48 -The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - February 10, 1997
HOCKEY
For Wolverines, this loss is 'a good thing'
By Jim Ros
Daily Sports Writer
DETROIT - A very good thing
happened to the Wolverines on
Saturday night.
They lost.
The path for the Michigan hockey
team seemed predestined. Listen to
the fans - or most anyone associat-
ed with college hockey - and you'd
think the national championship was
already won. But on Saturday, col-
lege hockey's premier team was
bumped off course for the first time
in months.
The Spartans outplayed Michigan
in every aspect of
the game. They
outhustled, out-
hit, outshot and
yes, even
outscored the
Wolverines.
And it's
best thing
could have
the
that
hap-
and it has not been long since they
could have or even should have been
beaten. But it had been that long since
they actually left the ice on the losing
side of the scoreboard.
Until now, there was nothing to
point to, no proof that Michigan had
to do anything other than play
mediocre hockey to win. We saw it
two weeks ago, when then-CCHA-
leader Miami came to Ann Arbor.
Michigan played well, but nowhere
near great. And the Redskins went
home with two losses.
Heck, we saw it Friday night. The
Wolverines spotted Lake Superior an
early goal, and then casually scored
five times in the second period to put
the game out of reach. Yawn.
But now, finally, there is some-
thing to point to, evidence that a sub-
par effort is not always good enough.
There will come a time at the end of
this season when Michigan will stop
playing the Ohio States and the
Notre Dames, and they'll start play-
ing the best teams in the country. Not
the teams that the polls say are good
(see Miami and Lake Superior), but
the teams that have survived long
enough to actually get to the play-
offs. And then we'll really learn what
this team is like.
The weird thing is, the players seem
to know it. The atmosphere after the
game was almost surreal - it didn't
seem like the Wolverines had just lost
to Michigan State for the second time
this season.
"I think this is a good thing for us,"
assistant captain Blake Sloan said. "This
is a learning opportunity. When you
come out flat, it's hard to beat anyong.
"It just shows us that if every single
guy doesn't put forth that 150-percent
effort, it's gonna be hard for us to beat
anyone."
And what if the Wolverines had
come back last night and won? What
if they'd, shrugged off a two-goal
deficit and rallied to win against a
pened to L61 'h I 1 iF:u/"3
Michigan.
Because this was almost just anoth-
er weekend. This was almost another
instance of the same hockey we've
seen, week after week after week.
The Wolverines have fallen into a
pattern of coming out and not playing
their best hockey - and winning any-
way. After all the blowouts throughout
the season, after just about every one
of Michigan's 26 wins, coach Red
Berenson maintained that this jugger-
naut of a hockey team was not ready to
hit the big time just yet. And now, he's
finally got some proof, in the form of
a 2-1 loss to the hated Spartans.
"We've got to learn from this loss,"
Berenson said after the game. "We
got beaten by a good team. We better
realize that we're gonna have to play
better than that by the time we get to
the CCHA playoffs."
He's right. It has not been 24 games
since the Wolverines were outworked,
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Michigan's John Madden had two goals Friday night against Lake Superior but was held scoreless Saturday against Michigan
State in a 2-1 loss. The Wolverines split the weekend series at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit,
Michigan 0 5 0-5
Lake Superior 1 1 0-2
First period - 1. LSSU, Sessa 19 (Pulente, Blaznek),
4:58. Penalties - LSSU, Sharpe (charging), 10:32;
LSSU, Demmans (holding), 19:25. Second period -1.
UM, Crozier 4,.4:08; 2. UM, Legg 18 (Botterill), 4:41,
pp; 3. UM, Madden 17, 9:03, sh.; 2. LSSU, Keup 4,
(Marchant), 12:00, sh.; 4. UM, Rominski 5 (Schock,
Berenzweig), 13:25, pp.; 5. UM, Madden 18 (Luhning,
Morrison), 17:18. Penalties - LSSU, Battaglia (trip
ping), 3:55; LSSU, Fuss (roughing), 5:55; UM, Peach
(roughing), 5:55: UM, Merrick (tripping), 8:52; LSSU,
Laviolette (interference), 11:27; LSSU, Fuss (rough-
ing), 11:27; UM, Frescoln (cross-checking), 11:27;
UM, Bourke (roughing), 19:11. Third period - No
scoring. Penaies- LSSU, Peron (interference),
4:46; UM, Rominski (interference), 9:01; UM, Ritchlin
(roughing), 13:37; LSSU, Sessa (roughing), 13:37;
LSSU, Blaznek (roughing), 13:37; UM, Botterill (rough-
ing, double minor/served by Merrick), 14:35; LSSU,
Sharpe (roughing), 14:35; UM, Berenzweig (roughing),
18:01; UM, Morrison (roughing), 18:01; UM, Luhning
(roughing, cross-check, 10 min. misconduct), 18:01;
UM, Bourke (roughing), 18:01; UM, Crozier (rough-
ing), 18:01; LSSU, Sessa (roughing), 18:01; LSSU,
Pulente (roughing), 18:01; LSSU, Fuss (roughing, 10
m. misconduct), 18:01; LSSU, Palmer (roughing),
18:01.
