4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - January 29, 2001

Shouts from the point
"Four goals tonight--I'm human."
Michigan State goalie Ryan Miller
disc ussing the end of his 229:29 shutout steak.
After Josh Langfeld snuck one past him to
end the stretch, he game up three more goals,
including the overtime winner

SATURDAY'S GAME

Michigan
Michigan State

4
3 (OT )

Key play
Saturday, 1:57 left in overtime
With the game deadlocked 3-3, Andy Hilbert
raced down the right wing - and while
falling down - slid the puck through Ryan
Millers pads for the game-winner

THE DAILY


'S STARS


The Michigan Dily hockey writers'
picks for Michiganrs three stars of the
weekend.
ANDY, HLBET
RIGHT WING
The sophomore sniper scored the
game-winner in overtime while being
tackled by Michigan State defenseman
Brad Fast.
II SH LANc.FnLD
LF WING
Langfeld's second-period goal ended
Ryan Miller's shutout streak at 229:29
and tied the game at 1.
MIKE CAMMALLERI
CENTER
Just fourteen seconds into the third
period Cammalleri took a feed from
Hilbert and one-timed the puck past
Miller to tie the score at 3-3.
M SCHEDULE
This week:
Friday at Nebraska-Omaha; Saturday
at Nebraska-Omaha
Friday: at Omaha Civic Auditorium,
7:05 p.m.
Saturday: at Omaha Civic Auditorium,
7:05 p.m.
Michigan travels to America's heart-
land for a weekend series against
the Mavericks, who boast some of
the rowdiest fans in the country.
HOW THEY FARED
No.r Michigan State (2014) def. Lae
Superior 3-lost to Michigan 4-3 (OT).
No. 2 Boston Cole e(17-6-1) def.
Maine 4-1, des. Maine 7-2.
No. 3 North Dakota (16-55) defNSt.
Cloud 4-3 de. St. Cloud 4-3.
No. 4 St. Cloud (194-) lost to North
Dakota 43, lost to North Dakota 4-3
No. 5 New Hampshire (17-51) de.
Alaska-Anc. 5-1, de. Alaska-Anc. 4-2.
No. 6 New Hampshie (16-55) Lost to
Boston U. 2-1, lost to Boston U. 4-2.
Na. 7 Michigan (1744) def. Notre Dame 9-
, de. Michigan State 43.
No. 8 Minnesota (16-7-2) de. Brown 3-
1, de. Bemidji State 5-1.
No. 9 Western Michigan (165.4) lost to
N. Michign 7-.1,3tied.-Michtgan 1.-
No. 10 Maine (1076) lost toBoston
College 4-1. lost to Boston College 7-2.
SATURDAY' S GAME
Michigmi 4, Michga State 3
Michigan 0 2 1 1-4
Michigan State ,1 2 0 0- 3
frt peiod- 1. MSU, Dovy a9,hten. Ferguson, 6:16.
Puiiae- um. a9igeid(tift') 1-21
Scnd peod- 2. UM, agfeld 10(MI*1 , crmyia),
2:17 3..UM, xieya 8 (aitz. Trainor),c12:39:4. MSU,
Fergasn 1 (DO"), 15:51; 5. MSU. tsa 2 (Bogle,
Hhsuson)M 19lU3. P-iles -MSU Naile(tnpkV,1:15
MU, Bgle (interferece) 6:51 MU.Wbtten (ht after
whistlel, 18:47: UM, Bines (hit after whistle), 18:47.
bird peod-6. UM, Cmnaleri 9fHit er), 1:4.
Peils- UM, Ko nisarek ( trLctaan.),61:38.
Overte -7. UM, Hpbert 20 (osick), 303.
Sh ona galt-UM d 10m1112-3 - 36tMSU.13&O - 26.
Power Pays - UM, 0 of 2: MSU, 0 of 2.
Sanes UM Blckum 1250.23; !vS, Miller 191-
2-32
Rr f-Seve Piotrsi.
isn ptc Friodmain, Kin tang h.
At Joetis Arena, Detrnt Ade:19618.
AROUND THE NATION
Five goals in period for Gionta
Boston College senior forward Brian
Giona catapulted himself into mod-
ern qay hockey lore Saturday night,
scoring five goals R
in one period in a
7-2 ;victory 'over'
Maine in Chestnut
Gionta scored the
five goals on fiver
shot$, with the

