6- The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - Monday, October 31, 1994 HOCKEY NOTEBOOK: Special teams depleted by injuries Becoming a bad habit: By MELANIE SCHUMAN Daily Hockey Writer BIG RAPIDS - Mike Knuble will undergo tests at 4 p.m. today and he is 99 percent sure that the results will clear him to play in this weekend's homestand with Ohio State and Lake Superior State. Knuble practiced with the team Thursday, then rode the bicycle for 45 minutes. Friday, hepracticed with those players who did not make the road trip, although he did travel to Big Rapids. Meanwhile, Knuble replacement, sophomore Warren Luhning, left af- ter the first period of Friday's night's game with bruised ribs. Suffered last Saturday, the injury has progressively worsened; he reaggrevated it during a power play the in the first period. Al- though Luhning returned for a shift in the third period, he, not the puck, went into the net, forcing him to leave the ice for good. "I wouldn't be able to help the team if I were out there," Luhning said hum- bly, stressing how frustrated he is not being able to play. In three games this season, Luhning has notched three goals and two assists. In addition to his duties at right wing, he plays the slot on the top power-play unit. Luhning was to undergo x-rays yes- terday to target the problem. ADD HIM TO THE ROSTER: The Wol- verines have signed a highly touted recruit. Greg Cozier verbally commit- ted to Michigan last week after visiting Ann ArborforMichigan's series against Colorado College. Crozier, a 6-3 1/2, 190-pound senior at Lawrence Acad- emy, chose Michigan out of a deep pool of choices which included Harvard, Boston University, Michigan State and Denver. In 20 games last season, Crozier scored 22 goals and recorded 26 as- sists. Speaking of the third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in lastJune's NHL Draft, Lawrence coach Charlie Corey told the Ann Arbor News: "He hasn't even begun to fllout. He goes to open spaces well, he explodes to the puck well. He creates so many oppor- tunities with his size, speed, and reach.' The verbal commitment is not a binding accord until he signs his letter of intent in November. Cozier knows a lot about Michigan hockey -he lives on the same street as former Wolverine Ryan Sittler in East Amherst, N.Y. IN THE BOX: After the 20 penalties handed out to them in their contest with York University, the Wolverines had slim pickings to execute special teams play because of so many coincidental minors. After going 0-for-4 in its first game against Colorado College, Michigan rebounded to score three power play goals in nine opportuni- ties the next night. Friday, Ferris's special teams outchanced and outscored the Wolverines (the Bull- dogs went 2-for-6 on the power play and held Michigan to 1-for-7). To that point, Michigan had killed off all 20 of its opponents' power plays. Michigan coach Red Berenson and several Michigan players indicated how large role special teams played in their tumultuous effect. Saturday, though, the Wolverines were 3-for-8 while Ferris was a dismal 0-for-8, but did continue to take a few unnecessary behind-the-play penalties. A NEw BEGINNING: Friday's 3-2 loss to Ferris State was the first time Michi- gan lost a CCHA opener since the 1991-92 campaign when it lost to Michigan State, 5-3, in East Lansing. Mchigan splits agai By MELANIE SCHUMAN Daily Hockey Writer BIG RAPIDS - A banana split is a treat, an indulgence if you will. A split in general is a painful-looking 70's dance move. But a split for the Michigan hockey team is a disappointment. Granted, the Wolverines were on the road in the hollows of Ewigleben Ice Arena, home of the Ferris State Bulldogs. Road philosophy dictates that a split is 'acceptable' away from home. "On the road, a split isn't so bad, but for Michigan it is bad," a sidelined Mike Knuble said. But what is the excuse for last weekend's split against Colorado College? The Tigers, then No.5, are the reigning WCHA Champions and granted, a formidable opponent. The Wolverines played lackluster hockey that Friday, saying they needed a night to readjust their game to cope for the loss of Knuble, their top right wing. Michigan rebounded from a 7-4 loss to the Tigers, winning, 5-4, in what would have been convincing fashion had it not needed a last-second rescue. "Anytime you lose a game, the next night you're going to come out harder," defenseman Harold Schock said. "You expect that out of yourselves and your ia teammates. We have a lot of pride in our locker room." In order to achieve respect and maintain the quality of the reigning CCHA Champions' 27-2-1 program, this year's team will have to win its next 24 games. Let me reiterate that - its next twenty four games. "We're not going to just walk into these rinks and (opponents) are just going to roll over," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "Every weekend is going to be like this weekend-we can be beaten or we might win or wemight split the series. Overall, you'd have to look back and say, 'Well, it's a lot better than what could have happened."' At this rate, the Wolverines will finish one game over .500, thanks to their 8- 0 romp over York, Oct. 14. But that's too far off for projections. Michigan's lone excuse at this point in time is its lack of depth. There is little opportunity to overcome this obstacle right now because of the severe depletion of right wings. Michigan only has 13 forwards, two of which were sidelined most of the weekend, and being on the road, it had no additional resources to tap. Michigan dressed 12 forwards each night, but essentially played only 11. Top right wing Warren Luhning left Friday's game after the first period with a nagging rib injury, and defenseman Peter Bourke dressed Saturday for his first game this season, but only played one shift late in the game when Michigan was up, 6-1. Bourke was listed on the roster as aleft wing, but played that shift on right defense. "We have to mix it up a bit to find a combination that can win. Last night's lineup couldn't do it," Knuble said before Saturday's rebound performance. Saturday's lineup card depicted anumberof changes. Jason Botterill, anatural left wing, played onthe right side of thetop line. Captain Rick Willisplayedon two lines, which tallied eight points. He skated with usual linemates Ron Sacka and John Arnold, and double-shifted with freshmen Robb Gordon and Bill Muckalt. "The overall team effort was better tonight," Willis said. "People came prepared to play tonight whereas they didn't last night." These new combinations were a slight improvement. So far this season, the Wolverines are on track with scoring, matching their previous mark of an average five goals per game last season. Michigan outshot Ferris 38-28 on Friday and 30-22 Saturday. Against Colorado College, the Wolverines put 10 more shots on net than did the Tigers in another rebound victory. Yet, these statistics are only encouraging on paper. "We don't expect to split," Knuble added. "We want four points." If Michigan expects to earn four points on a given weekend, it must focus on playing solid defense. "All of our 'D' can play," said defenseman Mark Sakala, whose play this weekend marks his first ice time this year. "It's really competitive back there for us. On any given night, certain 'D' can step up and do just as good ajob as anyone else." If that is true, the Wolverine 'D' has yet to live up to expectations. All nine defensemen returned this season, welcoming the addition of freshman Chris Fox, and Michigan has yet to find the right pairings, with the exception of Steven Halko and Blake Sloan. The cries for blue-line heroics are now echoing in the heads of Michigan's defense. Unlike the forwards, they have a pool to choose from and even with lineup changes, hope is dwindling. Schock, paired up mostoflast season and this one withTim Hogan, skated with Sakala and Sloan, while Hogan sat out on a Berenson-imposed academic proba- tion. Chris Frescoln played Saturday as Fox, who was benched in the third period Friday along with Alan Sinclair after the two gave up a breakaway goal, sat out. "Our biggest opponents are ourselves and that's the biggest thing right now," Sloan said. "If we come out and play our game, there is no team in this league that's going to beat us." But who is going to play in that game? 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