4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - December 4, 2000

Shouts from the point

We are in a race in the league and it's important not to
give up points. But everyone else has to play up here too."
- Michigan coach Red Berenson, after the

Michigan
Northern Mich.

6
2

Michigan
Northern Mich.

2
2 (OT)

Key play
Saturday, 11.:35 of third period
Just three minutes after Michigan took a 2-1
lead, Northern Michigan forward Chris Gobert
took a feed from Dan Donnette and beat Josh
Blackburn five-hole to tie the game.

Wolverines took

three out of four possible points from
Northern Michigan in Marquette.


Explosive sophomores remain keys to lcers success
Cammalleri and Hilbert emerging as stars together while generating bulk of offensive production

MIKE CAMMALLERI
CENTER
Cammalleri repeated another
offensive outburst in tallying three
goals and an assist to pace the
Wolverines and lengthen his scoring
streak to six games.
JOSH BLACKBURN
GOALTENDER
Blackburn turned away 44-of-48
shots as the stabilizing force that
anchored a decimated blueline.
ANDY HILBERT
RIGHT WING
Extended his scoring streak to seven
games bysnotching two goals and an
assist this past weekend.
This Weekend:
vs. St. Lawrence
Friday: at Yost Ice
Arena, 7:35 p.m.
Saturday: at Yost Ice
Arena, 7:05 p.m.
Michigan returns home after four-
game road trip to host 2000 Frozen
Four participant St. Lawrence, a
member of the Eastern College
Athletic Conference.
Uem
No. 1 Michigan State (11-1-3) tied
Bowling Green, 3-3; def. Bowling Green,
3-1.
No. 2 North Dakota (12-2-4) def. Alaska
Anchorage, 4-2; def. Alaska Anchorage, 4-
0.
No. 3 Boston College (1-3-0) did not play.
No. 4 New Hampshire (10-3-3) tied
UMass-Lowell, 2-2 (T); tied UMass-
Lowell, 0-0 (ODT).
No. 5 Michi an 011-3-3) def. Northern, 6-
2; tied Northem, 2-2 (OT).
No. 6 Western Michigan (11-2-2) def.
Maimi, 6-4; lost to Miami, S-1,
No. 7 Minnesota (9-5-2) lost to Denver, 4-
0; lost to Denver, 4-1.
No. 8 Providence (8-3-3) lost to Merrimack,
4-1; def. Merrimack, 7-3.
No. 9 Colorado Collee (10-3-1) def. Air
Force, 4-1. def. Bemid- State, 2-1.
No. 10 St. Cloud 00-3-1) def. Michigan
Tech, 4-3 (OT); def. Michigan Tech, 4-3.

By Joe Smith
Daily Sports Writer

Frst peod-1. UM. Jilison 4 (unassisted).:15:2. UM,
Cammalleri 9(Shouneyia. Jillson), 16:23 (pp. Penties
-NMU, Robertson (tripirng,,, 16:13; UM. Ortmeyer
(chaging), 17:21; UM, Roemensky (cross checking),
19:30.
Second peliod -3. UM, Koch 4 (Ortmeyer, Hilbert).
:50 (sh): 4. UM. Cammaleri 10 (Hilbert, Komisarek).
1:35;5 NMU, Cockburn 10{Mattersdorf, Connoly).
12:45:6, NMU. Cockburm11 (Mattersdorf. Gobert),
18:29 (pp); 7. U,) Ortmeyer 7 {Kosck), 19:21.
Penaties- NMU. Donnette (high sticking), 3:37; UM,
Gassoff (obstruction4ripng), 707: UM,. Matzka
(obstruction-hooking). 10:3.3;NMU Sandbeck (rough-
ng), 13:15; UM, Ortmeyer (slashing),17:46; UM,
Matzka thigh sticking). 19:31.
Tirdpeiod -8. UM). Hilbert 9(unassisted), 16:43.
Penlties -NMU. Cockburn thigh sticking), :08.
Shots on goal -- UM), 14-11-9 -- 34; NMU, 711-4 - 22.
Power Plays - UM,1 of 4:NMU,21of6.
Saves- UM.Blackburn 7-94 - 20; NMU Kowalski
12-1-0 -13: NMU. Rusett 0.7.8 -15.
Referee - Duke Shegos.
Linesmen -+-- Dean Sanborn, George Niemi.
At: Berry Events Center. Marquette. Attendance: 3,789

