8F - The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition - September 3, 1996 HociEY JOHN LEROI Out of Bounds NatSMING IR l ( I . , . , y,.. k . v No better felzg for Wolverines CINCINNATI - Hail to the victors a valiant. The tune resounded like never before through Riverfront Coliseum. -The boys won the national champi- Zonship. Could there ever be a better ,reason to sing? ' If you're a Michigan hockey fan, there is no better feeling than seeing Wolverine captain Steven Halko raise that trophy high above his head. Well, maybe Brendan Morrison high-stepping like Desmond Howard behind the Colorado College net was pretty nice, too. Or how about the two piles that gathered at either end of the ice? Even better, there was Michigan coach Red Berenson, the man who took the Michigan program from CCHA door- mat to national powerhouse, weeping at the red line. The 3-2 overtime victory gave him his only national title - Michigan's first since 1964 - but it was also his 300th career coaching victory. How else could have the victory tasted so sweet? "I still can't believe it," Halko said. "I can't describe the feeling. This is great, we're national champs." Hail to the conquering heroes. And they overcame a lot. Early exits the past four years, overtime games tthat lasted forever, shots that rattled off .posts like a bad nightmare. But now, that has all changed. The 1996 Michigan hockey team has given "the University its eighth championship - more than any other school - and in thrilling fashion. "I just jumped over the boards," junior left wing John Madden said. "I think I fell flat on my back. That ice never felt so good, though." Hail, hail to Michigan, the leaders land the best. Senior leadership played no small role in the Wolverines' championship run. Halko, Kevin Hilton, John Arnold and Mark Sakala did not leave Ann Arbor without the feeling of tossing their body carelessly into their closest friends, heart racing, mind clear of everything but the euphoria of winning as those before them, equally deserv- ing, were forced to do. "I don't even remember it right now," -Morrison said of his championship ,goal. "I can't describe the feeling, but it's the best I've ever felt - ever." "I'm just so proud to be a part of -this team," sophomore right wing Bill Muckalt said, choking back tears. "This is a great group of guys." The game itself was a gem. Both teams shut the other down for stretches. Both bounced back. But only one team can win, and every player knew it. In a final that pitted such talented ,and equally impressive teams against each other, overtime is almost prede- termined - if any team in the world knows that, Michigan does. "I told them all before the game that this thing could very well go into over- time," a jubilant, yet reserved, Berenson said, a content smirk on his face for the first time all season. "It can come down to a mistake, or a break, a good bounce - and that's what happened." "I knew we would win it," Morrison said. "There was no doubt in my mind. It was our time. It is our time." It certainly is. Because each of the past four seasons have ended with Blue hearts shattered and the daunting task of sweeping the lifeless pieces off the ice. Former Wolverines David Oliver, Brian Wiseman, Mike Knuble and Steve Shields were never allowed this experience. It's been more than 30 years since any Wolverine skater has. "You know what the difference was this time around?" said fifth-year senior Sakala, who has had the bad memories and sleepless nights. "Everything. We learned from all of it, every single defeat. It all made sense this season." Thousands of fans felt it. They packed into Riverfront Coliseum like clowns in a hatchback. Even though there were some empty seats, Michigan had one end of the arena. Michigan flags waved as Halko raised the trophy. Marty Turco bowed to the crowd, in praising fashion, as they have done to him so often this season. Mike Legg even tried to jump into With one title, Berenson and team look to take 2 By John Leroi Daily Sports Editor Boston University has something Red Berenson wants. Sure, Michigan throttled the Terriers, holding the nation's most prolific offense scoreless in the NCAA semifinals, on the way to the Wolverines' first national title since 1964. But there's something else. In 1996 the Wolverines proved they could win the close games - the ones that go into overtime - instead of missing chances. They proved they could beat the teams they were supposed to beat, and hold one-goal leads for a period. They even proved the doubters wrong when they snapped an NCAA overtime jinx, with a 3-2 extra-period win over Colorado College. So much for not being able to win the big game. The Wolverines took home the trophy in one of the most competitive "We'll on et." - Brenda Michi last season and they just may