HOCKEY The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday -October 28, 1996 - 78'
lasically, it was just ridiculously cold'
chigan hockey team braves more than the Nanooks
By Jim Rose
Daily Sports Writer
No trip to Alaska would be complete with-
out a little sightseeing.
And in between practice and games, the
Michigan hockey team had some time to kill
during its trip to Alaska over the weekend. So
the Wolverines hopped on the team bus and
went off to see the tourist attraction of tourist
attractions: the Alaska Pipeline.
"That was, like, the big attraction out
there," Michigan defenseman Chris Fox said.
"You know, everybody talks about the Alaska
Pipeline."
So, how was it?
"Well, it's basically just a big pipe," Fox
said.
Even if gazing at one of the world's biggest
oil carriers wasn't the most thrilling of sight-
seeing trips, it wasn't entirely in vain. It did
make the museum trip seem pretty interesting.
The Wolverines visited a museum on the
Alaska-Fairbanks campus and found the
Alaskan history and wildlife exhibits -
including some big stuffed animals - to be a
nice diversion from their busy schedule.
"It was pretty hectic," Fox said. "When we
got there, we got off the plane and went and
practiced right away. It was only 7 o'clock
there, but (because of the time-zone differen-
tial) it was actually 11 o'clock to us. And we
were already pretty tired when we got off the
plane."
The Michigan players expected it to be
cold, of course. After all, they were going to
Alaska.
But this was cold.
"It was a little cold for my liking," Fox said.
"It was about 12 degrees below zero when we
got there. There was a little bit of snow on the
ground, but not that much.
"The people (in
Fairbanks) told us it
doesn't really snow I
all that much there,
because it's too cold."
Too cold for snow? aSbigl i
"So basically it
was just ridiculously Michigan hocke
cold," Fox said.o
So cold, in fact, on the A
that more than half of
Thursday night's ticket holders - allegedly
there were 2,150 of them - didn't even make
it to the Carlson Center for the game.
Even Michigan coach Red Berenson was
s on its visit to Alaska
kept out of action by a flu bug - certainly not
helped any by the weather - which seemed
to be ravaging the Fairbanks community. At
one point, a radio announcer said that the
plethora of sick citizens was overflowing the
local hospital.
Even though it sounds like a trip worth for-
getting, this turned out to be the kind of trip
the Wolverines will always remember.
"I really enjoyed it," Fox said. "It was defi-
nitely different. It's not like going to Ferris
State or Bowling Green. I mean, it's Alaska."
After the 12-hour flights, the cold, the flu,
of course the Alaska
Pipeline - and, oh yeah,
r'cally there was even some'
hockey - one of the;
pipes most distinct memories,
at least for Chris Fox,
- Chris Fox will be of the team just
defenseman, standing around.
.Piln "We were all just
faska Pipeline standing outside and
looking up at the
Northern Lights," Fox said. "It was really
beautiful. It was amazing.
Maybe so. But chances are it was pretty,
cold as well.
p
,y
41
SOE WESTRATE/Daily
Michigan forward Sean Ritchlin and the rest of the Wolverines were nearly overshadowed by Alaska-
Fairbanks Thursday and Friday. Michigan struggled to pull out a pair of two-goal wins.
- -
NANOOKS
Continued from Page 1B
Nanooks never recovered.
"I was worried when the score was
3-3 going into the third," Berenson
said. "The next goal was huge. We
were obviously on our heels, and we
scored two shorthanded goals. That
*as a big moment.
"It was fortunate for us and unfor-
tunate for them. It helped us regain
our senses, and then we scored a
power play goal."
Jason Botterill's goal, with the
Wolverines on the power-play, put
thor ahead 6-3. All Fairbank's fourth
goal - scored with 4:45 left in the
game - did -was inflate Michigan
Aoaltender Marty Turco's goals-
ainst average a little bit.
Turco had some trouble both
nights, and he cited the unusual size
of the ice surface at the Carlson
Center as one of the reasons.
"All week since we've been up
here, I've hated the angles," Turco
said. "It's hard to adjust. I don't have
time to get comfortable. There were
three times, for sure, that I got
caught while trying to judge the
Sards."
The Carlson Center ice surface is
Olympic-sized, which means that the
slating surface is 15 feet wider than
regulation. The length is the same,
but the added width means that a
siray puck off the boards - especial-
ly deep in the corners - takes longer
to get to the net than usual. As a
result, Turco was off-balance all
weekend.
Thursday's game saw assistant
coach Billy Powers as the lone
Michigan coach on the bench.
Berenson was sick and unable to
coach, and assistant Mel Pearson was
on a recruiting trip.
The Wolverines jumped out to a 4-
o lead by the eight-minute mark of
the second period. Two of the goals,
by Luhning and Herr, came 28 sec-
onds apart during the same Fairbanks
power play.
On the fourth goal, Fairbanks
goaltender Ian Perkins was bowled
over after the play. Even if he hadn't
suffered a concussion when his head
smacked the ice, he probably
would've been lifted in favor of
freshman Chris Marvel. As it was,
the injury provided Fairbanks coach
Dave Laurion with a convenient rea-
son to pull his starting netminder.
Marvel came in and rejuvenated
the Nanooks, making several spec-
tacular saves and stoning Michigan
sophomore Justin Clark on a break-
away.
"We relaxed a little (after we took
the big lead)," Michigan defenseman
Chris Frescoln said.