MARQUETTE - Michigan hockey
coach Red Berenson has said that when
the Wolverines are in a big game, and his
team is up against the elements, Mike
Cammalleri comes to play.
After the sophomore center's stellar
performances the past two weekends -
arguably the four most pivotal games so
far this season - whoever doubted
Michigan's legendary coach is now kick-
ing themselves.
Cammalleri tallied 10 points in these
four contests, making his prescence felt
by being on the ice during 12 of the
Wolverines' 15 goals.
"He's a great college player," Berenson
said. "He's the epitome of what every
player would like to be in terms of skill."
Cammalleri shined a week ago in the
Wolverines' sweep of the College
Hockey Showcase. The two wins came at
a time when Michigan was struggling,
having lost three of five going into
Thanksgiving and desperately needing to
get back on track.
That weekend, much like King Midas,
everything Cammalleri touched turned to
gold.
By notching three timely goals to go
along with assists on three others,
Cammalleri had a hand in six of
'M' rises
to road
challenge
By Arun Gopal
Daily Sports Writer
MARQUETTE - On Nov. 18, the
Michigan hockey team did the
unthinkable.
It lost to Alaska-Fairbanks - at Yost
Ice Arena.
The Nanooks' stunning 5-2 victory
was inconceivable for a variety of rea-
sons, none bigger than this - Alaska-
Fairbanks had never won at Yost Ice
Arena. For that matter, the Nanooks
had only beaten Michigan once in 21
previous meetings.
The Wolverines were already rattled
after falling to lowly Ferris State in Big
Rapids, 5-4, the previous Saturday. In
the wake of the shocking home loss to
Fairbanks, Michigan found itself with
a pedestrian, by Michigan standards, 8-
3-2 overall record, with a 6-3 CCH A
mark. The Wolverines - ranked No. 2
in preseason polls - tumbled to No. 71
after losing to the Nanooks.
Adding injury to insult, Michigan
lost two defensemen - including
assistant captain Dave Huntzicker -
to severe knee injuries. It seemed likeI
the perfect time for a break in the
schedule, but Michigan was out of
luck.
The Wolverines had less than one
week to prepare for games at+
Wisconsin and Minnesota over
Thanksgiving break. After that,I
Michigan faced a trip to the Upper
Peninsula for two games against a dan-
gerous Northern Michigan team in;
M uiette.
Those two weekends have come and<
gone. The results?
Michigan hit its stride at just the
right time.
Mike Cammalleri's goal in the first
minute against Wisconsin jump-startedl
the Wolverines, who defeated the
Badgers, 3-2. Two nights later,<
Cammalleri scored two goals and
assisted on a third in a pivotal second
period as the Wolverines knocked-off1

WI LDCATS
Continued from Page 18
scraps.
On the other side of the ice, though,
the Northern players and coaches
understood the same thing, and spent
Saturday night trying to draw the
Wolverines into physical situations that
could create such risks.
"We knew they were short staffed on
the blue-line and that was part of our
plan to go right at them, make them
play the puck as much as they can and
play as physical as we can against
them. That's what we did tonight,"
Northern's captain Mike Sandbeck
said.
Dsrnite the fact that Northern plaved

Michigan's seven goals to lead his team
past two highly-ranked foes, including
then-No. 2 Minnesota.
But he didn't do it alone. Fellow
sophomore and linemate Andy Hilbert
chipped in with two goals and an assist,
making the duo an explosive combo.
Hilbert "is just a great offensive play-
er," Cammalleri said. "I'm just trying to
find him in chances where he can get the
shot off and score some goals. And he's
finding me a lot in times where I'm able
to score -- we're having a good time
doing it."
This past weekend at second-place
Northern was crucial for the Wolverines.
If Michigan had lost these games, it
could have possibly put them in an unac-
ceptable fifth-place position in the heated
CCHA race. But Cammalleri and Hilbert
became Michigan's aces, especially in
their opponent's eves.
This tandem is reminiscent of the
Mike Comrie-Hilbert combination from
last season, when Hilbert moved from his
usual center spot to the wing and com-
plemented the Hobey Baker finalist to
the tune of 33 points.
This year's pairing of Cammalleri and
Hilbert is enjoying six-and seven-game
point streaks respectively. This not only
makes them the team's two leading scor-
ers but also draws respect from oppo-
nents.