first coming at the ,
7:57. mark. of the
first period - and
the Iast with 1.1
seconds left.
The qutburst appears to be an all-time
NCAA record for goals in one period.
It also ties the mark for goals in a
game in the Hockey East conference.
As a result of the performance,
Gionta passed Joe Mullen on the all-
time Boston College goal-scoring list,
112-111. Gionta is currently tied with
David Emma for the Eagles' all-time
lead in career goals.
PAIRWISE RANKINGS

Unsung.keep
'M' at pace
with artans
By Ryan C. Moloney
Daily Sports Writer
DETROIT - Shortly after Michigan's 4-
3 overtime thriller over Michigan State
Saturday, Andy Hilbert walked to the end of
the corridor separating the jubilant
Michigan lockerroom from the rest of the
world and smiled dazedlyat a McGwire-
esque throng of reporters.
A few minutes later, Josh Langfeld and
John Shouneyia both emerged separately,
Shouneyia with a hockey bag slung over his
shoulder that caused
the 5-9. 175-pounder HOCKEY
a little sway in his Notebook
step'. But for a few _______
reporters, neither
encountered much interference on the way
to the bus.
It's a wonder, for if not for the heroics of
two of Michigan's lesser known guns, the
Ryan Miller dam might never have leaked
enough for Hilbert to burst it completely.
Langfeld found himself parked in front of
Michigan State netminder just after the
start of the second period. A green and
white brick wall as of late, Miller came into
the game with three straight shutouts and
five in his last six starts.
All of which meant little to Langfeld,
who brought a much-needed element of
swagger to the Wolverines both before and
after delicately tipping a Mark Mink pass in
behind Miller to effectively end Miller's
scoring streak at 229:29.
"We knew he would cr'ack," Langfeld
said. "Marty Turco had the streak before
and he gave up goals. I was, trying to get
inside his head, giving him stuff about a
shutout - but the streak's over with and we
got the W."'
Langfeld struggled with inconsistency in
the first half of the year, but has quietly
made offensive strides since the start of the

Blue takes back-
and-forth game

0

SPARTANS
Continued from Page 1B
"I thought the teams played with a lot of discipline and a lot
of respect as well as a lot of intensity. I think it's great that we
have two great programs in the state of Michigan that can fill a
building like this and give you a hockey game like that."
With Michigan trailing 1-0 and Michigan State's John Nail
skating out of the penalty box, senior Josh Langfeld ended
Miller's streak at 229:29 - thwarting the chance for the
goalie's fourth-straight shutout.
Miller's next scoreless streak didn't last quite so long - only
10:29 - as John Shouneyia took the puck from the blue line
and deked past the Spartans' John-Michael Liles to beat Miller
and put Michigan ahead 2-1.
"It's just another goal," Miller said of ending his streak. "I
don't go out every night thinking, 'Hey, shutout time.' Four
goals tonight- I'm buman. What can I say? I'm not too happy
now
Unlike last weekend's game at Western Michigan, when the
Wolverines trailed throughout before coming back for the tie,
there was never an extended stretch on Saturday when one
team was in complete control.
After Michigan took the lead, Troy Ferguson and Jon Insana
reclaimed the advantage for Michigan State by the end of the
second period.
Insana's goal came with only 57-seconds remaining in the
second, as he sent a wrist shot that somehow trickled through
Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn's legs.
"It was disappointing, disheartening," Berenson said.
"You're back in the game and then you give up a weak goal.
He's been such a stronghold for our team that I don't think any-
body gave it a second thought, except we've got to get that one
back.
They did, as Mike Cammalleri scored 1:14 into the third,
tying the game. Hilbert assisted on the goal to extend his point
scoring streak to 16 games.

