4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - March 12, 2001

Shouts from the point

"If we do lay for three weeks, we'll
have the chance to play for something
very special.
Michigan coach Red Berenson, after his team won both of
their weekend games for the first time since the first
weekend of 2001.

FRIDAY NIGHT
Ferris State 3
Michigan 8

SATURDAY NIGHT
Ferris State 0
Michigan 3

Key play
Friday, 11:40 of second period.
Moments after Ferris State trims Michigan's
lead to 3-2, a Jeff Jillson turnover gives Ferris
State a 3-on-1 going the other way. The
Bulldogs'Rob Collins storms in untouched and
lets loose a wrist shot, but Josh Blackburn
makes a huge pad save, preserving the lead.


THE DAILY'S STARS
The Michigan Daily hockey writers'
picks for Michigan's three stars of the
weekend.
JOSH BLACKBURN
GOALTENDER
Although he didn't face too much rub-
ber, Blackburn was still a rock in net
for the Wolverines, turning aside 31 of
34 shots on the weekend.
MIKE CAMMALLERI
CENTER
The super sophomore continued his
season-long excellence with three
goals and an assist in the two games.
JOSH LANGFELD
IGHT WING
Four weeks after suffering a knee
injury against Michigan State, Langfeld
returned to the lineup and scored two
goals, including the game-winner on
Saturday night.
'M' SCHEDULE
This week:
Frida -Saturday at CCHA semifi-
nals/championship
Fday: at Joe Louis Arna(Detroit),
8:30 p.m.
Satu (if Mga ancsto dhampi.
onship game): at Joe Louis Arena, 7:30 p.m.
By sweeping Ferris State, Michigan
has advanced to the CCHA semifi-
nals. Last year, top-seeded Michigan
fell to upstart Nebraska-Omaha in
the semifinals, 7-4.
How THEY FARED
No. 1 Michigan State (2844) def.
Alaska-Fairbanks 5-2, def. Alaska-
Fairbanks 3-2 (OT).
No. 2 North Dakota (24-5-9) lost to
Minn.-Duluth 3-2, def. Minn:-Duluth 6-2,
dlef. Minn:-Duluth 4-0
No. 3 Boston College (28-&-2) def.
Merrimack 1-0, def.M errimack 5-1
No. 4 St. Cloud (27.8-1) def. Alaska
Anchorage 5-1, def. Alaska-Anchorage 8-2.
No. 5 Minnesota (25-10-2) def.
Michigan Tech 7-2, def. Michigan Tech
3-1.
No. 6 Michigan (24-11-5) def. Ferris
State 8-3, del. Ferris State 3-0.
No. 7 New Ham pshire (20-10-6) def.
Mass.-Lowell 4-2, lost to Mass.-Lowell
2-1, lost to Mass.-Lowell 2-1.
No.8 Colorado Coll. (22-11-1) def. MSU-
Mankato 3-0, def. MSU-Mankato 7-3.
No. 9 Clarkson (20-9-3) lost to Vermont
5-3, def. Vermont 3-2 (20T), lost to
Vermont 3-2.
No. 10 Maine (17-10.7) def. Northeastern
2-1, def. Northeastern 6-3.
FRIDAY'S GAME
Michigan 8, Fenis State 3

Blackburn shines in series sweep

Despite lack of shots,,
By Ryan C. Moloney
Daily Sports Writer

junior netminder makes big saves in clutch

Seasons die because of plays like
this.
Fortunately for the Michigan hock-
ey team, plays like this are what
define the often mind-boggling talent
of Josh Blackburn.
When Jeff Jillson coughed-up the
puck in the Ferris State zone at the
9:15 mark of the second period
Friday night, the progression of
events worked like dominos.
With Jillson caught, the Bulldogs
had numbers on a rush, and the puck
quickly found its way to the stick of
the hard-charging Rob Collins. The
Wolverines peeled back desperately,
but to no avail - Collins was in
alone.
Blackburn crouched at the tip of
the crease, poised to defend his nest.
Ferris State had trimmed a 3-0 deficit
to one goal not 20 seconds earlier -
another goal and who knows? A
series, much less a game, could turn
on a quick equalizer.
If one heart in Yost refused to stop
beating it was Blackburn's. A quick
flash of the pads stopped the wrist
shot - and Ferris State's upset hopes.

