4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - March 6, 2000 Puck talk Key play It was a surreal feeling skating Friday, 18:12 into the first period. around - everything flashed right in . front of me. It's a pretty cool tradition Sinia 3 Bowlng Green 6 scott Matzka short handed goa gave the of e.htsahpre.',otWolverines a 2-0 lead. The junior' first of we have here" three goals of the weekend proved to be - Sean Peach.rehlecgting on his solo lap. Bowng Green 1 teMgahigmn 3 "e-winningscore. during Senior Night recognition at Yost~aiI~ Seniors The Michigan Daily hockey writers' picks for the three stars of the weekend: - Scorr MAZA- LEFT WING The junior had perhaps the best weekend of his career against Bowling Green, scor- ing three goals and an assist. - JEFF JILLSON - DEFENsEM Scored the final goal in Michigan's CCHA regular-season-championship-clinching game. - JAY VANaK - DEFENSEMAN Scored the first goal in Friday's game to put Michigan on the board and on the road to a conference crown. I unwsn 4, nouwi areenm . Michigan 2 0 1 -3 Bowling Green 0 1 0 --1 First peiod-1. UM, Vancik (Matzka), 15:50; 2. UM, Matzka (Koch), 18:12 (sh). Penalties -- UM, Huntzicker (hooking), 3:55; BG.Statkus (holding), 8:05; 8G, Ham (high-sticking). 11:56; BG, Schueller (w lsportsmanlike conduct), 14:27: UM, Comrie (slash- ing). 14:27; UM, Hilbert (checking from behind), 17:14; BG.,lHewson (roughing after the whistle), 20:00; UM, Hbert (roughing after the whistle),20:00. Second peiod -1. BG Ednger (Desjarlais, Murphy), 15:45. Penalties - UM, Corrie (tripping), 1:59; UM, ilison (high-sticking), 6:37: BG. Mass (interference), 7:58; BG. Adams (high-sticking), 10:34; UM, Vancik (cross-checking), 13:30. dperiod -3. UM, Jilson (Shouneyia, Mink), 10:13 (pp). Penalties - BG. Mass (hooking), 8:35; UM, Cammalleri (hooking); 211:28: 8G, Moore (hooking),_ 14:49; UM, Comre (highsticking), 16:15; UM, Swistak (hooking), 17:54. Shots on goal - UM, 4-98 - 21: BG, 9.66 - 21. Power Pays - UM, 1 of 6; BG, 0 of 8. Saves - UM, Blackburn 488 - 20; BG, Masters, 7- 9-5--18. Referee - Steve Mcinchak Unesmen - John LaDuke, John Pearson tBGSU Ice Arena, Bowling Green ttendance: 3,782 take final lap in style By Uma Subramanian Daily Sports Writer Their lap around the ice traversed familiar ground they'd skated over hundreds of times before. But this final jaunt, with the spotlights shin- ing exclusively on them and the 'M' flags they carried, was a tribute to four seniors who each, in his own way, left an indelible mark on Michigan hockey. On Saturday, prior to Senior Night festivities, Krikor Arman, Kevin Magnuson, Andrew Merrick and Sean Peach played in their final regular-season game at Michigan. Though the Wolverines suffered a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Bowling Green in a meaningless game as far as postseason plans were concerned, the contest represented the end of an era. The Class of 2000 is the final link to perhaps Michigan's greatest team ever - the 1996-97 team that won thirty-five games and made a trip to the Frozen Four. These graduating seniors have done it all in their Michigan careers. Besides that remarkable freshman campaign, the class partook in an NCAA championship as sophomores and claimed a CCHA tournament championship last season. Saturday night, when Peach, the Michigan captain, accepted the CCHA regular-season championship trophy from league commission- er Tom Anastos, everything came full circle. After his name was announced, each senior took a turn around the rink hugging his team- mates as his career accolades were announced. When he took his solo lap, Merrick reflected on that remarkable first year. "I thought back to freshman year when I was standing out there with Brendan (Morrison) and Jason (Botterill) and all those guys going around and how I thought to myself I'd never go through this," Merrick said. "Three years seemed like forever then, but they really went by fast. "It was a nice feeling to go around. I know there's bigger and better things to move on from here. This part of my life is coming to an end - which is a good thing, but it's a sad feeling too." This season, due to an overload of talented young players, the seniors haven't had a chance to skate together much - a fact which made Saturday's outing all the more special. "My happiest part was being able to just play with these guys - it's not too often that all four of us get to play together," Peach said. "It was a surreal feeling skating around and everything flashed right in front of me. I also remember Morrison and everyone was chanting 'Hobey KIMITSU YOGACHI/Daily Andrew Merrick and fellow seniors Krikor Arman, Sean Peach and Kevin Magnuson played in their final regular-season home contest on Saturday night at Yost Ice Arena. Bowing Green 6, Micnigan 3 Bowling Green 2 1 3 - 6 Michigan 0 1 2 -3 Frst period - 1. BG, Fultz 16 (Edinger Valentine), 14:34 (pp); 2. 