4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - March 15, 1999
Puck talk , , , ,i, , Key play
I'm no different than i was in 5:29 left in the third period of
Dc e.I'm no different than I Friday's game, tie score
December. I'm no different than I j h g -Mc ndeeenDa nzkr
wasilast ygar - Michigan defenseman Dave Hun ticker
was asst Year. exits the penalty box, receives a long pass
Mihigan assistant captainBobbych aned Bowling Green 2 owin Green3"Bobby Hayes and scores the game-
anything to jumpstart his scoringw g G eow g rewinning goal in Michigan's victoy
The Daiy Stars
The Michigan Daily hockey writers'
picks for Michigan's three stars of
the weekend's playoff games.
-1. Bop HAYs.
Michigan's assistant captain found
his scoring touch this weekend.
notching three goals and an assist
in the Wolverines' playoff sweep.
- 2. DAVE HUNTZICKER -
DEFENSEMAN
The sophomore keyed Michigan's
victory on Friday with a breakaway,
game-winning goal. He also tallied
three assists in a solid weekend.
- 3. JQsi BLACKBURN -
GOALTENDER
Michigan's freshman goaltender
leamed about playoff pressure over
the weekend, making the saves he
needed to make to help the
Wolverines lock up a berth in the
CCHA semifinals.
- *4. JAMIE NIX -
HOCKEY BAND DIRECTOR
Disco Nix, who has come to sym-
bolize the spirit of Yost faithful in
recent years rocked the arena for
the final time Saturday night.
*Spedi fourth star
Goal-scoring ability completes Hayes' game
By Mark Francescutti
Daily Sports Writer
Last season everyone noticed Bobby Hayes.
The junior was in the spotlight thanks to a superb
offensive effort, netting 21 goals and 23 assists, and
enjoying a second NCAA Championship. His high-
scoring performance earned him praise and the
expectations that Hayes was going evolve into the
offensive star this season.
But this year Hayes hasn't traveled on the path
others set out for him.
Taking the assistant captain position on his
shoulders, he has had to switch his role and the
results haven't always been perfect.
The job description Hayes took on included such
tasks as fending off the best offensive players in the
country - Michigan State's Mike York, Notre
Dame's Ben Simon and Miami's Jason Deskins.
Hayes fell into a position where he does more of the
grunt work, instead of lighting up the scoreboard.
Sometimes Hayes dealt with frustration, like the
numerous untimely misconduct penalties that kept
him from contributing in ways Michigan needs
from its assistant captain. This past weekend,
though, Hayes enjoyed a flash of last season's
offensive explosion.
"I feel like the old Bobby Hayes of last year,"
Hayes said. "I'm not down on myself though.
Maybe I had a different.role this year, maybe I did-
n't score the goals. This weekend was my shot. I
had opportunities and I put them in."
The senior notched three goals and two assists,
leading Michigan to a sweep of Bowling Green.
His goal production against the Falcons gave him
six goals on the season, doubling what he had in
the previous 36 games.
-The senior also provided his best complete effort
of the season, capitalizing on several offensive
chances, while at the same time doing all of the lit-
tle things that gain him respect from around the
league. Along with his wingers, Dale Rominski
and Scott Matzka, Hayes kept Bowling Green's
dangerous first line from taking over the series.
The trio of Adam Edinger, Dan Price and Ryan
Murphy was held to just three goals.
"He had a great weekend," Michigan coach Red
Berenson said. "We didn't talk about it during the
week, but he knew he would be playing against the
Edinger line and that it would be the key to this
series. Bobby is a great hockey player when he is
at his best, and you saw him at his best this week-
end."
Facing one of the best power plays in the coun-
try, Michigan needed to halt Bowling Green's scor-
ing with the extra attacker. Hayes and the Michigan
penalty kill responded, keeping Bowling Green off
guard for much of its power play time while netting
two shorthanded goals. Michigan also gave the
Falcons a taste of their own medicine, overpower-
ing Bowling Green on the power play, four goals to
three.
Hayes, the center on Michigan's first line, led
Michigan's charge, blocking shots, slapping at
loose pucks and checking fiercely - something
that both coaches pointed to when naming Hayes
as the player who turned the tide for Michigan.