finish 1-2-3 this year. Muckalt came on last season as one of the best snipers in the nation, and Botterill, who decided not to take his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame to the NHL, is one of the most talented Wolverines, when he's not in the penalty box. Then there is senior center/wing John Madden, whose speed and tenacity propelled him to lead the country in short-handed goals. Along with 206- pound right wing Warren Luhning, that gives the Wolverines five players who scored 50 points or more last year. Senior Mike Legg, who is more famous for his lacrosse-like shot from behind the net in the NCAA tournament WOrk against Minnesota, would be the marquee player on any other CCHA team. He scored 40 n Morrison points last year and should do at least as well this season. gan center Even junior Matt Herr came on strong last year, especially in February, notching more than 30 points while playing on the first line. Sophomore Bobby Hayes proved he was as tena- cious, scrappy and dependable as the departing John Arnold, but with much more talent. And if fel- low sophomore Greg Crozier develops like Beren- son thinks he can - the lanky wing was one of the Wolverines best players in the playoffs - he will take one step closer to becoming Michigan's future. Sophomore Dale Rominski brings consistency in scoring and forechecking, and with Justin Clark and Sean Ritchlin coming back from injuries, there will be two more big bodies on the ice. Defensively, Michigan must deal with the loss of its most dependable blueliner - Halko. But last year's captain took then-freshman Bubba Beren- zweig under his wing, turning him into a solid stay- at-home defenseman. Seniors Harold Schock and Blake Sloan return as the Wolverines' top defenders. Both have the skills to stay with any forward in the country and are the seasons of college hockey in recent memory, but they still haven't done what BU did in 1971 and 1972 - win two straight championships. If you thought expectations around Ann Arbor were high the last four or five years, this season is going to bring a whole new level of pressure. Another championship for Berenson? "We'll work on it," said senior center Brendan Morrison. Of course Morrison is the man with the magic stick who found a bouncing puck in front of Col- orado College netminder Ryan Bach and banged it into a wide-open net three minutes into overtime. He is the man who led the nation in scoring as a sophomore and would have again, had he not missed eight games with two injuries. He was a Hobey Baker Award finalist two years running and is far and away the preseason favorite to win it this season. Quite frankly, much of the Wolverines' success this year will rest firmly on Morrison's capable shoulders. It is not so much the scoring burden that Morrison, this season's captain, will have to handle, but he must show that hep can lead the team the way former Top captain Steven Halko did - Perfrm with. strength and stability. If anyone can carry on Halko's ; e,' legacy, Morrison is a good choice. The two share a similar personality: clean-cut, intelligent and hard-working. Both carry soft voices when speaking to the media after the games. Neither seems terribly interested in see- k ing his name in print., They see wearing the "C" on their chest as a responsibility, not a reward. And make no mistake, on and off the ice, with just his teammates, Morrison, like Halko, is very vocal. He leads by example and his knowledge of the game is surpassed by no one.3 "It's like having another coach on the ice," Berenson said. One thing Morrison won't have to worry about is rebuilding the team. The Wolverines have, bought into Berenson's new patient, defensive style of hock- ey - a strategy that won them a national crown. And with this bunch, scoring will certainly not be a problem. Michigan loses only one offensive star this season: Kevin Hilton, who led the Wolverines in scoring in Morrison's absence : and then quietly went on to lead the CCHA in scoring as well. However, the Wolverines han- dled similar departures in the past. When Mike Knuble left Brendan Morrison Center CCHA Player of the Year Won Michigan team scoring title J top two returning scoring defenseman. Here's where Berenson may start to worry. While Berenzweig, Sloan and Schock are probably three of the top 10 defensemen in the CCHA, it may be difficult to find three more. Senior Chris Frescoln showed late in the year that he is the best candidate to be Michigan's fourth blueliner. However, Frescoln is still a little shaky handling the puck, and occasionally takes bad penalties without becoming the enforcer that usually fol- lows that label. If Berenson doesn't find one or two quality players in this year's freshman class, juniors Peter Bourke and Chris Fox will be the other two defenders. Both