4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - February 21 , 2000 Puck talk "I'm surprised that both teams could play with this much emotion and this much intensity two nights in a row, but they did.i - Michigan coach Red Berenson on the Wolverines two ties this weekend. Michigan 1 Northern Michigan 1 hI Michigan 2 Key play Saturday, 9:40 into the third period. Afterfalling behind 2-0, with less than one minute played in the third period the Wolverines stormed back to get the tie. Freshman Jed rtmeyer tied the game with just over 10 minutes remaining -- Northern Michigan 2 The Michigan Daily hockey writers' picks for the three stars of the weekend: - JosH BACKeuRN- GoALtENDER The sophomore netminder stopped 55 shots over the weekend, induding an impressive 34 shots on Friday night. - JED ORTMEYER - LEFT WING Scored the game-tying goal against the Wildcats on Saturday night midway through the third period. - JOSH LANGFELD - RiGwr WING His power play goal in the first period of Friday's game was enough to give the Wolverines a point on the night Blackburn keys 'M' in 'playoff' atmosphere By Geoff Gagnon Daily Sports Writer n ncnagn .3., Nnerm micnim 1 a Michigan 1 0 0 0-1 Northem 0 0 1 0-1 Nt pedod -1. UM, langfeid (Shouneyia, Peach), 11:18 (pp). Penalties - NMU, Holly (slashing), 3:22; UM, Mink (cross-checking), 4:53; NMU, Riipi (obstruction-hook- ting), 10:51; UM, Blackburn (interference), 11:28; NMU, vigier (interference), 12:32. Second peiod - no scoring. Penalties - NMU, Stutze i(high-sticking), 11:47; UM, Kosick (tripping), 13:08; UM, Kosick (high-sticking), 17:52. -Tid peiod-1. NMU, Vigier (Schmidt), 17:16 (pp). Penalties - NMU, Vigier (high-sticking), 9:15;UM, ilison(interference), 15:51; NMU, Team(delaying the game), 17:16. Shots on goal - UM, 12-742- 30; NMU, 8-12-10-5 -36. PowerPtays--UM,1of6;NMU,1of 5. Saves- UM. Blackburn 8-12-95-- 34; NMU, Ragusett, 11-7-9-2 - 29. R ee e-Brent Rutherford Unesm en - Paul DePuydtPaul Tunison At Berry Events Center Attendance: 3,894 MARQUETTE - With the deaf- ening clatter of milk-jug noisemak- ers ringing in his ears Friday night, Michigan goaltender Josh Blackburn single-handedly quieted the roar of 4,000 people in Northern Michigan's Berry Events Center. With the Wolverines leading 1-0 halfway through the second, and Northern Michigan threatening from every angle, Blackburn kept Michigan ahead - frustrating the Wildcats with a series of desperation saves that defined the very essence and importance of this weekend's matchups. If the Northern Michigan fans lin- ing the concourse of their new Berry Events Center didn't give it away, a glance at the conference standings certainly did - for all intents and purposes Michigan entered the play- offs this weekend. And Michigan coach Red Berenson knows it. "I really consider these playoff- type games," Berenson said. "These games are so important for so many reasons, they really are like the play- offs." Michigan is hoping that this week- end's pair of ties against Northern Michigan will not be a foreboding sign of things to come. The Wolverines would rather that the only sign of the road ahead will be in the play of Blackburn, who helped Michigan keep moving when its offense stalled. With over 90 scoreless minutes between Michigan's lone score on Friday and its third-period strike on Saturday, Blackburn gave Michigan a chance to win both nights by keeping things close. "He really kept us going tonight and all weekend long," defenseman Jeff Jillson said. "He blocked some shots that saved the game at times for us. He kept us in it when we were down and played the type of game we need him to play." This weekend's games showed what the Wolverines already knew - that Blackburn is the indispensable sparkplug in Michigan's late season push. In a stretch of games where every shot matters, perhaps nobody will matter more than Blackburn. "I know these games matter more than most," Blackburn said. "This weekend is the start of the playoffs as far as we're concerned." Fighting for the CCHA's top spot, Michigan has found itself in a famil- iar role - and so has Blackburn. After marshalling Michigan's post-season charge a year ago by winning five games on a .919 save percentage, Blackburn finds himself in a position again where every shot has the potential to decide games, and every game can decide a season. And in this atmosphere of height- ened importance, perhaps nobody will be as watched as the soft-spoken Nebraskan in between the pipes