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Michigan's Bobby "Malze" Hayes had three goals and an assist in two games against Bowling Green. Bowling
Green coach Buddy Powers said Hayes was the key factor in both games.
oI
Michigan 3, Bowling Green 2
Bowling Green 1 1 0 -2
Michigan 1 0 2 -3
First period -1. BG, Desjarlais 10 (Schueller)
2:32; 1. Mich, Rominski 13 (Huntzicker, Blackburn),
13:26 (sh). Penalties- Mich, Van Ryn (interfer-
ence), :28; BG, Valentine (slashing), 2:35; Mich,
Langfeld (slashing), 2:35; BG, Murphy (elbowing),
5:05; Mich, Comrie (high sticking); 5:52; BG,
Adams (holding), 8:18; Mich, Jlson (high sticking),
12:01; BG, Murphy (holding), 17:07; BG. Savard
(roughing), 18:55; Mich, Comrle (roughing), 18:55;
BG Jones (roughing), 18:55.
Second period - 2. BG, Murphy 10 (Edinger, Price),
18:12 (pp). Penalties - Mich, Ritchlin (tripping),
3:22; BG, Mass (charging), 4:56; Mich, Jilson
(interference), 10:01; BG. Adams (hooking) 14:57;
Mich, Jilson (elbowing), 17:34; G Ham (rough-
ing), 19:50.
Third perod -2. Mich, Hayes 4 (clark, Trainor),
11:00. 3. Mich, Huntzicker 3 (Hayes), 14:31 (sh).
Penalties - Mich, Huntzicker (interference), 12:20;
BG, Bonvie (tripping), 12:30; Mich, Langfe2d (inter-
ference), 13:56; BG, Williams (roughing), 16:30;
Mich, Ritchlin (roughing), 16:30; G Williams
(roughing), 16:30, Richlin (roughing, 16:30; BG,
Desarlais (roughing), 16:30; Mich, Huntzicker
(roughing), 16:30; BG. Desaras (roughing), 16:30;
Mich, Huntzcker (roughing), 16:30; Mich, Rominski
(tripping), 19:54.
Shots on goal - BG 3135 -21; Mich, 115 -21.
Power Plays - BG 1 of 9; Mich 0 of 7.
Saves - BG. Savard 10-5-3 - 18; Mich, Blackburn
2-12-5 -19.
Referee - Brent Rutherford.
Linesnmen - John aDuke, John Pearson.
At: Yost Ice Arena. Attendance: 6,288.
Michigan 9, Bowling Green 3
Bowling Green 0 2 1 - 3
Michigan 2 3 4 -9
First period -1. Mich, comrie 18 (Huntzicker,
Langfeld), 15:01; 2. Mich, Langfeld 20 (Jillson,
Comre), 17:04 (pp). Penalties - G Ham (holding
the stick), 5:26; Mich, Peach (interference), 92;
Mich, Gassoff (roughing), 15:37; BG, de Luis (rough-
ing), 15:37; BG Jones (interference), 16:48.
Second Period - 1. 8G,.Day (Jones, Barlow), 3:25
(pp); 3. Mich, Koch 4 (Huntzcker), 8:09; 4. Mich,
Ritchlin 10 (Kosick), 13:56; 2. G4 Price 20
(Savard), 16:18 (pp); 5. Mich, Hayes 5 (unassisted),
19:52. Penalties - BG Williams (hitting after whis-
tle), 1:24; Mich, Koch (hitting after whistle). 1:24;
Mich, Ritchlin (slashing), 2:01; BG, Hewson (slash-
ing), 8:28; Mich, Langfeld (interference), 15:01; 8G
Murphy (hooking), 16:39; Mich Peach (slashing),
16:39.
Third period - 3. 8G Price 21 (Murphy), :28; 6.
Mich, Hayes 6 (Ji lson, Peach), 4:27 (pp); 7. Mich,
Van Ryn 10 (Kosick, Comrie), 5:06 (pp); 8. Mich,
Crozier 5 (Ritchlin, Berenzweig), 7:27; 9. Mich,
Langfeld 21(Comrie, Peach), 19:37 (pp).