spent considerable time rotating in and out of the lineup. At best, the pair was mod- erately successful, but a team can't afford to have mistakes from its defensemen. Fox and Bourke should improve, knowing that the jobs are theirs to lose, but look for at least one and probably two freshmen to break into the By Alan Goldenbach Daily Sports Writer CINCINNATI - Red Berenson's wait is over. "Our time will come" is the message inscribed on a memento that sits on the Michigan hockey coach's desk. After 12 years and an even 300 victories at the helm of the Wolverine ship, Berenson's time has, indeed, finally come. Anyone who saw the Michigan coach before that game, and then again, following the win, knew something was different. Something special. As Berenson walked across the ice to greet his players, he pumped both fists in the air and donned an ear-to-ear smile. Later, he broke down into tears of elation. Both expressions are precious sights if you know the usually emotionless Berenson. And the wait for that day may go further back than Berenson's first coaching days Ann Arbor. His career has taken him through his days as an All- American in the early 1960s for Michigan, followed by a 17-year NHL tour, which included a Stanley Cup ring as a player, and Coach-of-Year honors with the St. Louis Blues in 1981. "There is nothing like this," he said at the postgame press conference. "Not that this is an ego trip for a coach, but the excite- ment and satisfaction is nothing close to it." That satisfaction comes from Berenson's 300 victo- ries that transformed a pro- gram from ashes to national champs. When Berenson took over the Michigan program in May 1984, he inherited a ninth- place team going nowhere. And things certainly didn't get better right away. In Berenson's first three years behind the Michigan bench, his teams lost twice the number of games they won, and never finished higher than seventh place in the CCHA. The luster of the program with more national titles than any other was tarnished. But amid the depression of los- ing, Berenson knew that he and= his Wolverines' time would come. It was just a matter of when. The year 1992 shed the first light File poto Michigan defeated Miami (Ohio), 3-0, in CCHA play at Yost lee Arena last season. Michigan has led the CCHA in recent years. y His time finally came- Beroenson wins 300th gfameM on when that time would come when Berenson guid- ed Michigan to the NCAA semifinals before bowing out to Wisconsin. But in the three years that followed, Berenson never got to see any more light. It started the following season with a return trip to the semifinals, which ended in an overtime loss to Maine. Last year, the Black Bears handed the Wolverines and Berenson a most painful setback a 4-3 loss in triple overtime. But that pain can be overcome by the desire of players to win: something a player can gain natu- rally, but can be enhanced by a coach. That desire helped make the day come. And when it did, the players knew why. "I love him," a tearful Bill Muckalt said -of Berenson following the game. "I couldn't ask for a better coach." Brendan Morrison knew how important the Win was for his coach. The championship, the 300th win, Berenson seeing his "boys" on top of world. This was more than one season's victory "Coach is the happiest guy in the building-right now," Morrison said. "It's an extra special wir for him." The Wolverines are as happy for their fatherlfig- ure as they are for themselves. "It means a heck of a lot for us to do it for hubh," defenseman Blake Sloan said. The guy has been around here for umpteen years and it's a credit to his hard work. "It's a great accomplishment forAo and 1I thrilled 'to death tb be a part"' of giving it'to him." But "now that the time has come, Berensn. is quick to throw - the credit to his players. "I'm just so happy: these kids," Berensoh said. "They've given -so much of themselves for this. "That's the reward of coaching college heck- eys The reward was making it to see that day. Lea i"ig" lineup. in goals scored Between the pipes, junior Marty Turco is all the Wolver- ines could hope for. Turco fol- lowed his outstanding fresh- man season with a solid sophomore campaign, and he kept Michigan in playoff games against Minnesota and Colorado College, sandwiched around a great performance in the shutout against Boston. Turco, an All-CCHA candidate, has a very capa- ble backup in junior Greg Malickee, who was bril- liant during his short term in goal. before last season, others picked up the slack. Even with Hilton's loss, the Wolverines should be the strongest offensive team in the nation. The potent line of Morrison, junior Bill Muckalt and senior bruiser Jason Botterill remains intact. All three ranked in the top five in scoring in the league Y (o S Tr I , A R E N EL ~ - - r A f%^ A a