for Michigan. "Blackburn's play is going to be huge for us from here on out," Jillson said. "He's been important for us all along but in the next few weeks he's going to be what decides a lot of games." If Blackburn's workman-like approach hasn't bought him praise, his numbers certainly should. Since returning from foot-surgery in January, the netminder has led Michigan to eight wins that have cat- apulted the Wolverines into first place in the conference. He has held opponents to less than two goals per game since debuting with a shutout against Michigan State in East Lansing, and now ranks as the second-best goalie in the con- ference with a .922 save percentage in a dozen games played. All of this from a sophomore that has yet to play 15 games this season, and still walks with a slight limp. The former CCHA All-Rookie honoree has shed any hint of inexpe- rience while defining himself as the driving force in Michigan's impend- Michigan 0 0 2 0-2 Northem 1 0 1 0-2 Fist petod -1. NMU, Cockburn (Phillips, Gobert), 1:43. Penaties - UM, Langfeld (high-sticking), 2:11: NMU, Trudeau (high-sticking), 2:11; NMU, Theuer (tripping), 4:05; UM, Hlbert (roughing after the whistle), 7:29: NMU, Owens (roughing after the whistle), 7:29:;tUM, Jilson (hooking).9:59; NMIUBarabanoff (elbowing), 12:52; NMU, Vigier (interference), 2:28. Second period -no scoring. Penates-UM,.Comrie(stashing),.0:28;:UM, Jilson (tripping), 2:09: NMVU. Vigier (interference), 2:28: NMU, Vigier (interference), 7:52: NMU, Connolly (cross-check- ing), 9:14; UM, Ji son (10-minute misconduct), 10:10; NMVU, Owens (slashing), 1:51; NMU, Oens (high-stick- ing), 15:34;UM, Fraser (interference), 18:22. Third peiod -2. NMU, Jackson (Vigier, Theuer), 0:28 1. UM. Jillson (Kosickx). 7:31; 2. UM. Ortmeyer (Comrie. 'Hilbert), 9:40. Penalties-- NMU. Gobert (high-sticking), 7:28; tUM, Camnmalleri (high-sticking), 7:28; NMU, Jackson (tripping), 1230. Overtme - no scoring. Scts an goal - NMU 5-6111- 23:.tUM, 7-13-10-1 PowrPays - NMU 0 of 3; UM 0 of 10. Saves- NMU, Ragusett 7-13841- 29; UKM Blackburn 4-610-1- 21. Referee - Brent Rutherford Unesmien - Paul Tunison, Paul DePuydt. At: Berry Events Center Attendance: 3,919 JESSICA JOHNSON/Daly Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn will be looked upon to key Michigan's late season charge just as he sparked the Wolverines this weekend in Marquette. Although the sophomore netminder did not record a victory he did make 55 saves. ing run for a national title. "He's our backbone, without a doubt," Jillson said. "His play will determine how we perform from here on out." For Blackburn, though, the prospect of an enlarged role and the approaching playoffs has the second-1 year netminder brimming with the anticipation and confidence of a vet- eran -- clearly he knows his pur- pose. "These next few weeks are very important, that's obvious," Blackburn said. "It really is like the playoffs and I know that means I have to give my team my best effort every game I need to put us a position to win us games and maybe steal us a few We need to do whatever it takes." Ragusett, Wildcats shutdown revitalized Michigan offense A win on Fn would assure for the regula Friday:vs. Michigan State, 7:35 p.m. Saturday: vs. Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena, 7:05 p.m. day against Michigan State the Wolverines at least a tie ar season CCHA crown. By Uma Subramanian Daily Sports Writer MARQUETTE - When it was all said and done, only one man had stood in its way. In stylish fashion, Dan Ragusett, an unherald- ed Marquette native, quietly and efficiently silenced a prolific Michigan offense en route to earning Northern Michigan a pair of ties with the Wolverines. And he prevented Michigan from clinching the CCHA regular-season crown. Prior to the weekend series with the Wildcats, Michigan had been in control of its own destiny. Had it won either contest, the team would have had a three point lead over Michigan State head- ing into the final lap of the conference race. But Ragusett had other things in mind, stop- ping 58 Michigan shots while only permitting three goals on the weekend. Instead of deciding a conference champion the weekend series only served to make the con- ference battle tighter at the top. "Ragusett played great this weekend and made the big saves," said Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn, who was also influential in the con- tests. But Ragusett's play was important not only because of its CCHA