, Michaud (14-11-4)
30 shots, 25 saves. Michigan, Shields (26-5-2)
22 shots, 20 saves.
Power plays - Miami 1 for 4; Michigan 0
for 5.
Officials - Referee, Steve Piotrowski;
Linesmen. Larry Lulich and John Dobrzeleski.
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Steve Shields makes a glove save during Saturday's CCHA semifinal matchup against Miami. He collected 20 stops in the 6-2 triumph over the Redskins.
NCAA puts Michigan No.1I in West*
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_ _ _" A _. I _. _..
by Andy De Korte
Daily Hockey Writer
DETROIT - Despite losing in
the CCHA playoff finals to Lake
Superior State, 3-1, Michigan gained
the No. 1 seed in the West region of
the NCAA Hockey Championships.
Included for the Wolverines in
the booty of a top seed are a bye in
the first round of the tournament and
the opportunity to play in Joe Louis
Arena, where they have comprised a
5-1 record so far this season.
Michigan has played at the Joe in the
Great Lakes Invitational, a two-
game series with Michigan State and
the CCHA Championships.
Selection chair Lang Kennedy
said the selection committee had
three levels of criteria to weigh in
making its decisions. Level one was
comprised of winning percentage
and strength of schedule. Level two
was common opponents and playoff
success. In extreme cases such as
choosing Clarkson over Providence,
level three, the record in the last ten
games, is consulted.
"I hope the selection committee
takes into account our winning
record against Michigan," Laker
coach Jeff Jackson said before the
seeds were announced. "I think
Michigan and us should get the byes
and Minnesota should be looking
back."
Michigan's (31-8-3) tough
schedule and the two-game sweep of
Minnesota was probably enough to
offset any loss of rank yesterday's
loss may have caused.
Michigan State will travel to
Providence as the West's fifth seed
as anticipated. However, because the
West is acknowledged to be tougher,
Spartan forward Dwayne Norris
said, "it may be a blessing disguise."
-wr I
n
DIVISION I MEN'S HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
c
a
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Michigan's Brian Wiseman shot on goal against Miami goalie Mark Michaud in Saturday night's CCHA semifinal
match. The Wolverines prevailed, 6-2, with Wiseman scoring two goals.
NMU beats Minnesota for WCHA title
ST ROUND
4W Northern Mich.
5E Clarkson
QUARTERFINALS
SEMIFINALS
FINALS
NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -
Northern Michigan snuffed out
Minnesota's hopes of a WCHA title
for the second straight year, gaining
an automatic berth in the NCAA
hockey tournament.
However, despite the loss Min-
nesota received the second seed and
a bye in the NCAA playoffs.
Northern Michigan received the
fourth seed in the west and opens
against Clarkson Friday at Joe Louis
Arena.
The St. Paul arena has hosted all
five WCHA Final Fours and last
year's NCAA finals.
"We've only lost here twice in
five years, and both of those were in
overtime," said Northern Michigan
coach Rick Comley. "I can't explain
it. We just play well here."
Minnesota (33-10) can't make
the same claim even though the
school's campus is just 10 miles
away. Since the league changed its
that our guys were falling down out
there. We didn't get many bad
breaks. Maybe we just needed more
good ones."
Minnesota won the WCHA's
regular-season crown by a convinc-
ing 12-point margin.
Northern Michigan freshman
goalie Corwin Saurdiff was a big
reason for this year's title. He com-
bined for 80 saves in the semifinals
and finals, including 18 in the third
WEST REGIONAL
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit
First Round: March 27, 1992
Quarterfinal: March 29, 1992
1W Michigan
3W Lake Superior St.
0
0
f
6E Alaska-Anchorage
2W Minnesota
I I
3E New Hampshire
FINAL FOUR
APRIL 2-4, 1992
KNICKERBOCKER ARENA
ALBANY, NEW YORK
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