4B - The Michigan Daily - January 18, 2000 - SportsTuesday
Puck talk
"It was kind of weird after Iscored. It's
been a year and a half and 1'd
forgotten what the feeling was. I liked
it enough to get another one."
- Michigan sophomore Craig Murray
Michigan 5
Michigan
5
Key Play
Friday, 6:35 into the third period.
Mark Kosick scored the Wlverines'
fourtlh goal in Friday's~ 5-2 victory to stop
Miami's comeback attempt after the
Redt-awks pulled to within one goal, 3-2.
Miami
2
Mimi
I
Welcome back: Gassoff, defense return for game 2
The Michigan Daily hockey writers'
picks for Michigan's three stars of
the weekend.
- CRAIG MURRAY -
CENTER
The sophomore scored his first
and second goal of his career in
Saturday's victory
- MIKE CAMMALLERI -
CENTER
The center scored twice in Friday's
victory, becoming the leading
freshman scorer on the team.
- ANDY HILBERT -
RIGHT WING
The freshman had a goal Friday;
and nearly a second on Saturday
as his shot hit the crossbar.
iy Chris Grandstaff
Daily Sports Writer
On Friday night Michigan coach
Red Berenson was calling for more
defense, and the Yost Ice Arena crowd
was calling for Bob Gassoff.
On Saturday night both got their
wish.
The Wolverines skated off the ice
with what could be construed as a sat-
isfying 5-2 win over Miami on Friday
night - not so according to Berenson,
who was obviously upset with his
team's defensive performance.
"We were fortunate even in the first
period to be ahead after giving up the
kind of shots that we gave up,"
Berenson said. "In the second period if
you look at the shot chart there was just
a cluster of shots from the slot -- real
good scoring chances. We really had
trouble in our own zone and (goalie)
Josh Blackburn had to be the differ-
ence in the game."
The Wolverines gave up a season
high 39 shots on goal on Friday night,
but capitalized on their scoring oppor-
tunities, and received yet another stel-
lar performance from Blackburn en
route to the victory.
But on Saturday the Wolverines
came out with renewed defensive
intensity. Berenson had stressed
defense in a pregame team meeting and
the Wolverines responded in a big way.
Michigan held the RedHawks to a
meager 10 shots on goal for the entire
game. That mark tied the school record
low for shots in a game - a mark first
set on Oct. 26, 1979, against Northern
Michigan.
"They didn't get any point-blank
shots or any Grade-A scoring chances,"
Berenson said. "Overall, we played
better defensively. I thought we got, not
necessarily selfish, but a little offensive
minded (Friday night) and tried to play
more like individuals. Tonight we
played more like a team."
The Wolverines' defensive effort
was aided by the return of defenseman
Bob Gassoff, who sat out Friday night's
game - serving a one-game suspen-
sion he earned for his role in the
postgame fight at Michigan State.
Gassoff's absence was felt by both his
teammates and the Yost Ice Arena
crowd, who on Friday chanted "We
want Gassoff," whenever circum-
stances on the ice started to heat up.
"I was up in the press box and heard
that," Gassoff said. "I wanted to jump in
the game from the start. It's really tough
to sit in the stands and watch, especial-
ly in a game like Friday night when
was getting a little chippy and you ne
to protect your team. There's not too
much you can do sitting in the stands."
But Gassoff returned Saturday night,:
and although the game was devoid of
any serious altercations, Gassoff made
his presence known on the ice nonethe-
less - at one point calling out the
entire RedHawk team by directing his
glove at each individual on the Miami
bench.
"It's nice having him in the lineup,
Michigan forward J. J. Swistak said.
"He steps up and watches everyone
else's backs. He takes care of every-
body out there."
takes first
.-'
DAVID KATZ/Dasi
Jeff Jillson and the Michigan defense dominated Miami on Saturday, limiting the
RedHawks to 10 shots on goal - this after it permitted 39 shots on Friday
Blackburn has 'blast' in Yost homecoming; 'M'
By Stephanie Offen
Daily Sports Writer
Josh Blackburn stepped out on the ice on
Friday night in front of a Yost crowd for the
first time since Michigan's exhibition game
against Wilfred Laurier.
Trickles went down his spine as he heard
the crowd erupt at the announcement of his
name.
With every save, the crowd was on its feet
bowing down to the goalie who had been sit-
ting out most of the season with a Lisfrancs
sprain.
This was the response Blackburn had
been eagerly awaiting for three months.
Mi higan\ sophomore goaltender was
hcduied to mae his firs appearance after
the injury this past weekend, but he returned
one week early and shut out Michigan State
on the road 2-0.
"It was a bonus to get him back a week
early," Michigan coach Red Berenson said.
"Coming off a shutout you don't know how
you are going to play. You don't know if
there will be a letdown by the team and the
goalie, but I thought he really rose to the
occasion this weekend."