Penalties - BG, Schueller (holding), 2:33; BG
Adams (slashing), 3:52; BG. de Luis (roughing),
7:27; BG Williams (roughing), 12:22; Mich, Comre
(roughing), 12:22; BG, Barlow (10-minute miscon-
duct), 14:59; Mich, Matzka (10-minute misconduct),
14:59; Mich, Koch (interference), 16:14; BG
Desarlais (cross checking), 17:09, BG Desjarlais
(tripping), 17:09; BG Williams (fighting major),
17:09; BG Williams (game disqualification), 17:09;
Mich, Gassoff (fighting major), 17:09; Mich, Gassoff
(10-minute misconduct), 17:09; BG. Jones (10-
minute misconduct), 17:09; Mich, Hayes (10-minute
misconduct), 17:09; BG, Adams (slashing), 18:40;
Mich, Merrick (10-minute misconduct), 18:40.
Sots ongoal - BG, 925 - 26; Mich, 14105 - 39.
Power Plays - BG 2 of 4; Mich 4 of 9.
Saves - BG. Savard 12-7-11- 30; Mich, Blackburn
9 k102-2 -21, OMalley x-x-2 -2.
Referee - Steve Piotrowski.
Unesnen - Dave Kronenberg, Butch Friedman.
At: Yost Ice Arena.Attendance: 6,328.
H ow theUSCHO
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2-t anud 4.
"Hayes played the game with a purpose,"
Bowling Green coach Buddy Powers said. "He was
the key factor in both games this weekend."
Hayes also was at the forefront of the brawl that
erupted near the end of Saturday's game, when he
and Bowling Green's Dennis Williams got into a
scuffle.
Hayes, though, turned the fighting job over to
Michigan's known bruiser, Bob Gassoff, who in
turn 'handled' the situation.
Blackburn stands tall in senes
.
By Mark Francescutti
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan hockey team has some-
times taken a key factor for granted in the
past several seasons - its goaltending.
But that factor, combined with a
stingy defense, helped save the
Wolverines from the dangerous Bowling
Green offense this
past weekend. HOCKEY
Freshman Josh Notbok
Blackburn made N ebook
the necessary stops -----------------
when his team needed him most to
prevent a Michigan collapse.
"We got great goaltending from
Blackburn this weekend." Bubba
Berenzweig said. "He did a great job."
In Friday night's game, Blackburn
faced an onslaught in the second period,
when Bowling Green had more than
seven minutes of power play time.
"Their power play dominated that
period," Michigan coach Red Berenson
said. "We took some untimely penalties
that we can't take."
Blackburn kept the game within a
goal, until Bobby Hayes and Dave
Huntzicker scored to win it for Michigan.
But the goalie's heroics continued on
Saturday when he faced another second
period in which Bowling Green tried to
charge back.
His best save came when the Falcons'
Chris Bonvie was in the slot and primed
to score, with only an empty net in front
of him. ,
But with a desperate flinging of his
body, the freshman took a puck in his
arm, inciting a round of "Temptation"
from the Michigan Hockey Pep Band.
"I was kind of laying down, and he
had it in the slot," Blackburn said. "I just
kind of jumped out at it and got it in the
shoulder - with a bruise to prove it."
The save, followed by a Bobby Hayes
goal at the other end, crushed the hopes
of the Falcons, and they left the ice for the
second intermission with hanging heads.
"We basically had almost the whole
empty net and (Blackburn) stopped us,"
Bowling Green coach Buddy Powers
said. "And right after that, they score. The
whole complexion of our team changes.
If it's 4-3 we have the momentum. It goes
5-2 and we're in a bigger hole."
Berenson was impressed with
Blackburn's ability to treat the playoffs
like any other game.
"Well, we like to think that the play-
offs are no different than the regular sea-
son;' Berenson said. "He's just playing
and that's the best way to do it."
Blackburn fought through the fresh-
man jitters and a lackluster second goal
that took a weird bounce off the boards,
to prove that having a freshman in goal
won't be a detriment in the playoffs.
"I was a little nervous - there's a lot
more riding out there," Blackburn said.
"Technically it's just a another game, but
there's something a little more special.
"I felt I played pretty solid. I made
some mistakes that cost me a couple
goals, but overall it was a good week-
end."
BRAwLlN': With Michigan racking up
a huge 8-3 lead, trash-talking and frus-
tration led to a barrage of scuffles and
penalties in the last five minutes of the
game.
As both teams tried to change lines,
one altercation occurred when Bowling
Green's Dennis Williams came after
Hayes.
After both pushed each other around,
sophomore Bob Gassoff entered the fray
and pummeled Williams, who was lay*
ing down on the ice.