8G, QeLuis 7 (Jones, Hewson), 15:14. Penalties - UM. Vancik (interference). 2:00; UM, Jlson (tripping), 4:48; UM, Mink (obstruction-holding). 8:40: BG , day (holding), 10:15; BG, Dearlais (rough- ing), 13:02; UM, Merrick (roughing), 13:02; UM, Merrick (roughing), 13:02: BG, Edinger (roughing), 14:34; UM, Magnuson (roughing), 14:34; 8G, de Luis (tripping), 16:07, BG, Adams (slashing), 16:07: UM,, Koch (slashing), 16:07; 8G, Mass (interference), 17:19; 80, Edinger (tripping), 18:03; 8B, Jones (slash- ing), 18:57: BG, Valentine (cross-checking), 19:48; KUM, Shouneyia (cross-checking), 19:48. Second period- 3.8BG Barow 4(Day), 6:39;:1. UM Matzka 10 (Langfeld.Vancik), 14:35. Penalties -BG, Hewson (hooking), 7:56; UM, Langfeld (interference), 9:44. Third perod -4. BG. Day 13(de Ls), 1:37;:2. UM, Shouneyia 4 (Hilbert, Coarie), 4:311 pp); 5. 80. Hewson 6 (Ham, Desarais), 14:21; 6. BG. Desjarlais 5 (Jones, Moore), 15:55 (pp); 3. UM, Matzka 11(Roemensky), 19:08 (sh). Penalties - BG. Ham (hooking). :18; UM, Hbert (slashing), :188G. Wetterberg oostruction-hook- ing). 2:17; BG, Hewson (slashing). 3:30; UM, Huntzicker (tripping), 5:05; 8G. Jones (tripping), 6:51:M8G.sKnight (cross-checking), 9:26; UM, Comrie (slashing), 14:50; UM, Magnuson (holding the stick),.15:03; UM, Peach (kneeing), 17:52. Shots on goal - BG 8-12-10 - 30; UM. 12-12-5 - - 29 Pwer Plays - B 2 of 9; UM 1 of 10. Saves - BG, Masters 12-11-3 - 26; UM, Blackburn 6-11-7 - 24. Referee - Matt Shegos Lkiesmen -- John LaDuke, John Pearson. At: Yost Ice Arena Attendance: 6,364 Baker' for him. "At the time, we were like Man, those guys are pretty cool and this is pretty cool.' I know that the freshmen look up us and they probably think this is pretty cool - this is a great tradi- tion we have here.: Unfortunately for the seniors, on the whole, their final regular-season game was a pitiful team effort - one that was not representative of the Wolverines' recent stretch of games. "It's almost emotional for me 'cause you know the guys and know what they've been through," Michigan freshman Mike Cammalleri said of the celebration. "It's great to watch and it's great for them. "But I feel really bad for the seniors because we gave them a final game like that." Yet fortunately, because their team was crowned regular-season champions, these seniors will witness at least another two games in Yost Ice Arena when Michigan hosts Western Michigan in the first round of the CCHA play- offs this upcoming weekend. But if the season is any indication, the likeli- hood is that all four may never play together again. That reality did not escape any of them. Despite the debacle, "I'd like to say that I think the four of us played a good game tonight," Merrick said. "We were ready to play FA LCONS Continued from Page 1B day's game to complement a pai goals Saturday. "I started scoring a little bit weekend and hopefully I can kec going," Matzka said. "I've got a of confidence right now." And so does Michigan, a team rallied from setbacks early in the son to wrap up the conference cr - something that coach Berenson said means more in the picture than Saturday's loss. "Our goal this season was to first place and there were a lo obstacles to overcome and we that," Berenson said. "I'm re proud of this team and one g does not make a season." Michigan is also confident one game won't break a sea either, as the team looks to bury sa lingering thoughts of Saturday's1 U YOGACHI/Daily with the anticipation of the post Friday son. wn. and we can be proud of that." In fact, the seniors played their hearts out in a penalty-filled game that saw Arman, Merrick and Magnuson in the box simultaneously. "I laughed a little bit when I saw that," Merrick said. "At one point we'd all been sitting on the bench together kind of as a buffer. Then we all moved over to the penalty box together. It was kind of funny. I took the penalty that Krikor had to serve." "And I figured it's the last game, why not give them a good headlock," Magnuson said. "When I analyzed the situation when I got in the box it