In fact, when asked what was the most
important thing that his team had to do in
order to beat No. 5 Michigan coming into
the weekend, Northern coach Rick
Comley made it loud and clear - "stop
Cammalleri and Hilbert."
A simple statement, but definitely not
an easy task.
Cammalleri tallied two goals and an
assist in Friday's game, while Hilbert
added the final score in Michigan's 6-2
win.
"Hilbert's a great, talented offensive
player;' Comley said. "But you lose a
guy like Comrie and you wonder where
it's going. But Cammalleri ' I think for
a sophomore -- might be a more com-
plete player than Comrie. Not as dynam-
ic perhaps offensively, but a more com-
pletQ player."
Surprise, surprise. Michigan's two
goals on Saturday night were scored by
none other than Cammalleri and Hilbert
- with Cammalleri's tally a perfect
example on how the members of the first
line (Cammalleri, Hilbert and Geoff
Koch) complement each other so well.
Cammalleri won the faceoff and
tapped it back to Hilbert at the point.
Hilbert took his notorious, sniper-like
shot that got blocked by a Northern
defenseman at the faceoff circle.
But it only delayed the inevitable.
Koch's hustle in front of the net

Sophomores Mike Cammalleri
and Andy Hilbert lead the team
in scoring, and at their cur-
rent pace they will have
breakout seasons.
Check out how they
fared last year in
comparison to their
stats after 17
games:

. ,
r: ;
q ,
1
k'

.-I

Yr.
Cammalleri 99
'00
Hilbert '99
'00

Gms
39
17
38
17

G J
13
11
17
10

A
13
14
16
19

Pt
26
25
33
29

FILE PHOTOS


deflected the puck to Cammalleri, who
wristed a shot just past the stick of
Northern Michigan netminder Dan
Ragusett.
"It's a good time," said Cammalleri
about the line's chemistry. "Three hockey
players who try to complement each
other. Koch is a great forechecket; a
strong guy who gets us the puck a lot on
turnovers, while also playing solid defen-
sively."
While both Cammalleri and Hilbert
enjoyed impressive freshman campaigns
and played well on separate lines earlier
this season, they were both having a dif-
ficult time burying their offensive
chances. The two resorted to waiting for

goals while pacing the team in the assi
category.
Now that they are playing toge4
they're clicking on all cylinders. In the
eyes, a clearer focus and confidence hav
been the key factors in their offenfsi'
explosion.
"I've tried to focus a little more," sa
Cammalleri, who has 13 points in hi
current six game scoring streak - and
riding his longest scoring streak sine
starting the season on a seven-game poi
binge.
"I realized earlier in the year that I w
playing some good hockey but I wa
focusing like I should. But now, I've rea
ized that focus can take you a long way

Steady defense saves
weekend for Blue

Michigan defenseman Jay Vancik and Northern's Colin Young get up
personal in Saturday night's intense, 2-2 stalemate.

JEFF HURVITZ/Daily
close and

Mike
Camalleti
(13) and-
And Hilbert
(19)