Both players received game disquali-
fications, meaning that Gassoff will not
be in the lineup for next week's semi-
final matchup with Ohio State. Williams-
will miss the first conference game of
next season.
"It's one thing to be beaten on the
scoreboard," Berenson said. "I didn't like'
my players retaliating. It's not worth it."
Bowling Green's Mike Jones came off
the bench during the fight, but was no
given a game disqualification because,
he left the bench as part of a line change.
"Their team showed no class tonight,'
Hayes said. "It was an embarrassment to
their team and to the league."
REF CHATTER: For one of the few
times this season, the Wolverines had
some kind words for the referees.
Brent Rutherford, who officiated
Friday night's game, received many
compliments about his tight control
and consistent penalty calling.
"I think Rutherford did a great job
out there," senior Dale Rominski said.
"Playoff hockey can get out of control,
and he set the standard right off the
bat. It was most of the consistent refer-
eeing I think we've seen all year."
Steve Piotrowski, who had to handle
the game-ending brawl near the end of
Saturday's game, also received
acknowledgment from a few Michigan
players.
MARGARET MYERS/Daily
If Josh Blackburn was nervous about his postseason debut, he sure didn't show it.
Blackburn earned the victory in both games with his stellar play.
Blue scoffs at Falcons' tempers
SWEEP
Continued from Page 1.B
mano-a-mano with Bowling Green goal-
tender Mike Savard. Like money in the
bank, Yost began to rock - and when
Rominski beat a flailing Savard for the
goal, it erupted.
A goal from Hayes and another short-
handed breakway - Hayes to a streak-
ing Huntzicker - sealed the deal Friday
night, 3-2. That set the stage for the sea-
son's final game at Yost, and the
Wolverines went out on top.
"We're a better team than we were a
few weeks ago," Berenson said. "We
started on the roll against Miami and
then we accomplished something up
north."
And now Michigan is rolling to Joe
Louis Arena for the CCHA semifinals.
The Falcons, though, took exception to
that inevitibility late in Sautrday's game.
With Michigan up 8-3, the fans taunt-
ing the hapless visitors and their season
all but over, the birds got dirty.
Scrappy play in the Michigan zone
escalated quickly into a melee in front of
the Michigan bench. Bowling Green's
Dennis Williams and Mike Jones -
who appeared to come off the bench to
join the brawl - both were assessed 10-
minute majors, as were Michigan's Scott
Matzka and Bob Gassoff. Bowling
Green's Desjarlais also ended up with a
double-minor for tripping and cross
checking. Merrick was later assesed a
misconduct after being slashed by
Bowling Green's B.J. Adams, who was
sent to the box.
Williams and Gassoff were also
assessed fighting majors and disquali-
fied. Williams will sit out the first game
of the 1999-2000 season for the Falcons.
Gassoff will be ineligible as the
Wolverines take on Ohio State in the
next round Friday night.
They Meet
Again
Michigan and Ohio State have
survivedntheir first-round tests,
and will meet in the CCHA
semifinals Friday at Joe Louis
Arena in Detroit The puck
drops at 8:30 p~m.
Tickets for this weekend's semifi-
nal matchup are available from
Ticketmaster and the Joe Louis
Arena box office. Tickets are
$7.50 and up. Information about
a bus taking students to and
from the Joe will be announced
this week.
Regular Season Results
Date Result
Location
Jan. 2 Ohio St. 1,ich. OUColumbus
Jan. 23 Mich. 1, Ohio St. Colurnbus
Feb. 6 Ohio St.3, Mich. 2 Ann Arbor
MARGAREI MYERS/Daily
Down by a large margin in the final period of its season, Bowling Green tried to knock
the Wolverines out in another way - with its fists.
1999 CCHA Tournament
Other top seeds all headed for JLA."
r" ' .4w
From staff reports
Northern Michigan did the unthink-
able yesterday night - it won its sec-
ond game in a row at the Joyce Center,
I Michigan State
2 MIhigan
against the Lakers, Michigan State got
all four goals from its top line in the
shutout victory. Freshman Adam Hall
scored the first two, followed by Mike
deficit to take a 3-1 decision over Ferris
State in the series' deciding game.
The Bulldogs carried that 1-0 lead
into the third period, but Ohio State's
Mi e ~IAL.L.....