The Nanooks forged back in the
final minute of the second period,
scoring first during a five-on-three
advantage, then 19 seconds later on
the power play.
"We started out great," Powers
said. "We went up 4-0, (and) every-
one was sticking to the game plan.
But when we got up 4-0, we began to
back off. We looked for shortcuts, we
took a few dumb penalties ... and
(they) got back into the game.
"The next goal was huge. They got
it, and it turned into a dogfight the
last 10 minutes."
After Fairbanks' Cody Botwell
scored to pull the Nanooks within
one, Michigan's Brendan Morrison
responded with a power-play goal at
11:32 of the third. Jason Botterill
assisted, and the Wolverines killed
the clock to hold on for a 5-3 victo-
ry.
In two games, Madden (2 goals, 2
assists) and Morrison (1-3) each tal-
lied four points, and Bill Muckalt
scored three goals.
"I was surprised by the quickness'
of (the Nanooks') forwards,"
Frescoln said. "They had some guys
that were tough to keep up with."
-hursday's game
Michigan 5, Alaska-Fairbanks 3
Michigan 3 1 1 -S
First period -1. UM, Muckalt 4 (Madden,
Morrison), 4:32(pp); 2. UM, Luhning 1(Madden),
8:25:(sh);3. UM, Herr 1(unassisted),8:53(sh).
Penalties-UAF, Zinger(tripping),3:33;UM,
Frescoln (hooking), 7:37; UM, Hayes (charging),
9:23:;UF, Fraser (triing, 9:23: SAF Cotter
(checking from behio-maor served by Wynia),
11:20; UAF, Cotter (game misconduct), 11:20;
UAF, Trembecky (cross-checking), 19:17.
Second period-4. UM, Muckalt 5(Fox),7:58
1400n41: 1. UHF Wynia 1 lrrembeclry, Coady),
19:14 1( o 32. UAF Trembeckey 1(Williams),
19:33(pp). Penalties - UM, Turco (tripping,
served by Ritchlin), 5:08; UAF, Coady (slashing),
7:26; UM, Botterill (slashing), 7:26; UM, Herr
(holding the stick), 9:10: 5SF. Fraser (roughing),
17:18: UF, Jros (roughirg r17:18; UM
Botterili(high-sticking),17:18; UM, Botterill
(roughing, served by Clark), 17:18; UM, Peach
(roughing), 17:18; UM, Herr (interference),
19:09.
Third period - 3. UAF, Bowtell 2 (McDonald,
Marvel, 10:00143on: 35. UM, Morso 2
(Botterill), 11:32. Penalties- SAF, Wyria (sold-
ing), 2:30; UM, Morrison(holding),4:12; UM,
Crozier (boarding), 8:37; UM, Peach (high-stick-
ing),8:57; UAF, Fraser (interference), 9:01; UAF,
Kitoat (irterfereoce), 13:58; 5AF, Williams
(sdashing), 17:54;5SF. Fraser (roughirg), 19:39.
Shots onrgoal -- UM 18-&10 -34; UAF 6.9-6
-21.
Power Plays- UM,1off8;UAF, 3 sf8.
Saves - UM, Turco 67-5-18; UAF, Perkins
15 x -15; UAF, Marvel x-5 -14.
Referee -Matt Shegos.
insrn- Ces Mr.les, Mark Norum.
Al: Carson Certer. A: 2,150
Friday's gm
Michigan 6, Alaska-Fairbanks 4
Michigan 1 2 3-6
First period -1. UAF, Kirwan 1 (Bowtell,
Phillips), 5:56: 1. UM, Madden 4 (unassisted),
8:54; 2. UAF, Cotter 1 (Coasy, Hafele), 17:29.
Penalties -UM, Peach (roughing),11:18; UAF
Phillips (crosschecking), 18:32.
Second peried --2. SM. Muckalt 6 (Schack,
Morrson, 0:22 1pp); 3. UAF, Trembecky 2
(Coady, Williams), 4:30 (pp); 3. UM, Rominski
1 (Herr), 12:46. Penalties- UM, Fox (high-
sticking), 3:00: UAF, Upesleja l(igh-sticking),
4:37; SM. Sloan (crosschecking), 7:10: SM,
Magnuson(delay of game), 7:10; UAF, Kirwan
(delay of game), 7:10; UAF, Michalski (hold-
ing1. 19:36.
Third priod - 4. UM, Madden 5 (Luhning,
Schock), 9:43 (sh); 5. UM, Luhning 2 (Legg,
Schock), 10:45 (sh); 6. UM, Botterill 3
(Morrison), 12:13 (pp); 4. USF, Fraser 3
(Wrilliams, Wynia), 15:15 1p01. Penalties-
UM, Magnuson (roughing), 9:04; UM, Herr
(interference), 9:04; UAF, Oakenfold (rough-
H n(,9:04; 5SF.Kir)wan (elbowing), 11:31;
SM. Herr (boarding), 13:50.
Shots on goal - UM 10-18-10 - 38; UAF 55-
6-16.
Power Plays - UM, 2 Sf5; UAF, 2 of 5.
Saves - SM, Turco 3 45-12; UAF. Marvel
9-16-7 - 32.
Referee - Matt Shegos.
Linesmen - Chris Mles. Tim Heartje.
At: Carsor Center. A: 3.312
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