Against Miami, Blackburn continued his
domination in net, extending his streak of
scoreless periods to five. Blackburn was not
scored upon until 22 seconds into the third
period of Friday's 5-2 victory.
Blackburn faced 39 shots on Friday, the
most shots on goal Michigan has given up
all season.
"Your goalie shouldn't have to be a factor
in your games at home, but he was a factor
in the game tonight," said Berenson after
Friday's victory.
"He played excellent. He was in position,
he made great saves, had great rebound con-
trol, great angles, all the things a goalie
needs to be successful."
But Saturday, Berenson's words must
have had some impact on his players, as
Blackburn became a non-factor in the 5-1
victory.
The Wolverines allowed just 10 shots on
goal, the fewest they allowed all season and
the fewest that Blackburn has faced in his
career at Michigan.
"It's a hard game to play when you only
have 10 shots," Blackburn said. "You get
really cold and you have to remember to
stay focused. You have to keep yourself
warm any way you can. I try to move around
and do some extra movement so that I can
get blood flowing a little bit more."
But Blackburn's welcome home, which he
described as a 'blast,' warmed him up.
This weekend was not only a turning
point for Blackburn and the fans who
missed him, but it provided a lift for the
entire team.
"It changes the attitude in the lockerroom
before the game," junior Josh Langfeld said.
"Before, we were hoping to win. Now we
know Blackie's in goal, and if we bury our
chances we will win 90 percent of the time.
Just having him back is an extra ace in the
hole."
ON Top: For the first time all season, the
Wolverines have taken sole possession of
first place in the CCHA.
The Jan. 7 victory over Michigan State
put the Wolverines in a tie with the Spartans
and Northern Michigan for first.
But Thursday night, both of Michigan's
conference foes faltered. The Spartans fell
to Nebraska-Omaha 4-3 in overtime and
Northern tied Notre Dame 2-2 on the same
night.
With only 12 games to go, this position
atop the conference is especially important.
The Wolverines still have two-game series
against both Northern Michigan and
Michigan State ahead of them. But those
two weekends aren't the only concern for
the team.
"Last year it came down to one point at
the end," said junior Krikor Arman, who had
a goal in Saturday's victory. "Every time
Michigan State faltered and gave us a
chance to go ahead we would falter too and
lose a game.
"We talk about beating the teams we are
tied with, but if you lose to the teams who
are lower in the league it kills you in the
end."
Michigan 5, Miami 1
Miami 0 1 0 - 1
Michigan 1 1 3 -5
First period- 1,UM, Murray 1 (Swistak) 2:51,
*Penalties - MIA, Marsch, (tipipng) 5:50; UM,
Ortmeyer (holding) 9:18; UM, illson (roughing)
12:10; MIA, Medvecz (holding) 17:40. Second pew
off -_MIA, Jardine 9 (Leahy. Whitecotton), 10:39
(pp); 2. UiM Mink 4 (Ortmneyer), 19:15. Penaltes -
MIA, Marsch (slashing) 5:55; UM, Arman (holding)
8:57; UM, Ortmeyer (roughing) 8:57; IM, Swistak
(roughing) 8:57: MIA, Glumac {Booking) 13:52,
Third period- 3. VM,Arman 1 (Comrie, Hlbert),
12:49: 4. UM, Murray 2 (unassisted), 13:45: 5.tUM,
Comrie (Jison), 15:10 (pp). Penalties - MIA,
Ortineyer (crass-checking) .14:26; MiA, Waford
(roughing) 15:55; UM, Arman (slashing) 15:55; UM,
Arman (high-sticking) 15:55; UM, Mink (roughing)
19:17; MIA. Sautch (roughing) 19:17; UM Mink
high sticking) 19:17.
Shots on goal.-. MIA 4-24 - 10; UM 66-10 - 22.
Powner Plays - MIA, 1lof 5; UIM 1 of 5.
Saves - MIA Burleigh 5-5-7 17 ; UM,
Blackburn 41-4 - 9.
Referee - Jim Sotiroff
unesmen - John Pearson, Pat Bracco
At; Yost ice Arena
Attendance: 6,491
lmffl
DAVID KATZ/Daily
lash Blackburn stopped 46 shots this past weekend in his
triumphant Yost ice Arena homecoming.
Murray, Arman key explosive line
Michigan he
streak agan
fWolverines
NEXT WEEKEND
Friday: at Ohio State 7:00
p.m.
hopes to continue its winning
iest the Buckeyes who the
sdefeated twice -this season.
By Geoff Gagnon
Daily Sports Witer
Craig Murray, nearing the end of a
third- period shift, took the puck to Miami
netminder David Burleigh's left, cut in
front of a defender and then let sail a shot.
What happened next Murray said he
never saw - but 6,500 fans sure did.