By Ryan C. Moloney
Daily Sports Writer
MARQUETTE - When Michigan
defenseman Andy Burnes fell to the ice
early Friday night as
if he were the HOCKEY
raggedy rag doll that
bears the same Notebook
name, it was yet
another blow to an already depleted
defense. Burnes' bruised ribs kept him out
the rest of the weekend. He hopes to return
for the St. Lawrence series next weekend.
At the point when Burns went down, it
was even money whether or not associate
coach Mel Pearson would start shuffling
through the aisles of the Berry Events
Center, asking fans if they had any previous
defensive experience.
It looked that bad for the Wolverines.
With their defensive rotation trimmed to
five - including Bob Gassoff, who did not
leave the bench in the Minnesota game --
Michigan needed each man to play tough in
a tough building.
The willingness of the Michigan defense
to endure the minutes, and the goading
chippiness of Northern Michigan, salvaged
the weekend.
"They knew we had five defensemen
and they knew we were tired," Gassoffsaid.
"They were going to try and get us into the
penalty box all night so we had to keep our
heads."
It was not an awe-inspiring weekend by
the defense, but a grind-it-out study in
patchworking - more guts than glory.
Mike Roemensky and Jay Vancik main-
tained their understated styles of play, with
Vancik's lay-out to stop a clean 2-on-I just
after the start of Saturday night's game a
symbolic display of instinct.
Jeff Jillson and Mike Komisarek took on
a load of minutes and both still found time
to pitch-in offensively-Jillson with a goal
and two assists and Komisarek with an
assist on the weekend.
Gassoff cured some earlier inconsistency
by making a clutch defensive stop early in
the third period Saturday. Komisarek had
pinched-in, losing his position on the left
blueline - Gassoff hustled over from his
right defensive spot and slapped the puck

back into the Northern zone, avoiding'
potential breakaway opportunity.
But the defensemen got a-little help frot
their friends. On numerous occasion.
Saturday, Bill Trainor and J.J. Swistak huh
in behind the play in order to line up dire
at the Michigan blueine for oncoin
Wildcat rushes, alleviating stress on-th
fatigued five.
"It was such a big ice surface, we con
centrated on getting a guy back and hel
out our defense," Trainor said. "It's suec
long way for the defense to go back and -e
the puck, so we try to help out and screen
guys going into the zone - that was the
purpose of it."
Michigan also used Jed Ortmeyer at the
point on the power play in both games
an idea coach Red Berenson has toyed v"ith
this year, but never felt the need to fully
explore until Burnes' injury.
"He's doing a good job,' Berenson se
"He played there a little last year and that
helps give our defense a breather."
LANGFELD STRUGGLES CONTINtE:
Michigan right winger Josh Langfeld is-still
trying to regain the scorching scoring touch
of his first eight games. During that stretch.
the senior scored 14 points and held a rarng
of +6. Over the last nine games, Langfeld
has scored one point - an assist in
Michigan's 8-0 victory over Alaska-
Fairbanks - and has gone -2 over that time.
"It's a little bit of everything, he h*
couple of shots tonight and last nigt,'
Berenson said. "I don't worry about him
scoring goals as long as he's playing hard,
playing well and playing well defensively
and that's what I've told him.
"He'll get through this and he's a good
team player. ... the goals will come"
PEARSON PERSEVERES THROUGH PAIN:
Pearson unintentionally paid homage toran
earlier era in hockey Friday night - in
first period, Northern cleared the puck
the Michigan bench, smacking Pearson
square above the tight eyebrow.
A surprisingly collected Pearson applied
a towel to the gash and refused to get sewn
up until the intermission.
Pearson, who took four stitches, laughed
about the head trauma afterwards: "I
thought my hockey stitches were done,"the
former Michigan Tech standout said.

VIIIuga Z a, ur uliUII a sVIv
Mlchgan 0 1 1 0-2
Northern 0 1 1 0-2
Fist peiod -No scoring. Penlties -NMU. Sawruk (hit-
ting after the whistle). 5:16: UM, Gas.off (hating after the
whistle), 5:16:UM, Matzka (obstructin-hocking).6:48;
UM), Ortmeyer (interference), 11:42.
Second pedl- 1. UM), Cannallei11 (Koch, Hilbert).
7:56; 2. NMU, Stutzel2 (Young), 8:45. Penafties-
NMU. Sandbeck (tripping), 3:08: UM. bench minor (too
maryon ice, 13:46;NMU, Kinnnen (hokding the stick),
15:33.
11*d peuod -3. UM,Hilbert 10 (JilIson, Camnalieri),
8-27;4. NMU, Gobert 7 (Donnette, Jackson), 11:35.
Penidtes-UM. K4och (boarding), 14:07; NMU, Carnigan
(hitting after the whistle), 16:06: UM, Mautia (hitting after
the whistle). 16.06: NMU, Robertson (hittig after the
!whistle), 16:06; UM), ancik (hitting after the whistle).
16:06: NMU. Robertson (charging), 16:06.
Overtime --No scoring. Penlkes -none
Shots on 9goi - UN), 9.77- 31: NM U, 86120- 26.
Power Pays-UM,0of 3: NMU. 0o4.
Sawne: - UM, Blackburn85110-24; NMU, Ragusett
97.6-7 - 29.
Referee - Duke Shegos.
Ltksen - Dean Saiborm, George Niemi.
n At Berry Events Center, Marquette. Atteedance: 3,804