Shots on goal - UM 7-12-8 - 27, LSSU 6-8-7 -21.
tower Plays -UM, 2 of 6; LSSU,0ofS5.
Savs - UM, Turco 5-7-7 - 19,LSSU, Grahame 5.7-
7-19.
Refaree - Matt Shegos.
inesmen - John Pearson, John Nowosatka.
At: Joe Louis Arena. A: 13,623.
very good team in front of a huge
crowd? What would they have
learned?
Nothing.
But now, there's a little caution sign
hovering in the minds of all the
Wolverines. They know they can be
beaten.
Other teams know it now, too. The
magical dream - the one where
Michigan shows up and is automati-
cally credited with a victory - is over
at last.
"We'll turn it into a positive and
we'll turn it into a challenge,"
Berenson said.
"We can't be satisfied with that
game, and we won't be. Maybe we'll
look back and say this is good, and
maybe we won't."
Maybe the Wolverines will learn
from it and maybe they won't, but
make no mistake about it - this loss
could not have come at a better time.
School-record unb eaten streak snapped
Michigan State 0 0 2 - 2
Michigan 0 0 1 -
First period - No scoring. Penalties - UM, Peach
(hooking), 9:02; MSU, Loeding (tripping), 18:27.
Second period - No scoring. Penalties - UM, Turco
(toughing/ served by Ritchlin), 2:42; UM, Peach
( ooking), 3:30; MSU, Tuzzolino (slashing), 7:01;
SU, Loeding (hooking), 12:19; UM, Rominski (charg-
ilg), 12:19; UM, Schock (cross-checking), 17:06.
Third period -1. MSU, York 12 (Tuzzolino), 5:18; 2.
MSU, Tuzzolino 11(Bogas, York), 6:08 pp; 1. UM
Sloan 1 (Herr), 16:47 pp. Penalties - UM, Ritchlin
(cross-checking), 5:33; MSU, Weaver (interference),
8:05; UM, Schock (hooking), 11:50; MSU, Watt
(cross-checking), 15:19.
Shots on goal - MSU 15.9-7 -31; UM8-5-10--23.
Power Plays - MSU 1 of 6; UM,1 of 4.
4aves - MSU, Alban 8-5-9 -22; UM, Turco 15-9-5
+-29.
Referee -Steve Piotrowski.
"ne""en - Don Cline, John Dobrzelewski.
By Dan Stiliman
Daily Sports Writer
DETROIT - As if there isn't enough irony in
the world of sport.
It was all the way back on Nov. 2 when the
Michigan hockey team suffered its first loss of the
season.
The scene - a raucous Munn Ice Arena in East
Lansing. Michigan State scored in the final minute
of play to beat Michigan, 5-4.
The Wolverines then proceeded
to run off 23 straight games with-
out a loss, setting a school,
record.
So, for those familiar with the JZoe
omnipresent phenomenon of
sports irony, it was no surprise
that the Spartans were also the
ones to end the Wolverines'-
unbeaten streak Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena.
Now, some memorable moments from the streak:
Nov. 16 - The streak almost comes to end in
Bowling Green, four games after it started. The
Wolverines trail the Falcons, 3-1, midway through
the third period.
But a goal from Matt Herr followed by John
Madden's shorthanded conversion ties the game for
good, keeping the streak alive.
® Nov. 29 - The Wolverines need an overtime
goal from Brendan Morrison to defeat Minnesota,
4-3, in the College Hockey Showcase at Joe Louis.
Dec. 19 -- The Wolverines let a two-goal,
third-period lead over Lake Superior get away from
them. But Herr breaks a 4-4 tie in the Great Lakes
Invitational final when he scores the winning goal
with :52 left in regulation.
Jan. 10 - Michigan annihilates Alaska-
Fairbanks, 13-1, at Yost Ice Arena.
Jan. 25 - The Wolverines complete an impor-
tant two-game sweep of CCHA-surprise Miami
(Ohio) with a 3-0 victory.
v Friday night - The Wolverines extend their
CCHA first-place lead with a 5-2 victory over sec-
ond-place Lake Superior.
LEGG GOING TO THE ESPYs: Michigan senior
Mike Legg has been invited to and will attend the
ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly)
Awards show tonight in New York City.
Legg's father, Chuck, will accompany his son,
whose famous lacrosse-style goal in last year's
NCAA West Regional against Minnesota is nomi-
nated for "Outrageous Play of the Year".
The goal not only amazed the world of sports, it
also tied the game. Michigan went on to win that
game and eventually the national championship.
The ESPYs will be televised by ESPN tonight,
starting at 8 o'clock, live from Radio City Music
Hall. -
THE RED BARON: Sports
Illustrated recognized
Michigan. coach and former
NHL player Red Berenson in
its "Catching Up With ..." sec-
tion of last week's issue.