Murray's scoring shot that beat
Burleigh at 13:45 of the third period was
the second of its kind Saturday night in
Michigan's 5-I drubbing of the
RedHawks. With the slippery shot, the
sophomore forward found his second goal
of the night and Michigan found an
unlikely star having the game of his still-
young career.
And while the British Columbia native,
who fell backward on the shot, may not
have seen the puck clear the crease and
find the net, he certainly knows what his
two-goal night feels like- his teammates
made sure of that.
"Almost every guy tackled me at least
once when we left the ice," Murray said.
"It's a great feeling to have everyone on
your side. They've been cheering for me
so I'm glad I finally got there."
But the arrival of Murray to the ranks
of Michigan's goal-scorers is anything but
a surprise to Michigan coaches or players
who've seen the Montreal Canadien draft
pick battle for a spot in Michigan's rota-
tion.
"The kid has scored a lot of goals in his
career, until he got here, Michigan coach
Red Berenson said. "He's had a tough
time mostly because of injury and he has-
n't had the confidence. Maybe this will
give him confidence."
What Murray's strong showing did
accomplish, aside from bolstering the sec-
ond-year player's psyche, was help lift
Michigan to its 13th CCHA win of the
year. Murray's first strike, a score at 2:51
of the first period on a give from J.J.
Swistak, gave Michigan an early 1-0 lead
while his second helped put the game
away.
"Obviously he had a good shot tonight,
he went down and just drilled it, it went
right through the goalie literally through
the five-hole," Berenson said of Murray's
first collegiate goal. "The second goal
was a deceptive shot. He was moving and
looking one way and then just wristed it
through a screen and it went right over the
shoulder of the goalie. It was a good scor-
ing play."
The two-goal outburst came just more
than a year after Murray tallied his only
point with an assist against Michigan Tech
in last season's Great Lakes Invitational-
a drought that made Murray's first goal
feel unusual.
"It was kind of weird when I scored,"
Murray joked. "Its been a year and a half
and I'd almost forgotten what it felt like"
Admittedly in the same position, line-
mate Krikor Arman, who exploded for
two goals in his debut with Michigan two
years ago only to be held scoreless since,
re-affirmed his presence with a goal of his
own at 12:49 of the third period.
"It's definitely great to score," Arman
said. "I'm in the same boat with Murray, I
haven't gotten one in a while. I'm glad it
came when it did. It was a big lift for us."
Arman, who walked on to the team in
1997 after playing with the Dearborn
Heights Nationals, has, like Murray, spent
this season battling for a position in the :.:x
Michigan lineup after playing nine score-
less games a year ago.
"I thought Krikor has looked good in
practice and he deserved to have a game
and he took advantage of it," Berenson
said.
Playing on Michigan's top rotation in
place of Geoff Koch, who left the game
after being checked into the corner of the - Tallied first score since recording two goa s *one period n h s coeg
boards and the Miami bench, Arman cer- debut
tainly made the most of his chances. Ona - d e H N s N-
pass from Andy Hilbert who played the
puck to Mike Comrie, Arman found him-
self in front of Burleigh, where he buried
his third collegiate goal. -
Sparking Michigan's fourth line to a
stellar offensive night, Arman, Murray . ,.
and Swistak gave Michigan just the sort ,
of depth that Berenson had hoped for
coming into the weekend.
"Typically, when your fourth line
scores, they are big goals and that was the
case tonight," Berenson said.
"Somebody asked me what I think of
our fourth line and I said, 'I expect them s
to hold the other team's fourth line and
maybe be a better line than the other
team's."'
On Saturday night, Michigan's fourthyrd d
line realized Berenson's hopes and a few °Drftd yth Mnte ®_aden . ®19
of their own- even if they didn't see it
themselves.
Vermont ends hockey season
CCHA OVERALL
Team
Michigan
Michigan State
Northern Michigan
Lake Superior
Ferris State
W
13
12
11
9
L
14
5
3
6
T
0
0
2
1
Pts
26
24
24
19
16
GP
17
17
16
16
16'
GF GA
70 37
54 24
55 35
44 38
46 43
W
18
16
16
10
15.
L
6
7
6
11
g
T
0
0
2>
1
0
During the weekend, manry players achiieved
notable firsts - Craig Murray sored his first twro
career goals, . .Swistak recorded his first career
assist and Krikor Amnan scored his first goal of the
season.
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The
University of Vermont canceled the
remainder of its men's hockey season
Friday after learning that some players
lied during an investigation into a hazing
scandal.
"We have received credible informa-
tion which indicates that a number of
Players on scholarship will remain o
scholarship, and no player has beep
expelled from school. The university is
continuing its investigation, Woodworth
said. No coaches have been implicated.
University officials, who have been
criticized for slowness to respond and
secretiveness about the hazing, issued a
I ,.
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