ZB - The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - Monday, February 26, 1996 HOCKEY WIMEB Poll First-place votes are in parentheses. Team 1. Colorado College (11) 2. Boston University 3. Lake Superior 4. Michigan 5. Minnesota 6. Michigan State 7. Western Michigan 8. Massachusetts-Lowell 9. Vermont 10. Maine Points 110 96 82 66 64 55 46 34 25 15 Lakers hurt 'M' postseason hopes with series sweep Others receiving votes: Denver 7, St. Lawrence 3, Clarkson 2. Michigan 1 1 2 0-4 Lake Superior 0 2 2 1-5 ,First period -1 UM, Hayes 6 (Arnold), 12:46. Penalties - Grahame, LS served by Sessa (slashing), 9:43; Frescoln, UM (holuing the stick), 19:25. Second period - 2, UM, Muckalt 21 (Halko). 5:23 (pp). 3, LS, Alvey 11 (Fuss, Battaglia), 7:56 (pp). 4, LS, G. Tallaire 5 (Aldridge), 16:33 (pp). Penalties - Alvey, LS (slashing), 1:41; Aldridge, LS (interference), 5:12; Schock, UM (high-sticking), 6:13; Schock, UM (high-sticking), 10:34; Blaznek, LS (cross checking), 11:01; Halko, UM (hooking), 15:14; Turco, UM served ,by Luhning (tripping), 16:23; George, LS (roughing), 19:47; G. Tallaire, LS (hitting after the whistle), 20:00; Muckalt, UM (hitting after the whistle), 20:00. *Third period - 5, UM , Herr 17 (Legg, Berenzweig), 2:14. 6, 15, S. Tallaire 24 (Aldridge), 3:35. 7, UM, -Herr 18 (Luhning), 10:39. 8, LS, Felsner 14 (S. Tallaire, Aldridge), 19:25. Penalties - Laviolette, LS (holding), 3:59; Madden, UM (roughing), 6:43; -,Laviolette, LS (roughing). 6:43. Overtime -9, LS, Aldridge 11 (Battaglia), 2:16. ,Penalties - Luhning. UM (hitting after the whistle), S1:14; Laviolette, LS (hitting after the whistle), 1.44. Power plays - UM, 1 of 6; LS, 2 of 5. Shots on goal - UM, 98-13-1-31; LS, 6-8-17-1-32. Goalie saves - UM, Turco 6-6150-27; 5, Grahame 8-7-11-1-27. Referee - Steve Piotrowski. Linesmen - Dale Cryderman, Terry Schug. Attendance: 4,184 At: Taffy Abel Arena. Michigan 1 1 1-3 Lake Superior 2 4 1-7 First period i, UM, Schock 5 (Muckalt, Halko), 7:04 (pp). 2, LS, Trzcinski 12 (Felsner, Aldridge), 15:42 (pp). 3, LS. S. Tallaire 25 (Aldridge. G. Tallaire, -19:35 (pp). Penalties - Matteucci, LS (interference), 5:05; Aldridge, LS (roughing), 7:56; Luhning, UM (roughing), 7.56: Fuss, L£ (holding) 11:02: Sloan, UM (holding), 14:46; Sakala, UM (cross-checking), 15:32; Madden, UM (high-sticking). 17:52: Alvey, IS ' (roughing), 17:52: Sakala, UM (holding). 19:11. Second period - 4. LS, Blaznek 12 (Aldridge Battaglia), 8:43 (pp). 5, iS Lambeth 4 (Trzcinski), 10:07. 6, 1S, Trzcinski 13 (Felsner), 12:54 (sh). 7, UM, Crozier 12 (Hayes, Berenzweig), 14:45. 8. L5, Trzcinski 14 (Aldridge, S. Tallaire), 18:45 (pp). Penalties - Laviolette, LS (interference), 2:53; Halko, UM (interference), 7:43; Lambeth, LS (holding), 11 39; Aldridge, LS (tripping), 16:10; Herr, UM double minor (interference, roughing), 17:04. ' Third period - 9, LS, Aldridge 12 (Felsner, Trzcinski), 6:45 (pp). 10, UM, Botterill 28 (Hayes, Arnold), 19:08. Penalties - Muckalt, UM (tripping), 6:16; Luhning, UM major (check from behind), 8:08; Crozier, UM (roughing), 17:35: Graham, LS (roughing). 17:35. Power plays - UM, 1 of 5; LS. 5 of 8. Shots on goal - UM, 98-6-23; LS, 7-12-14-33. Goalie saves - UM Turco 55-x-10, Malicke x-3- 13-16. LS, Grahame 8-7-5-20, Kulick x-x-0-0. Referee - Matt Shegos. Linesmen - Dale Cryderman, Terry Schug. Attendance: 4,217 At: Taffy Abel Arena Uip next By Danielle Rumore Daily Sports Writer SAULT STE. MARIE - This week- end, inside Taffy Abel Arena, away from the six-foot snow drifts and icy rain, Lake Superior State and Michigan played two hockey games. Both teams played exceptionally well Friday night. It was the type of game that keeps fans at the brink of jumping out of their skin and reminds coaches of the reasons they decided to coach in the first place. It was also the type of game that can, literally, take the air out of a team. Maybe that is what happened to the Wolverines Saturday, but one thing is for certain - - things did not turn out the way they were sup- posed to.+ This column was supposed to be about how Michigan moved past first-place Michigan State in the conference standings and how the Wolverines were going to be in serious contention to finish the regular season in first place. It was supposed to be about how next Friday's game against the Spar- tans at Yost Ice Arena was going to deter- mine which team finished first. Instead, this column is about how things seemed to start out so well before they went from bad to worse for the Wolverines this weekend. Michigan had 42 points going into the series, and ended the series with the same 42 points. This column is about how the two losses propelled Lake State into a tie for sec- ond with the Wolverines - second place, at least for now. By this coming Saturday, when the other CCHA teams will have finished their regular-season schedules, Michigan may potentially fall to fourth place. This column was supposed to be about the little things, the things the good teams do game in and game out - the same things the Wolverines have done to win 25 games. The