"Those aren't things that are in the
script and certainly they shouldn't
happen, but they happen," Michigan
coach Red Berenson said. "I think
our players on the bench are confi-
dent he will make that save and we're
not surprised when he does, but
there's no question that it gives us a
big lift"
It was just the right save, at just the
right moment, in just the right game,
at just the right time of year. The
Wolverines stumbled into this year's
CCHA Tournament - much was said
over the past month, but nothing was
done. In delicate, Jenga-block situa-
tions like these, a play like
Blackburn's might just jump-start a
season.
If nothing else, Michigan put its
mouth guard back in and started
swinging.
The Wolverines' scoring machine
threw it back into hyper-drive after
Blackburn's denial, scoring three
more times in the period.
"That was huge, just huge," Mike
Cammalleri said. "They score and it's
a whole new ballgame. Blackie is the
kind of player who comes up with the
big save - I can't even describe how
big a momentum builder that is, now

we're going the other way and able to
get a goal."
Blackburn's numbers for this game
were not awesome, impressive, or
even kind of good. Three goals off of
16 shots. But consider this -
Michigan's stellar defensive corps
does not allow Blackburn much work
on most nights.
When a shot is steered at the junior
netminder, he often relies on an ath-
leticism that remains untapped most
of the time.
The measure of a "playoff hot"
goaltender relies not so much on the
number of shots saved, but on the
quality of the saves. Blackburn made
every save he could this weekend, and
a few saves most goaltenders proba-
bly couldn't.
That breeds confidence, which
spawns wins. Blackburn came back
with a shutout the next night.
Coincidence?
A showing like this "is real impor-
tant and I like the way Josh compet-
ed," associate coach Mel Pearson
said. "He's a playoff-tested goalie and
he's been really good in the NCAA
Tournament for us."
If Friday was any indication, he'll
continue to be.

BRAD QUINN/Dai*
Junior goaltender Josh Blackburn readies for a shot. Blackburn made several key
saves on odd-man rushes to secure the Michigan sweep this weekend.

Refocused, 'M' avoids letdowns

By Arun Gopal
Daily Sports Writer

Ferris State
Michigan

0 21
3 3 2

3
8

Fkstpedod-- UM, camnalled 23 (unassisted), 4:13(pp);
2. UM, Kosick 12 (Kautz),13:51;3. UM, t.agfeld 14
(Sxa~eyia, ilsc,,), 15:56.
Penalies-FSU, Milan(interference),3:09; FSU, Kunitz
(obstructionioldirg), 5:02; UM,UancIk (interference), 7:39;
FSU, Mcver (tripprg), 16:34; UM, Burnes (hooking),
19:43.
Second peda-4. FSU, Swider 16 (BasL~ewis), 5:44;
5. FSU, Swide 17 (Kuntz, Milan), 758 (); 6. UN, Hlbert
24( misarek),10:28(pp); 7. UM,Trainor3(Matzka),
13:07; 8. UM, Kautz 3 (Kosick, Koch). 16:27.
Penies-Jilson (hoft, :24; FSU, Milam (hooking,
:49; UM, Gassoff (roghing after the whistle), 6:11; FSU,
Segren (roghing ater the whistle), 6:11; UM, Burnes
(crosschecking), 655; UM, team (too many men on ice),
6:55; FSU, Bowers (slashirg), 923; FSU, Bube (slashing),
1028; FSU, Mclver (slasing), 1328; UM, Komisarek
(interfrence), 1658.
hid pedod -9. UM, Cmmaier24 (Kauz. Gasso f),
18:18;10. FSU, Rogger 3(unassisted), 18:31;11. UM,
Hilbert 25 (Cammalleri), 19:15.
Pelties- FSU, Schroder (rouighr),228; FSU, Schroder
(W0minutemisconduct),2:28; UM, Cammalleri (troppirg),
4:37; UM, Koch (holdirg the stick), 10:23.
Sh ongoal-FSU - 61-16; UM -1814-12- 44.
Power Plays - FSU 1 of 8; UM 2 of 8.
Penaties- FSU 10 (28 min); UM 9 (18 min).
Saes - FSU, Osr1511 3- 26; FSU, Owen00-10-
10: UM, Blackburn 6-7-0 -12.
Reeree - Duke Shegos.
Lnesmen - Butch Freimn, Crag isko
At Yost Ice Arena. Attedance: 6,357
SATURDAY'S GAME
Michigan 3, Ferris State 0