BRAD QUIINN/Daily.
Michigan's John Shouneyla bats the puck out of the air, off the back of Michigan State goalie
Ryan Miller, and into the net for a 2-1 lead at the 12:39 mark of the second period, Saturday.

season's second half-- the coaching staff is
quick to praise him even after games in
which he's held scoreless.
Shouneyia gave the Wolverines their first
sniff of an upset with a go-ahead goal a lit-
tle over halfway through the second period.
In a play that typifies the diminutive cen-
ter's puck-handling prowess, he deftly bat-
ted down his own deflected shot off of
Miller's back and into the net.
"I was just trying to shoot and score,"
Shouneyia said with a sheepish disposition.
An offensively-talented sophomore in his
own right, Shouneyia has shot and scored at
a more frequent pace this season. His ninth
goal puts him at 24 points - matching his
season total from all of last year.
Cammalleri charm: Cammalleri is one

of Michigan's vocal leaders - an ace in the
hole for his teammates, one might say.
That is the case for him on the ice, too.
The Wolverines have never lost this season
when Cammalleri has scored a goal - they
are 10-0-3.
Wolverines cure 'Joe' hex: For the
Michigan seniors, Saturday night meant a
little bit more. The 4-3 win over the
Spartans was the first for the seniors
against Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena.
The seniors' current record against
Michigan State at the Joe is 1-5-1, com-
pared to a 3-2-1 record between East
Lansing and Ann Arbor. Prior to Saturday,
the last time a Michigan team had beaten
Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena was the
1997 CCHA champioiship game.

Despite loss, Spartans' defense tops

By Arun Gopal
Daily Sports Writer
DETROIT - Like the Union army at the
Battle of Gettysburg, they line up, four
across. They cut an imposing figure, daring
any; and all comers to, attempt an attack.
Behind them stands their leader, prepared to
thwart the brave opponent who sees the
slightest opening.
Is this some type of commando unit? No,
it's the Michigan State defense.
The top-ranked Spartans' virtually
impenetrable defense was the chief reason
for their astonishing 23-game unbeaten
streak which was broken by Michigan in a
4-3, overtime thriller on Saturday night. The
defeat was Michigan State's first loss since
Oct. 20 against Nebraska-Omaha.
But one loss doesn't erase what the
Spartans have achieved so far this season.
Michigan State hasn't beaten teams as much
as it has suffocated them, and the proof is in
the stats -- the Spartans entered Saturday
night's contest with a national-best 1.12
goals-against average.
The credit for these eye-popping numbers
must be divided between two entities -
Michigan State's defensive system and
sophomore goaltender Ryan Miller.
The Spartans' defensive style is reminis-
Ryan Miller's
grasp on his
scoreles streak
finally slipped 3
s r
Saturday, gving
urap ongoaso
36 shots.
BRAD QUINN/Daily

cent of the Stanley Cup-winning New
Jersey Devils from 1995. Michigan State
clogs up the neutral zone and its own defen-
sive zone so that it is nearly impossible for
opposing teams to generate offensive flow.
This leads to frustration on the other
team's part, creating turnovers and counter-
attacking possibilities for the Spartans.
"You've got to be patient, and you can't
try to do too much," Michigan defenseman
Jeff Jillson said. "Their system is designed
to make you pay in transition. You just have
to 'do a good job in the neutral zone, be
patient, and take the play that is there."
The Spartans had pitched five shutouts in
six games heading into Saturday night's
contest, which makes Michigan's success
that much more remarkable. To put the
Wolverines' four goals into context, consid-
er this - Michigan State had only given up
four goals in its previous nine games.
So, what was the secret to Michigan's.
success?
"We saw them lining four up, so what we
had to do was get it behind them," forward
Craig Murray said. "Unless we could get
outside speed and go wide, we planned on
dumping it in and going to get it."
But the Wolverines still had to put the
puck in the net, something that has been a
lot easier said than done against Miller.

