The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - October 12, 1992 - Page 5 Roberts keys drive for CCHA title Senior centermust step up playfor'M' to succeed by Brett Forrest Daily Hockey Writer Three years ago Dave Roberts was a 19 year-old freshman about to begin his first season of Division I college hockey. He had played at perennial powerhouse Avon Old Farms in Connecticut and made a difficult decision to join a Midwestern hockey program that had finished fourth in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and only seven games above .500 overall the year before. Since that time, Michigan has surged to first in the CCHA and made its way to a national semifinal appearance in the NCAA tournament last year. Roberts has played a vital role in this resurgence of Michigan hockey. Dave Roberts was courted by many of the top East Coast Athletic Conference and Hockey East schools during his final years at Avon. "There was a lot of pressure on me to go to school out East," Roberts recalled. He had strong roots in the Midwest, though. His father Doug and uncle Gordie both played at Michigan State before heading to the National Hockey League. His cousin Alex was a junior playing at Michigan during Roberts' last year of prep school. He visited Ann Arbor and liked what he saw. "The program was building and I could see a lot of progress," he said. The decision was made as he wanted to get in on the ground floor of something that was about to go skyward. Roberts began his Michigan career with a bang. In the 1989-90 season he became the first freshman since 1946 to lead the team in scoring. He had 53 points in 42 games and was selected as the CCHA Rookie of the Year. He was also named to the Great Lakes Invitational all-Tournament team. It was an amazing year for a player many thought would have a tough time making the transition from the East. "He was a noted high school player. He's a skill player, more of a finesse player," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "There was a question of whether he could step into this league and be that type of player. I really felt that he would thrive on this environment. him. He's been able to adjust to a physical, fast-paced league and still have success." In his sophomore season, Roberts was even more ferocious around the opposing net. He raised his point total to 71 in 43 contests, good for second on the team. Things were looking up for Roberts and many were prognosticating dominance by. the Wolverine squad led by Roberts and then-senior Denny Felsner in the upcoming season. Last season, however, Roberts slipped off the pace he had set for himself. He had 58 points in 44 games. Last year's team belonged to Felsner. "If you play hockey long enough, you're going to have an off year every now and then when things don't go your way," team captain David Harlock said. "I think that's the way things went last year (for Roberts)." "By my standards, it was a bad year," Roberts admitted. "I felt like I took a step backwards. Hopefully I'll make up for that this year. Rather than depend on each other, the players often looked to Felsner to rescue the team. "I think we're trying to equal each line out, have more depth so we don't rely on one line or one guy as much. Last year, if we were losing, down by one, everybody would say, 'Let's go Denny, let's get another goal.' This year, we're not going to do that." Roberts knows he will have to come up with a big season if this team is going to go far this year. Felsner, Michigan's all-time leading scorer, is currently in the St. Louis Blues organization. Thus, Roberts, Forward David Roberts wants to make MI'H"LL "Uily his senior season one to remember. MOLLY STEVENS/Daily e -White scrimmage. White won the game 2-1 on a third-period goal by Knuble. How to make Yst "I think it would be a natural step forward for him to have a big year this year," Berenson said. "I'm sure he knows he will have to have a better season overall than he had last year. He is obviously an offensive player and I think you'll see him generate more offense than he did last year." "I think he's already gotten off to a good start in terms of having a good year," Harlock said. "He worked really hard this summer and that certainly puts you in the right direction towards having a good season." Roberts, drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round of the 1989 NHL entry draft, wants to have options at the end of this season. The Blues are high on him and have been for years. Also, the Olympics are only a year and a half away. Before he considers these things, though, there is much work to do this season. "Hopefully I'll have a really good year this year and then talk with St. Louis and get something going there," Roberts said. "I want _to finish school, I want to have a really good year. I want to finish this chapter of my life before I start another one." This year's senior class boasts;six three-year letter-winners who made an immediate impact in their freshman seasons. They have grown with the hockey program in Ann Arbor and there is a sense of urgency with them as they attempt to reach the zenith not attained at Michigan since 1964, when the Wolverines captured the national title. Roberts will have to be a cornerstone in the foundation of the Wolverines' drive for NCAA glory. "I want people to remember this team," Roberts stated. "I don't think it's a big deal for me to have people remember who Dave Roberts was. I just want the team to be recognized as being one of the best teams that Michigan ever had. Just being part of that would be enough for me." 'an impolite host by Andy Stabile Daily Hockey Writer Roberts So, you like sports in your face? Well this isn't about hockey on ESPN, it's about hockey at Michigan. And hockey at Michigan means fans - fans who like hockey in their face. All of America knows about Michigan's football fans: "Thank you again for being part of the largest crowd watching a football game in America today." While the sheer athleticism and talent of Michigan's basketball has sparked an up and coming bunch of crazies at Crisler. But if you're in the mood to scream, I mean the mood to tear vocal chords, then you are probably part of that cult of puckheads that, squeezes into Yost Ice Arena every weekend to get hockey in your face. Here's how it works: The Wolverines play fast hard-nose hockey. They skate, they hit, they score. They do it all a little better than other teams. In return, you yell. Yell anything that comes to mind and yell it loud. Hockey is the only sport where the athletes hear what's said and can see who said it. If you don't believe this, ask someone who saw Ferris St. goalie Pat Mazzoli responding to a fan's criticism by, well, I* adjusting himself' last season. Over the past few years, Michigan hockey fans have brought cheering to a new plateau, although not to the highest plateau, which is reserved only for hockey moms. Anyone who has ever heard a hockey player's mother cheer knows they are absolutely unsurpassable as, well, motivators.' In case you can't think of anything to yell, here are some standbys to keep you busy:. 