Minnesota in Minneapolis, 4-1.
Then, this past weekend, Michigan
took three of four points from
Northern Michigan. The Wolverines
cruised to a 6-2 win on Friday before
skating off with a 2-2 tic on Saturday.
Four tough road games, seven out of
eight possible points.
"I think we learned a lot those two
previous weekends where we lost on
Saturday." defenseman Jeff Jillson
said. "I think we took a lot out of those
games, and we've been able to put
those things into last weekend's games
and this weekend's games."
After the crushing loss to the
Nanooks, the Wolverines had to do
some soul-searching. With a daunting
stretch of upcoming games, Michigan
knew it had to right the ship fast, or its
CCH A championship dreams could
disappear.
"The competition in the last two
weeks has been the best competition,
back-to-back, that we've played,"

Michigan coach Red Berenson said
after Saturday night's game. "I think
our team is realizing how important
defense is, how important team playing
is, and how close the games are going
to be"
As Berenson indicated, Michigan
appears to be learning from its earlier
struggles, and not a moment too soon.
Just when it seemed as though
Michigan State was putting a strangle-
hold on the CCHA lead, the
Wolverines' success in Marquette has
vaulted them into second ,place, keep-
ing pace with the Spartans, who lead
by three points.
Combine the three points against
Northern with the two wins in the
College Hockey Showcase, and
Michigan has served notice to the rest
of the nation that it is going to be a
force for the remainder of the season.
"It's tough on the road," defenseman
Bob Gassoff said. "But, we're starting
to make a name for ourselves."


Here's the breakdown of three
clutch plays made behind the
blueline this weekend (in chrono-
logical order).
1) A diving Craig Murray swept
the puck out of the zone when the
Wildcats were threatening (11:45
of second period, Friday).
2) Defenseman Jay Vancik drops
down to block a Northern two-on-
one attempt (1:15 of first period,
Saturday).
3) Right after Michigan scores
its second goal, Northern's Mike
Sandbeck skates in and passes to

CCHA Standings
CCHA OVERALL
Team W L T Pts GP GF GA W L T

Michigan State
Michigan
Western Michigan
Northern Michigan.
Ohio State
Miami
Lake Superior
Alaska-Fairbanks
Nebraska-Omaha
Bowling Green
Notre Dame
Ferris State

8
7
6
5
6
5
5
3
3
2
1
1

1
3
1
5
3
4
8
5
5
6.
5
7

2
1
2
4
1
1
0
4
0
4
2
2

18
15
14
14
13
11
10
10
6
8
4
4

11
11
9
14
10
10
13
12
8
12
8
10

34
45
46
37
32
34
30
30
26
31
15
24

15
24
30
40
25
30
46
44
30
37
23
44

11
11
1
7
9
8
8
3
6
2
3
3

1
3
2
5
4
6
10+
7
8
8
9
8

3
3
2
5
1
2
0
4
0
4
3
3

Last week
in the
CCHA
TUESDAY'S GAME:
oIO STATE 10, Findlay 0
Fm='s GAM:
Michigan 6, NoRTHm
Michigan State 3,
BowuNG GREEN 3(OT);
WESTERNMICHIGAN 6,
Miami 4;
NERASKA-OMAHA 5, Alaska-
Fairbanks 1;
LAKE SuPERIoR 2, Notre

!" i t*NT T A -- . -. -I ---1

I

. r,2 ' ir : }. r h 'w .> 11y ay l' -. .

I