little things. Like John Arnold keeping the puck alive in the neutral zone, making Michigan's first goal Friday night pos- sible. Or like Bobby Hayes and Chris Frescoln dropping to the ice and using their bodies to stop slapshots and passes while killing penalties. Or about proper forechecking and using the boards to keep plays alive. Instead, this column is about how all of that was overshadowed by the Lakers. Overshadowed by the way Lake State forechecked and used the boards and did the little things that Michigan has done all season. "Their best players outplayed our best playeirs," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "We played less than our best." This column was supposed to be about Michigan's top-rated power play and its second-ranked penalty killing unit in the CCHA. It was supposed to be about how Michigan has not allowed a single short- handed goal in its past six games before this weekend (0 of 36 total chances) and how the Wolverines converted two-thirds of their man advantages last Saturday against the Spartans. But this column is about how a slew of penalties allowed Michigan to be outplayed on special teams. It's about how Lake State converted two of five Friday, and five of eight man advantages Saturday and it's about how the Lakers limited the Wolverines tojust two ofnine } JOSH BIGGS/Daily Lake State defenseman Keith Aldridge (center) scored nine points in the Lakers' weekend sweep of the Wolverines. total power play conversions. "We took unnecessary penalties," Michigan right wing Bill Muckalt said. "We had a defensive let down and they capitalized." This column was supposed to be about John Madden, the CCHA leader in short- handed goals with eight, scoring the one and only shorthanded goal this weekend in game two. 6 But he didn't score the shorthanded goal, or an even-strength goal for that matter. Instead, this column is about Lake State's Jason Trzcinski scoring that short- handed goal, his first shorthanded of the season. This column should be about Michi- gan goalie Marty Turco returning to his hometown, putting on a show, and being the hero in front of his family and friends in Abel arena, the way he did last season. But he wasn't the hero. Instead, this column is about how he was pulled in the second period of game two, in front of his family and friends, after giving up four goals. And this column should be about the upcoming NCAA Tournament Finals in Cincinnati, and how there is absolutely no doubt that the Wolverines will be there. But, it's about how that doubt, regard- less of how slight it is, now exists. If the Lake State wins first regular season game over Blue since 19 92-93 season By Danielle Rumore Daily Sports Writer SAULT STE. MARIE - The Lake Superior State hockey team did somethingthis week- end that it had not done since 1992. Actually, it did it twice. The No. 7 Lakers (20-6-2 CCHA, 24- 6-2 overall) grabbed their first regular sea- ocek Notebook down the left wing and flipped the puck in between Michigan goalie Gregg Malicke's legs for the score. NOT-so SPECIAL TEAMs: The Wolver- ines were first in power-play conversions and secondinpenalty killing inthe CCHA, before the weekend series. Lake State converted seven of its 13 man advantages this weekend. The Wol- verines converted just one of six power- play chances Friday night, and one of five Saturday night. "Their penalty killing did a good job keeping our power-play off balance," Berenson said. "Special teams were a strength of ours until this weekend." The Lakers were third in both power play conversions and penalty killing in the conference before the twin bill. Lake State moved up to second in both catego- ries after the sweep. "They definitely pressed us more and we weren't used to that," sophomore for- ward Matt Herr said. CRIMINAL ACTIvITY: Lake State sopho- more goalie John Grahame will be ar- raigned Feb. 27 for Tialicious destruction of property under $100, according to Chippewa County prosecuting attorney Patrick Shannon. Grahame is the third member of the Laker hockey team to face misdemeanor charges. He and teammates Mike Kucsulain and Keith Aldridge were al- legedly involved in a window-breaking incident Feb. 11. All three will be ar- raigned Feb. 27. Aldridge was named the first starofthe game Friday night and second star Satur- day. He scored the overtime goal and collected three assists in game one. He notched one goal and four assists in game two. THE LAST TIME: The last open skate at Yost Ice Arena will be held March 10 from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Renovations on the arena will begin after the end of the hockey season and continue until Sep- tat.,p Vs . Wolverines do not finish first in the CCHA, which is very possible, they need to win the CCHA Tournament to receive an automatic bid to the NCAAs. lfthey do not win the tournament, they better cross their fingers for one of the four at-ar bids for the tournament. This column should be about how the Wolverines have nothing to worry about except which hotel to stay in while in