1. Michigan may own the most famous and hated cheer in college hockey. Let's say Lake Superior's Brian Rolston gets a penalty and he's ;f really mad - thought it was a terrible call. A din reverberates through- *out the stadium while he's arguing with official Steve Piotrowski (in which case it probably was a bad call). Ahhhhhhhhh... As Rolston skates off the ice the din grows louder and raises in pitch until he puts one skate in the box See Ya! If he only fakes entering the box in an attempt to foil the crowd, yell it again. I promise he'll end up there eventually. This cheer is on the move, it found it's way to Crisler Arena where it welcomes opposing teams' fifth foul victims to the bench. 2. Now let's say Rolston rides the pine for two minutes and leaves the box. When the announcer says, "Lake Superior, full strength." Fans yell They still suck! Be ready for this cheer. It is important to pay atten- tion. This is the type of cerebral cheer that separates Michigan fans from Lake Superior fans. 3. After "The Victors" plays when Michigan scores, stand and hold up as many fingers as the Wolverines have goals. The band yells Ready, and then pounds on the bass drum while everyone counts all those goals aloud: One, Two, Three,... We want more goals! Now this cheer gets fun. It is now time to partake in the time-honored tradition of "riding the goalie." Sieve, Sieve, Sieve, Sieve. And if that weren't enough: It's all your fault, It's all your fault, It's all your fault. If the goalie disagrees, he just might have to 'adjust himself.' 4. When the band plays the Olympic fanfare, haul out your lighter. Some free spirits even run "the torch" up the arena steps. The pizza cheer happens when Cottage Inn holds pizza specials for games when °' .Mir n r c a certainmiimher of inoals. You've heard "Let's go "It would be a good league for him. It would be a good program for him. It would be a good school for one of the CCHA's purest scorers and playmakers over the past three seasons, automatically assumes a role as a clutch scorer for Michigan. I BLUE-WHITE Continued from page 1 The White squad threaded the nets for the game's first goal at the 3:03 mark of the first period. Mike Stone slipped the puck past Blue goalie Chris Gordon off a Tim Hogan assist to put the White up, 1- 0. Cam Stewart evened the score at 1-1 with a power-play goal with just over two minutes to play in the period. White goalie Steve Shields stopped a Mark Ouimet blast from the left circle but the Blue's Dan Stiver collected the rebound. He fed it back to Ouimet who spotted a wide-open Stewart for an easy tap- in. The White came up with the game winner at 12:47 of the third period on the game's prettiest play. White defenseman Rick Willis took a David Roberts pass near the right circle. He spun around in almost a complete circle to find Knuble on the net's opposite side. Willis slid the puck across the crease and Knuble flipped it in to give the White a 2-1 victory. For the newcomers to the Wolverines, the game represented the first opportunity to show Berenson how they would respond to game action at the college level. I thought they were nervous at times," Berenson said. "And at other times, they looked like they belonged." As is the case for intrasquad competitions, the players quickly ** * * |||||| ||||| ||||||.||.|||| .|| |||| .|| . .|. .|.|| .|.|.|. . ..|. . . . ..|||||||||||||||||| When Red Berenson arrived at Michigan in 1984, he inherited a hockey program at the bottom of the CCHA. Now, entering his ninth sea- son as head coach, Berenson's Wolverines are a college hockey powerhouse. Berenson spoke to the Michigan Daily hockey staff about a variety of topics, this is what he had to say... ...on last season. We thought we were good enough to go all the way last year but we didn't do it. The good thing is that most of the players on that team gained some valuable experi- ence. They may have what it takes to go a step further this year. We still have some challenges. I mean we had a great season but yet we did not win the CCHA championship. I didn't like the way we won first place near the end, and at the Final Four we didn't play our best, so we have some things to prove, but there's only one champion every year. We were a young team last year we'll be a little more experi- enced this year. ...on getting to the Final Four. You don't just finish in first place by accident; it's a lot of hard work, a lot of breaks, a lot of things have to happen, and its the same thing when you go to the Final Four. And the same thing when you win it all, it's down to a one game shoot out. And there is so many little things that can 1 the Afferenre in a gme. So I I Berenson contribution, I think you'll see him improve as the year goes on. But it's pretty tough for a freshman to cdme in to a team like this and make a big impact. If he can play regular, I think he's got the tools and the char- acter to be a top division one player. It's just a matter of how long it takes to get to that level. ... on the change in the team's attitude over the years. The kids coming in now, they're going to be on a winning team, and they expect to win. And that was the big difference in the early years that I was here. The teams, as a rule, did- n't expect to win. They just didn't think they were good enough to beat the good teams. It took a long time before they were able to prove to themselves that they were good enough, and that they should beat those teams. We expect to win now. That's the mental part. ... on his future as Michigan's coach. I don't know if I'm going to be coaching when I'm sixty. But right now, I mean these are the years that I worked so hard for. You know we really worked hard. We paid our dues. There were a lot of long bus trips home and a lot of long nights worrying about this team and recruit- ing. And I've tried to build some- thing here that, you know: this is the way I've always envisioned it, this is the way Michigan hockey should be. We shnu1d have ton nrozram: we about their impact. Mark Ouimet ended up being our No. I centerman by the end of his freshman year so they were solid players. And Chris Tamer has been one of our top four defensemen for the last three years along with Harlock and Neaton. So they've been a real impact class and that's another reason why this team will have a little better leadership, a little more experience than last year's team and the previous years - because we do have a good senior class. And in Division I hockey, if your seniors don't play well, your team is not going to be successful. You really need your seniors to play well, and this is the kind of class that omld he R significant leadershin)