Included is a picture of the
then-St. Louis Blue, nick-
named "The Red Baron," on
the April 7, 1969, cover of the
magazine.
Berenson Berenson, however, was not
impressed with the honor.
"Last year, when we won the national champi-
onship, they didn't give us any recognition,"
Berenson said. "I'm not interested in any personal
recognition from 30 years ago."
SPARTANS
Continued from Page 18
He then skated in on goal untouced
and beat goaltender John Grahame for
his fourth goal of the season.
Thirty-three seconds later, center
Mike Legg led a 2-on-I charge for the
Wolverines and scored after the
defenseman committed to cutting off
the pass rather than Legg.
When center Andrew Merrick was
called for tripping at 8:52 of the period,
the Lakers had a prime opportunit#
tie.
But before they could even say
"penalty-kill specialist," John
Madden had stolen the puck at his
own blue line and was breaking down
the ice. He capped the breakaway
with his sixth shorthanded goal of the
year and widened Michigan's lead to
3-I.
"We need three or four mistakes (by
Michigan) to score a goal," 1Ae
Superior coach Scott Borek said. "Mt
Michigan needs half a mistake and it's
a goal"
Lake Superior got a shorthanded
goal of its own from center Ben Keup
at 12:00 of the second period, but a
goal from Dale Rominski and another
by Madden sent Michigan into the sec-
ond intermission with a 5-2 lead -
which would end up being the final
score as well.
With three weekends left in Ihe
CCHA race, Michigan now has a five-
point lead and two games in hand on
second-place Lake Superior. Michigan
State and Miami are tied for third with
29 points, seven points behind
Michigan.
M' strategy
And Michigan State exposed the
imperfection.
One day after having six players,
including two goalies, sit out against
Western Michigan with fighting sus-
pensions, Mason thought their return
was important to the victory.
"The biggest thing is that Tyler
Harlton is such a big force for us
behind the blue line," Mason .
"And having (goaltender) C d
(Alban) - what a difference."
Other explanations for the upset
were suggested by both teams, but
Mason said that Michigan State does-
n't have any secrets to defeating the
Wolverines.
"The rivalry (between the schools)
has a lot to do with it," he said. "I think
that overall we've got some skill play-
ers, too. It's just that ours are a little
younger than theirs. When we y
them, though, it's always a good
game."
Only 24 hours earlier, Lake Superior
coach Scott Borek outlined his plan for
defeating Michigan.
"You have to play 60 minutes of per-
fect hockey to beat them," he said.
Although Borek's plan proved
unsuccessful, falling to Michigan, 5-2,
Mason must have been listening.
Because on Saturday, the Spas
did what was unusual for every other
team against Michigan but normal for
them.
They won.
Mason denies secret']
By Mark Snyder
Daily Sports Writer
DETROIT - It was only a matter of
time before one team broke the ice.
Unfortunately for Michigan, along.
with the cracking of the frozen sur-
face, Michigan State also snapped
Michigan's 23-game unbeaten streak
with a 2-1 victory Saturday.
The secret to beating Michigan lay
in the hands of a veteran coach,
Michigan State's Ron Mason, who saw
the win as nothing more than good
timing.
"Tonight we were able to pick up a
couple (goals) at the right time,"
Mason said. "And we held on to win."
And, as the last three months sug-
gested, against Michigan that is no
easy feat.
The first team to score in the game
would have a decisive advantage in the
tightly fought contest.
Michigan State kept the game close
until the final period, giving itself a
chance to win at the end.
The contest remained scoreless until
Michigan State center Mike York put
his team in front 5:18 into the third.
His rebound shot dribbled off
Michigan goaltender Marty Turco's
pads and just over the goal line for the
first Michigan State score.
Fifty seconds later, York was again
at the center of the action, feeding
right wing Tony Tuzzolino for
Michigan State's second goal.
The last time the Wolverines lost
was on Nov. 2, and ironically enough,
they fell to the Spartans.
The Spartans are the only team to
beat Michigan this season, as the
Wolverines have compiled a national-
best 25-2-3 record.
So what do the Spartans know about
Michigan that no team in the last four
months could figure out?
"Nothing," Mason maintains.
But if history suggests anything,
Michigan State was at least well-pre-
pared to face Michigan.
As the winningest coach in college
hockey history, Mason has guided
teams to big wins time and time again.
He has won two national champi-
onships (one NCAA and one NAIA)
and knows strategy.
A victory over a top-ranked team
may be expected of a Mason-coached
team, but the standings did not reflect
similar optimism.
Michigan State came into the game
nine points behind CCHA-leader
Michigan following Friday's 6-3 loss
to Western Michigan.
"We haven't been able to get a good
win' he said. "We've lost some games
just because of a lack of scoring, (but
tonight) we played good defense. And
that's all we tried to do tonight was
play good, solid defense."
It was that strong opposing defense
which may have been a chink in
Michigan's armor.
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Marty Turco had a good night in the net Saturday, but Michigan State's two goals
in 50 seconds made the Spartans 2-1 winners.
mo-m-4