Ferris State
Michigan

0 00 0
0 2 1 3

Senior Scott Matzka played inspired hockey this week
of his status as assistant captain by coach Red Berens
BULLDOGS
Continued from Page 1B
Josh Langfeld started the scoring at the 4:48-
mark of the second, fooling Ferris State's Phil
Osaer short-side for the powerplay goal and 1-
0 lead.
The Wolverines pushed the powerplay button
again at the 11:35-mark. WithFerris State's
Christian Schroder just four seconds into a
holding penalty, Mike Cammalleri took the
faceoff in the left circle, made a highlight-reel
maneuver around the Bulldogs' defense, and
flipped the puck past a handcuffed Osaer for
the 2-0 advantage.
It was Cammalleri's third goal of the series
and 25th of the season.
The goal was further proof of Cammalleri's
potency in the series, but it didn't tell the story.
Three times in the second period, Cammalleri
set up golden scoring chances, but Osaer, fresh
off of surrendering six goals the previous night,
was up to the task.
Michigan retreated into a defensive style in
the third period and Ferris State found little
solace in its chances.
The Bulldogs' best opportunity occurred at
the 12:40-mark of the third when Chris Kunitz,
denied in the first period, was again stoned on
SCHWARTZ
Continued from Page 1B
to play the next night."
There are no do-overs at this point - sure,
if the Wolverines don't win the CCHA
Tournament, they'll still probably be invited
to the NCAAs. But this team can't afford to
leave anything to chance.

One of the features of college hock-
ey that separates it from professional
hockey is the concept of a weekend
series.
Asfans of college hockey know, a
team such as
Michigan - with
occasional excep- HOCKEY
tions - generally Notebook
will only play
twice a week, on
Friday and Saturday nights. What
makes it more intriguing is that the
same two teams play both nights,
hence the term "weekend series."
Sweeping a weekend series is no
easy task, but the good teams general-
ly find a way to do it with some regu-
larity. Therein lies what was one of the
biggest headaches for the Michigan
hockey team this season.
This weekend's two-game sweep of
Ferris State in a CCHA first-round
playoff series marked the first time
that Michigan swept an opponent since
the Wolverines took a pair from Lake
Superior (5-0, 2-0) on Jan. 5 and 7 at
Yost Ice Arena.
Michigan made a habit this year of
BRENDAN O'DONNELL/Daily playing well in one game of a weekend
end, though he was stripped set and playing poorly in the other
son earlier in the week. game. The Wolverines didn't discrimi-
his breakaway attempt by Blackburn, who sal-
vaged the shutout. B 4 4"
Appropriately enough, senior captain Geoff
Koch capped his career in Yost in style, scoring
an empty-netter with seven seconds left in the Photos by
game.
In an exciting, wide-open series opener on
Friday, Michigan got points from twelve play-
ers, including three each from Cammalleri and
Joe Kautz.
Cammalleri started the scoring with a power
play goal at the 4:13-mark of the first period,
fooling Osaer over his right shoulder for the
early lead.
Mark Kosick and Langfeld both added on -
Kosick on a fluke deflection, Langfeld on a
well-executed 2-on- 1 with John Shouneyia -
for the 3-0 lead.
Ferris State staged a comeback to start the
second period, getting goals from Kevin Swider
just over two minutes apart to cut Michigan's 3-
0 first period advantage to 3-2. After a pivotal
Blackburn save on a breakaway at the 9:15-
mark, the Wolverines came alive with goals
from Andy Hilbert, Bill Trainor and Kautz to
put the game out of reach for the Bulldogs.
"We got some genuine confidence I think our
team learned a bit of a lesson this weekend,"
Berenson said.A "

