NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Ottawa at BUFFALO, inc. N.Y. Rangers at TAMPA BAY, inc. N.Y. Islanders at PITTSBURGH, inc. Colorado at Puf'RdlY iv Chicago at ST. LOUIS, inc. Los Angeles at CALGARY, inc. Nashville at SAN JOSE, inc. Ulie £chiiz Ia .tig Tracking 'M' teams The Michigan soccer team begins NCAA tournament. play today against Xavier at the Michigan Soccer Field. The first round game begins at 2 p.m. The win- ner plays Notre Dame on Nov. 14 or 15. Wednesday November 11, 1998 8 VML)LNu, ma. Sophomore defenseman Dave A Huntzicker may retum to the Michigan lineup this weekend If he is cleared by a doctor today. MARGARET MYERS/Daily Blueliner could return Buckeye Stew? Spartans have the recite e upset of the year took place in the Big Ten, Twhich shouldn't surprise anyone. Exactly how it was pulled off should. Tnanks to a little jukin' by Sedrick Irvin, a little chokin' by Joe Germaine and whole lot of pressure applied by the rest of the free world, Ohio State took a By TJ. Beka Daily Sports Writer When Michigan defenseman Dave Huntzicker went down Oct. 30 against Bowling Green with a separated shoul- der, the preliminary prognosis was that he would be out three weeks. But if he is cleared by a doctor today, the sophomore will be on his home ice Friday against Alaska-Fairbanks, a week earlier than expected. Huntzicker "will play if he gets the go-ahead," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. Huntzicker took advantage of last week's off-weekend to get his shoulder back into shape. Along with working out in the weight room, he did some light skating in informal practices. "I'm feeling better every day,' Huntzicker said. "I'm working real hard with the trainer and on the ice and I'm feeling pretty good. I still look over my shoulder from time to time in the cor- ners, but I'm feeling pretty comfortable." Huntzicker's intensity in getting back into action is being copied by his team- mates this week in practice as they try to distance themselves from their last per- formance, a 6-1 loss to Northern Michigan on Halloween night. Junior center Andrew Merrick has been especially intense in practice this week, getting into fights the last two days. Yesterday, Merrick and assistant captain Bobby Hayes dropped the gloves and went toe to toe. "Everybody's just working really hard," Merrick said. "The guys are try- ing real hard and stuff happens. There are no hard feelings though - what hap- pens on the ice is left on the ice." dive, falling 28-24. Once a year, there is a game so vile, a day so slanted to boil the blood of Wolverines every- where, that the competition is beyond comprehension. And in this year's version, Michigan State squeaked out the Evil Bowl. What are the ingredients of a for-the-ages upset? The recipe involves effort (or lack thereof) on the part of both teams. Welcome to the Daily kitchen. MARK SNYDER Mark My Words 1 I BuCKEYE STEW One part favorite: Ohio State rolled through this season on a mission of redemption. Its dominance began when every major poll anointed the Buckeyes the team of destiny in the preseason, a spot they didn't relinquish heading into the Michigan State game. The Buckeyes, led by former Heisman candidate Joe Germaine, were among the most efficient offenses in the nation, averaging more than 30 points per game while allowing just more than eight. The steamroller defense, spearheaded by Butkus Award winner Andy Katzenmoyer, was flattening opponents in an historic manner. One part underdog: Michigan State had dropped the enormous Paul Bunyan trophy on its own foot, losing to Michigan earlier this year. The Spartans stood an uncomfortable 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the conference - numbers undeserving of even a lowly bowl bid. They were decimated by injuries all year, losing senior cornerback Amp Campbell to a devastating neck injury, and morale in e iolr East Lansing was nonex- Re' istent. A top-five basket- ball team on campus / dled8 dominated sports dis- pat je. cussion and Nick par underdot Saban's team was parts cat beyond forgotten. rtead Two parts goat: 4 pattsP Germaine and tail- part back Michael Wiley, mannered coa the bedrocks of the J. pacts statehoooffensive game plan, AP PHOTO Michigan State's Shawn Wright (31), Aric Morris (9) and Jace Sayler (80) had all the ingredients for an upset this past Saturday, when they beat then-top ranked and undefeated Ohio State, 28-24. dropped the ball - literally. They played as if the game was an afterthought, each fumbling once and watching teammates have punts bounce off their pads, E Four large doses of spread: After this result, we wouldn't even let the Vegas oddsmakers pick for the Daily. The "experts" pegged the State-State tilt at a 28 1/2-point advantage for the No. 1 Buckeyes. The four-touchdown edge didn't sit well with Irvin and he made his feelings known about the deficit, fir- ing up his teammates. His contention? They'd have to beat the spread and win the game to make a statement. Not only fighting the Buckeyes, the Spartans were combating public perception and that enemy drove them to victory. One large part mild-mannered coach: In his tenure at Michigan State, Saban was waiting for his defining moment. Every great coach has a big win sometime in his career or else he's sent packing. Saban's came on Saturday and it couldn't be at a better time - or loca- tion - for him. In the early 1980s, Saban was fired from Ohio State, so winning in the Horseshoe was a bit of vindication. But his frantic search for his wife Terri after the game encapsulated all the frustration of this rocky season. Ten parts statehood: As it always does with John Cooper, the bottom line was his inability to win big games. The loss to Michigan State, combined with the stigma of Michigan's 8-1-1 dominance over Cooper's team, made for great headlines nationwide ("Cooper Ready to Fly South - Away From Michigan Border" and "The Mitten Slaps Cooper Again.") Bottom line: the Buckeyes didn't believe it was a pressure situation, worthy of the "big game" moniker. Michigan State did. Better wash your apron, Lloyd, there's less than two weeks until Michigan's five-star meal. - Mark Snyder can be reached via e-mail at msnvder umichedu. TiPoFF 'S. THURSDAY. BATTLE OF BERAWN Touchdowns and Scorekeepers, bewarel Wisconsin quarterback/bar enthusiast Mike Samuel says he didn't hit anyone < in a spat outside a Madison bar on Saturday night, but Michigan's defensive line isn't likely be as kind to him. away i. The University of Michigan WHAT'S Department of Recreational Sports SPRC HAPPENING .N. M L INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM ANTRAMURALS 13daysc L r as s v. .:.... j Intramural Broomball Officials Needed'' " No Experie Necessary * officials ar Paid for All Games Work nVce PUP- Get a Free Shirt I .AL VAdJ mo.f SPORTS 'e INTRAMURALS " ed Flexible Yours Training Clinics Begin R-M I