was like, 'Hey, it's our night and we're in the box."' The seniors also bowed and paid homage to the Michigan hockey band - which they count amongst their biggest supporters. All joking and losses aside, the seniors know - perhaps better than anyone - what it will take for this Michigan team to succeed in the postseason, which began at the final buzzer of Saturday's game. "We remember that we have the most points in the CCHA and won a conference champi- onship" Magnuson said. "And all four of us truly believe that this is the best chance we have to win it since our freshman year. We're ready for the run." "We were out of sync, we couldn't shoot or score. It was not a good game and I told our team just to for- r of get the game," Berenson said. "This was just a stinker on our part and this we're not going to let it bother us. ep it From here on in, it's a new season lot and I like our team when there's something on the line." that For a Michigan team eager to put sea- Saturday's setback behind it, much of own what happened after the game helped Red erase the lingering pain of the loss. big Presented with the conference trophy before a spotlight tribute to the win team's graduating seniors, Michigan t of highlighted a season's worth of did accomplishments in a move that ally more than placed the loss as a mere ame slip in an ongoing saga of success. "We're excited to have won the that title," Comrie said. "There are a lot son of good teams in the CCHA and it's a any goal that we set from day one. It rep- loss resents not just a game or a few sea- games, but the work of a whole sea- son." Saturday's loss -. good med 'bw for the Wolverines F ourteen minutes into the first period, the Michigan hockey team fell behind Bowling Green for good. In his last CCHA game, senior Andrew Merrick could do.* only one thing - laugh. As Merrick watched the Falcons' first goal from the crowded penalty box, he looked to his side at fellow classmate Kevin Magnuson and laughter erupted amongst the two of them. Since when was losing funny? Since Saturday night's 6-3 loss to Bowling Green. In a meaningless conference game, the Wolverines seemed to have left their minds, bodies and talent in Ohio the pre- vious night. g h But that's the beauty of it. Michigan STEpHANIE has a week to retrieve all of its belong- OB EN ings from the Buckeye State before games start to actually matter again. Off the So all 6,364 fans in attendance Record Saturday night can wipe those worries from their minds and frowns from their faces - the Wolverines' poor showing for their last conference game gave the Michigan hockey faithful absolutely nothing to worry about. What many of those fans in attendance at either of the weekend games may not have realized was that this entire weekend was completely meaningless. The Michigan hockey team could have boarded a charter plane for Acapulco with the rest of the Michigan campus, returned yesterday, and still won the conference champi- onship. The Wolverines could have been downing their spring break tequila shots on the beach, forfeiting their last two games of the regular season, and still received an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. That's why losing was funny. It meant absolutely nothing. The Wolverines racked up the league title because of the fal- tering of Michigan State and Northern Michigan on Friday night, not because of their own spectacular -- or in this case -- wretched play. But there was a good reason that the Wolverines stayed and played these games instead of turning into bar-hopping beach bums for the week. Even though this weekend lacked meaning in the confer- ence standings, it did not lack importance for Michigan as it enters the CCHA playoffs. In that sense, this weekend may have been one of the most important of the season - and the Wolverines executed it perfectly, even with that little bit of humor. The importance of this weekend was to prepare the team for playoff hockey. The results of the games were meaning- less - what mattered was the style in which the games were played. This weekend was used for the Wolverines to prove they were ready for the conference tournament in which they will try to defend last season's crown. That's what the fans in Bowling Green saw on Friday. Until only one minute remained in what became a 3-1 Michigan victory, the Wolverines thought they were playing to clinch the regular-season conference championship. And fittingly, they played their hearts