4

Fb*t piod - no scornrg Penlies - UM, Gassoff
(obstructiontripping), 4:33; FSU, Miam (holding the stick),
5:33; UM, Komisaek (hooking), 7:08.
Second peod-1. UM,tagfekl 15 (Kosick, Shouneyla),
4:48 (pp); 2. UM, cammalled 25 (unassisted), 11:35.
Pnies - FSU, Knitz (slashing),3:55; UM, Gassoff (hit-
tirg after whistle), 3:55;FSU, Kunitz (hittingaterwhistle),
3:55; UM, Matzka (charging), 6:32; UM, Matzka(interfer-.
ere), 8:43; FSU, Schroder (obstuctiont1oldrg), 11:31;
UM, Kautz (inter ference), 12:55; FSU, Milam (troorg),
17:25.
Thrdpeiod-3. UM,Koch9(Hilbert),19:53(en)
Penlies- UM, Matzk'a (holding the stick), 10:55; FSU,
Basle (roitghfing), 10:55; FSU, Kunitz (10-minute rniscon-
duct), 15:37; FSU, Kunitz (kneeing),15:37.
Shots ongoal-FSU,103-5-18; UM, &146- 28.
PowerPlays-FSU, 05; UM, 25.
Penties--FSU 8(24 min); UM 7 (14 min).
Saves - FSU, Osaer &12-5- 25; UM, Blackbum 1035
-18.
Referee - Duke Shegos.
Ukm:men - Butch Freidn, craig Usko.
At Yost Ice Arena. Atedance: 6,394.
PAIRWISE RANKINGS
KAm 1' torin

nate when it came to picking a night to
play well - on four occasions
Michigan won on Friday and lost on
Saturday. In three instances, the
Wolverines lost on Friday and won on
Saturday.
"If someone kept a stat when you
play the same team both nights, it's
always that the team that loses the first
night gets a little more up. for the next
game," Michigan assistant coach Mel
Pearson said. "The coaches get on the
players, and things become a little
more desperate. The team that wins, all
of a sudden you have a tendency to
relax a little bit."
MATZKA LOSES "A": Senior forward
Scott Matzka was sporting a slightly
different look this weekend. After
receiving a game misconduct for ges-
turing at referee Steve Piotrowski late
in the third period of a March 1 game
at Michigan State, Matzka was perma-
nently stripped of his assistant captain-
cy by Michigan coach Red Berenson.
"We're not going to embarrass him,
but it's a subtle response to his mis-
conduct and it's just not conduct
becoming of a team captain,"
Berenson said following Friday night's
game.
BACK IN THE SADDLE: In a Feb. 17
game against Michigan State at Joe
Louis Arena in Detroit, senior forward
Josh Langfeld suffered what looked to

be a serious knee injury. At the time, it
looked like Langfeld might be side*
lined for the rest of the season, but just
four weeks later, he returned to the
lineup on Friday night and scored a
goal in Michigan's 8-3 triumph.
"It was good to be back,' Langfeld
said after Friday's game. "With the
playoff atmosphere, I think our team
responded pretty well, and for myself,
it was a good game."
ALL IN THE NAME OF TEAM UNITY:
NBA fans might remember the play-
offs from a few years ago, when the
entire rosters of both the Indiana
Pacers and Charlotte Hornets shaved
their heads as a sign of team unity.
In a similar act of solidarity, several
members of the Michigan hockey team
inserted blond highlights into their hair
prior to Friday night's CCHA playoff
opener against Ferris State.
While there was nothing quite as
frightening as the sight of Chris,
Mullin, Rik Smits or Vlade Divac with
a bald pate, the newly-styled
Wolverines did raise a few eyebrows.
"A bunch of us did it for a little team
unity in the playoffs," sophomore cen-
ter Mike Cammalleri said after
Saturday's game.
"Most of the guys put some high-
lights in their hair. I can't grow much
(of a beard), so I thought I'd do some-
thing else."

Alyssa Wood
With Michigan
clinging to a 3-2
lead in the mid-
" die of the second
period on Friday
x night, Mike
Komisarek
picked up a -
loose puck in the
defensive zone
and fed Andy
4:.n
Hilbert, who
raced in alone on
.,.. Ferris State goal-
tender Phil
Osaer.
Hilbert held onto
the puck for a
split second
longerInorderto
freeze Osaer in
his crouch. Then,
Hilbert released
one of his signa-
ture wrist shots
from point-blank
range. Osaer
.' : flailed wildly, but
the puck eluded
him low to the
stick side.
}a
tl0nV

don't get second chances," Michigan associate
head coach Mel Pearson said.
This team needs to become the group that it
was in the first half of the season, the team
that started off the year 13-3-3.
It needs to throw any notion of complacen-
cy out the window and play every remaining
game with the fire and intensity that showed
in Friday's first period.
And it needs to take a good look at the

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