Michigan State's phenom had recorded five
shutouts in his previous six starts - tying
an NCAA record for career shutouts (16) in
the process - and entered Saturday's affair
with a staggering 207:12 shutout streak.
Miller extended that streak by holding
Michigan scoreless in the first period. The
Wolverines -finally broke the rce against
Miller - who had stonewalled then-No. I
Michigan, 1-0, at Yost Arena on Nov. 4 -
when Josh Langfeld outmuscled Michigan
State defenseman Brad Fast and redirected a
Mark Mink pass past Miller at 2:07 of the
second period.
For Michigan, getting the puck past
Miller was as much a psychological battle
as a physical one. As well as Miller has been
playing, the Wolverines' success was A
product of both strategy and execution.
"We just had to get a lot of shots and get
traffic in front of him," forward J.J. Swistak
said. "He's probably the best goalie in col-
lege hockey right now, so we just had to
keep throwing the puck at the net and try to
create some havoc in front of him.
"We had a talk in the room before the
game and said that he's just another goalie,"
Murray added. "We gave him all the respect
he earned, but if we get traffic in front of
him, any goalie that can't see the puck isn't
going to stop it."

BRAD QUINN/Daily
Mark Kosick fed Andy Hilbert for the game-winning goal with
under two minutes left in overtime for the 4-3 win Saturday.
SMITH
Continued from Page 11
Michigan State goal before bringing the celebration
inside the dressing room. That's where the Wolverines'
chanted their fight song with unyielding pride, capping
a night to remember.
"I was pretty much as excited as I was when we won
the national title," senior Scott Matzka said.
There was no trophy presentation after the game, and
a banner wasn't raised, but the Wolverines got what
they came for - retribution, vindication and confi-
dence
Retribution for being shut out at Yost on Nov. 4 after
severely outplaying the Spartans and losing the No. 1
national ranking in the process.
Vindication by "walking the talk", in the words of
associate coach Mel Pearson. Going into the game, the
Wolverines said all along that they could beat the
Sparties. Michigan looked more focused in practice this
week than it ever has this year, but the important thing
is that the Wolverines actually proved it on the ice
where it reallycounts.
And confidence was bred for Michigan's two remain-
ing meetings with the Spartans. On Saturday night, the
Wolverines proved that Michigan State is not unbeat-
able, that Ryan Miller is not invincible, and that their
previous Joe Louis hex is not a factor anymore.
Michigan beat the Spartans at Joe Louis Arena for the
first time since the 1997 CCHA championship game,
which removes a huge monkey from the Wolverines'
backs before they return to the Joe for two more regular
season games plus the conference playoffs.
With 14 games left and crunch time rapidly
approaching, the Wolverines have positioned themselves
right where they want to be. They're only three points
behind the Spartans in the heated CCHA race and more
importantly, they've discovered a killer instinct that can
help them find a way to win games, no matter what.
While Michigan realizes that the true, season-long
battle is far from over, the Wolverines still relish a feel-
ing - and song - that they will never forget.
"It feels great to sing that song and to be proud to be
a Wolverine," senior Josh Langfeld said.
After watching games like these, it's awfully hard not
to be.
Joe Smith can be reached at josephms{aium ich.edut


Jan. 28 standings
from www.uscho.com
Team RPI
1. Michigan State 0.6325
2. North Dakota 0.6214
3. Boston College 0.6159
4. Colorado Corl. 0.5981
5. Michigan 0.5964
6. Minnesota 0,5729

PWR
34
33
31
31
31
28


jP -,* CCHA STANDINGS

CCHA ROUNDUP CCHA LEADERS

REMAINING SCHEDULE


F