Cincinnati. But, they do need to worry. This column is about how Michigan must regroup, stay focused on each of its remaining games, and concentrate on the upcoming CCHA Tournament-itsticket to the NCAAs. LAKERS Continued from Page lB rebound of an Aldridge wrist shot. When Herr scored again seven min- utes later to make it 4-3, the Laker crowd was silent. But fortunately for them, their heres weren't. Withj ust more than a minute remain- ing, Lake State coach Jeff Jackson called a timeout and pulled goaltender John Grahame in favor of an extra skater. Thirty seconds later, off ainad scramble in front of the Michigan net, Brian Felsner reminded the Wolverines ofwhat his older brother Denny usedto do so many times for Michigan. Sitting "back door," as Michig netminder Marty Turco described Felsner stood at the back ofthe creasend batted the puck out of the air past Turco- stripping the Wolverines of any kind of momentum that they might have had During the two-minute break befere overtime, Berenson uncharacteristically took his team back to the lockerroon, hoping to motivate his players. Aldridge took it upon himself to kill any of that motivation. After receiving the puck at the ri point, Aldridge was left unguarded simply skated down the right wing and flipped the puck up of the crossbar and behind Turco. After the game, the feeling in the Michigan lockerroom was that the game shouldn't have gone into the extra ses- sion in the first place. "We let them back in the game a few times," Berenson said, "and when we got the lead, we couldn't keep thm@ Saturday Michigan had to worry very littleaboutlettingthe Lakersbackintothe game since the Wolverines only had con- trol of the game for maybe half a periodi. Followipg Harold Schock's goal, seven minutes in, Lake State scored five straight goals, capped by Jason Trzcinski's shorthanded tally at the 12:54 mark of the second. Michigan's glimmer of hope came after Greg Crozier scored two minu later, making it a three-goal game a more importantly, injected some' life into the Wolverines. But that life was taken shortly there- after when Herr was hit with a fopir- minute penalty. Trzcinski scored his third goal of the evening, locking the game for the Lakers. CCHA Offensive .Player of the Week Lake Superior State senior defenseman Keith Aldridge had two goals and seven assists in ""he Lakers' weekend sweep of yMichigan. Aldridge had the game-winning goal and three assists in Lake State's 5-4 -,overtime win Friday night. SCCHA Defensive Player of the Week 'Jeff Blashill, a sophomore sgoaltender from Ferris State, -recorded both wins in the Bulldogs' sweep at Illinois- 'Chicago. On the weekend, he stopped 30 of 31 Flame shots. Saturday, he recorded his second shutout of the season as the Bulldogs won, 8-0. son victory over No.3 Michigan (20-6-2, 25-7-2) since their 6-1 victory during the 1992-1993 season at Taffy Abel Arena. Lake State swept the Wolverines this weekend, 5-4 in overtime Friday and 7-3 Saturday, at Abel Arena. Michigan last faced the Lakers at Yost Ice Arena Dec. 8. The Wolverines outplayed Lake State for most of the second half of the game, winning the contest, 8-2. Michigan outshot Lake State, 34-18, in that game. This weekend, Lake State turned the tables on the Wolverines, outshooting them, 32-31, Friday and 33-23 Saturday. Not including the overtime periods against Ohio State Jan. 26 and Feb. 3, Michigan had outshot its opponents in 87 of the 96 periods this season. "Obviously, this was a very disappoint- ing weekend," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. HE'S BACK!!: Lake State senior left wing Jason Trzcinski was back to haunt Michigan. Last season, he scored the overtime goal in the 5-4 CCHA semifinal win over the Wolverines, knocking Michigan out of the playoffs. Lake State went on to win the playoffs aftera 5-3 victory overMichi- gan State the next night. This weekend, Trzcinski had a hat trick and three assists in Saturday night's vic- tory, and was named the first star of the game for his efforts. His first and third goals were scored on a power play and the second was a shorthanded goal. On the shorthanded effort, Trzcinski picked up the loose puck in the neutral zone, streaked JOSH BIGGS/Daily Michigan right wing Bill Muckalt was one of the lone bright spots for the Wolverines this weekend. CCHA standings Ferris State sweeps Flames, secures playoff berth 0 Team (overall record) 1. Michigan State (26-8-1) 2. Lake Superior (24-6-2) Michigan 4. Western Michigan (25-7-3) 5. Bowling Green (23-12-1) Won 22 20 20 19 17 Lost 5 6 6 5 10 Tied 1 2 2 3 1 Pts. 45 42 42 41 35 The Associated Press Scot Bell scored a hat trick and had two assists and Ken Sergott added two goals as Ferris State shutout Illi- nois-Chicago, 8-0, Saturday night. Brad Holzinger had two goals and six other Bowling Green players scored as the Falcons defeated Notre Dame, 8-2, Saturday night. Garry Gruber scored both ofNotre COHA overall scoring leaders Player Goals 1. Kevin Hilton, Michigan 9 13U,..I... Rratimn Mnricn ..hisrEan 21 Assists 48 Points 57