implications, but because it placed a dent in Michigan's goal-scoring resurgence that began a week ago when the Wolverines scored 16 goals in a home series with Western Michigan. Against Northern Michigan though, the Wolverines struggled offensively -- but not from a lack of trying. - For the umpteenth time this season, Michigan had its offensive chances but could not convert on its opportunities - in this case, due in large part to Ragusett. In Friday night's 1-1 tie, Michigan's Mark Kosick blasted a brilliant shot toward Ragusett. The puck was on its way in until Ragusett made an improbable diving save, deflecting the puck away from the net -- leaving the game knotted at one goal apiece. The next night, Ragusett continued to frus- trate as he turned away shot after shot. "To be honest, I didn't expect them to shoot as much as they did," Ragusett said. "In my posi- tion, it's such a mental game. You are just w - ing and they're trying to crack your shell. was very comfortable tonight. "We played good this weekend. This just goes to show that we can play with teams like Michigan. We had something to prove" after being swept last weekend by the Spartans. But while Ragusett played a good game on Saturday, Michigan came back with two goals in the final stanza to tie the contest. "Both games were really tough,"'Michigan defenseman Jeff Jillson said. "It was a g weekend by both teams -- two great games. A lot of people talk about our talent and skill level, but that's not what wins the hockey games. "It's all about grit and heart and hard work and being able to pull games out like this. Our team showed great pride and heart this week- end." Michigan did show a lot of heart, but so did Northern. Besides the outstanding goaltending on both ends, perhaps the -most striking aspect of the series was the similarity between the two tea. "It was a great series because the teams were very evenly matched," Northern Michigan coach Rick Comley said. No. Wisconsin (25-6-1)de. def, Ak-Anchorage,5-0 No. 2 BostonUW*erslly(0-7-6) def.Boston Colege4-; osttoProvidee52;der Pnvidene, 4-3. No.3 North Dakota (22-7-3)1def MinnDulut-) . 10-); del. Mina.-Diudth4 ,N. 4 Boston Colege (20-9-1) lost to Boston University, 4-1; lost to New Hampshr, 4-1; cdef. New HaMpshit, 4t No. SMichigan(22-7-3).tied NorthernMichigan f-1; tied NorthernMichigan, 2-2. - No.6 New Hampsnre(20-7-5)det Boston Colege,4-1; lost to Boston College,4-1 No.7 Maine (19-7-4}de.Mass-Lowe +I,4-1; de Mass,-Lowek,4-3. No.8 Mkhlgan State (22-9.2)cde. Akabanks, 3-1; del Akairbanks, 5-2 No.9 St.Lawrence (18-7-2) def.Harvard, 4-2 lost to Brown, 6-0. No.10 Rensselaer (17-10-2) lost to Colgate, 5-4; lost to Cornell, 3-2 JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily Northern Michigan goaltender Dan Ragusett matched Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn punch for punch this weekend. Ragusett kept the Wildcats slim conference title hopes alive by stopping 58 shots. Team Michgan Michigan State Northern Michigan Lake Superior Notre Dame W 17 17 14 14 11 L T 5 3 7 1 6 4 8 2 9 6 CCHA CPts G 3 2 35 2 1 32 2 30 2 28 2 GP 5 5 4 4 6 GF GA 102 56 75 37 80 56 60 52 60 69 w 22 22 19 15 14 L 7 9 9 13 15 T 3 2 4 2 7 OVERALL Help select the finalists for college hockey's most prestigious honor, the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Anyone can vote! Only one vote per day, but voting is unlimited. And remember - this year, tan voting for the Hobey on USCHO will be added to the official ballots of the nation's coaches to select this year's finalists. To cast a vote visit: www.uscollegehockey.cornt W R i I rr ' ..,.yt 4, } ; 1, f, ? is NORTHERN Continued from Page 18 "In a way it was a reverse scenario of last night," Berenson said. "It was a good test of character coming back from 2-0. I like the way we competed tonight" On Friday night, it was the Wolverines who stopped themselves - with a little help from Ragusett. Even with 30 shots on goal, the Wolverines could only manage to squeeze one through the The Wolverines many scoring chances in the next two periods were denied by the stellar play of Ragusett, but it looked as though Langfeld's goal would be enough for the victo- ry. But with Jillson once again watching'n the penalty box, the Wildcats tied the score with three minutes left to go in the game. Oddly enough, the Wolverines frustration quickly turned into hope as 2,000 milk bottle rattles were thrown onto the ice in celebration. The Wildcats were handed a two-minute bench '