out. When the Wolverines thought it counted, they played playoff hockey. Saturday showed the flip side. While the last game of the season should have mattered to Michigan, the team admitted that in the lockerroom before play even started there was no desperation. There was no desire for victory. The champi- onship was in the Wolverines' hands and Saturday was just all fun and games. Once again, Michigan executed perfectly. I'm not condon-- ing the team's poor play and lack of attentiveness throughout the evening, I'm simply recognizing the need to have a lack- luster game in a season and the Wolverines' perfect place- ment of that lackluster game in their schedule. The "we couldn't care less" play came when the game meant the least. But once again, what Michigan's poor performance on Saturday lacks in meaning to the conference standings it gains in importance upon entering the playoffs. Michigan was taught a lesson at no cost. The loss showed the Wolverines that they are not invincible. And for a team that has only suffered one conference loss since the turn of the new year and the return of their starting goalie, the brush with reality sends that important message. Since the beginning of the new millennium this year's team was showing signs of the 1997 team, which donned some of the best talent this university has ever seen. That squad, led by Hobey Baker winner Brendan Morrison, only lost four games all season, clinching both the regular-season and con- ference tournament championships. That team lost in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. And that loss was their first brush with reality. Now it's this team's turn to try for the triple crown. One down and only two to go. But this time reality has already set in for Hobey Baker candidate Mike Comrie and his 2000 squad. Michigan taught itself a lesson on Saturday night. And admittingly, the team laughed a little along the way. But all joking aside, the 6-3 loss was the last time this sea- son that the Wolverines will ever be able to look past an opponent - and it's a good thing that they got it out of their system. - Stephanie Offen can be reached at soffen@umich.edu. 0 Friday: vs. W Michigan, 7:35 p.m. Saturday: vs. W. Michigan, 7:05 pm. Sunday: 7:05 p.m. vs. W. Michigan, if necessary The top-seeded Wolverines host the tenth-seeded Broncos to open the CCHA Playoffs. No. 1 Wisconsin (28--u1)lost toColorado Colege, 54; def. Colorado College, 2-1 No.2 Boston tnhver#ty(23-7-6) tied Merimack 3-3; played Boston College yesterday, inc. No. 3 North Dakota (24-7-5) del. Benmidji State, 9-2; def. Bemidi State, 6-3. No. 4 New Hampshi (20-9-1) tied Mass.- Amherst 3-3; eMass.-Amherst; 5-1. No. 5 Michigan (24-84) de, Bowling Green, 3-1; lost to Bowling Green,6-3. No.6 Maine (22-7-5) tied Providence, 6-6; def. Providence, 3-2. No. 7 St Lawrence (22-7-2) def. Wayne State, 5- 3; def. Dartmouth, 7-s.' No.8 Boston Co ege (22-10-1) def. Northeastern, 7-2; played Boston University yester- dainc No.9 Michigan State (23-10-4) tied Notre Dame, 2-2; de. Notre Dame, 5-3. No. 10 Colgate (21-7-2) tied Pinceton, 2-2; def, Yale, 7-1. KIMITSU Jay Vancik scored the first goal in Michigan's 3-1 win night that secured the regular-season conference crop Matchup No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 10 Western Michigan No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 9 Miami No. 3 Lake Superior vs. No. 8 Bowling Green No. 4 Northern Michigan vs. No. 7 Nebraska-O-aha Venue Last time Ann Arbor Michigan beat the Broncos 7-2, 9-3 on Feb. 11 & 12 East Lansing Sault Ste. Marie Marquette South Bend Miami upended the Spartans 2-3, 0-3 on Nov. 19 & 20 The Lakers split with the Falcons 7-5 and 0-1 on Nov. 26 & 27 Northern Michigan won 2-0 and tied 4-4 on Oct. 29 & 30 The Irish lost 1-4, 2-4 to the 'Dogs on Oct. 23 & 24 No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Ferris State With this weekend's CCHA regular-season finales came the end of a hotly contested race for the league scoring crown. In his final conference contest Michigan State's Shawn Horcoff used three assists to jump past Michigan's Mike Comrie to claim the scoring title. Western Michigan's David Gove finished third. 4 Team Michigan Michigan State Lake Superior Northern Michigan k1,... r m W 19 18 17 16 11 L T 6 3 8 2 9 2 8 4 IA 71 CCHA Pts GP 41 28 38 28 36 28 36 28 r 10 1)A GF GA 112 65 84 46 76 66 93 64 Ar, 7t,. OVERALL W L T 24 8 4 23 10 4 18 14 2 21 11 4 14 M R 19 £;- Y. ,. i , 7j MIN- .,j~r~x, '