6B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - November 19, 2001
Slap shouts
"Three weeks ago, we probably couldn't
have made that comeback. You have to be
lucky sometimes, better than being good.
- Michigan coach Red Berenson on his team's improbable
comeback from two goals down with less than two minutes
to play, forcing overtime on Friday night.
FRIDAY'S GAME
Michigan 4 (ot)
Nebraska-Omaha 4
SATURDAY'S GAME
Michigan 3 (ot)
Vn Nebraska-Omaha 2
Key play
Saturday 10:11 left in second
Shortly after the penalty-kill unit ended a
marathon attackfrom the Mavericks, freshman
Eric Nystrom brought the momentum back to
the Wolverines with his first of two goals.
FRIDAY'S GAME
MidI~m 4 NebmskaOmTdia 4
Despite meltdowns, icers
steal series from Mavericks
Michigan
Nebraska4Omaha
0220 -4
1030 -4
{
{
Fkt peod-1, UNO, Jeff Filewich 1(Andrew Worg) 10:30.
Pemniaes-Andy Burnes, UM (obstruction-holding) 3:21;
Nick Fohr, UNO (elbowirg) 6:08; Mike Komisarek, UM (trip
ping) 10:53; Andrew Wong, UNO (holdirg) 15:34; David Bris
son, UNO (crosscheckirg)17:25. Second pedod -2, UM,
Jason Rynar4(David Moss, Mike Korasarek) 11:37 (pp). 3,
UM,MikeCammalle 6(unassisted) 13:07.Penaties-
Mike Roemensky, UM (holdirg) 1:21; Aaron Smith, UNO(hold-
irg)10:37; Nick Fohr, UNO (tripping) 14:00; Jay Vanoik, UM
(oldirg)15:25.Third pedod-4, UNO, David Brisson 6
(Anthorny Adams, Jeff Hoggan) 3:11; 5, UNO, AaronSmith 5
(Andrew Worg, Jason Jaorski) 13:54; 6, David Brisson, 7
(Jason Jawoski, Kyle O'Keefe) 15:19; 7, UM, Mike Carnmal-
lei,7(Join Shouneya,JedOrtmeyer) 17:32(pp);8, UM,Jed
Ortmeyer, 4 (EricNystrom, MikeCammalleri)19:23. Penies
- David Wygowski, UM (high sticking) 5:27; Mike Roemen-
sky, UM (interference) 9:26; Shane Glover, UNO (high stick-
ing)11:20; MikeGabinet, UNO (obstructionhocking)16:09.
OT pedld--Penrlies- Eric Werner, UM (crosschecking)
1:45; AaronSmith, UNO (tripping) 2:39.
Shosongod- UM,815-21-3-47; UND, 64101-21
PowerPays-UM,2of8;UNO,0of7
Sves-UM, Blackburn, 17(442); UNO, Dan Ellis, 43(7-3-
1).
At:Omaha Civic Auditorium. Attendance; 8,314.
SATURDAY'S GAME
MkcIWai 3, Nebeaskaomaha 2
By J. Brady McCollough
Daily Sports Writer
OMAHA - No one said it would be easy for
the Michigan hockey team to take three out of
four points from Nebraska-Omaha (4-3-1 CCHA,
7-4-1 overall) this weekend in the Civic Auditori-
um. The Mavericks had given up nine goals in six
CCHA games prior to the Wolverines' arrival in
Omaha, but upped their total to 16 after two
games against the revitalized Michigan offense,
The Wolverines (4-3-2, 5-4-2) fell apart in the
third period of both contests, squandering a 2-1
lead on Friday night and a 2-0 lead on Saturday
night.
Saturday, Michigan jumped out to a quick lead
with goals by two freshmen - forwards Jason
Ryznar and Eric Nystrom. But for the second
straight night, the Wolverines couldn't sustain
their intensity to begin the third period and the
Mavericks stampeded to a 2-2 tie with four min-
utes left to play.
"We have to go at them in the third period with
the lead," Nystrom said. "We sit back a little bit
instead of playing our normal game. I think this
weekend was a learning lesson, and we'll be bet-
ter from here on in."
In their second overtime in as many nights, the
Wolverines made sure Nebraska-Omaha didn't
have time to build off the momentum provided by
its 8,314 fans.
Just 12 seconds into overtime, Ortmeyer
chased down Nebraska-Omaha defenseman Greg
Zanon, one of the top defenders in the CCHA,
who controlled the puck behind the Mavericks'
net. Ortmeyer's strong forecheck freed the puck
and he slid it in front of the net to Nystrom who
made no mistake, sending the puck past goal-
tender Dan Ellis for the game-winner.
"Two weeks ago or three weeks ago, we proba-
bly couldn't have made that comeback," Beren-
son said. "We survived it. I don't know if we were
lucky, but you have to be lucky sometimes -
better than being good."
Friday's contest was eerily similar to Saturday's
near debacle.
After outplaying the Mavericks through two
periods, Michigan came out flat in the final stan-
za, yielding three consecutive goals to give
Nebraska-Omaha a 4-2 lead.
"There was about five minutes in there where
we were really on our heels," Michigan coach
Red Berenson said. "We were spectators. You
can't do that. That team nearly took us out of the
game."
As the clock rolled below three minutes to
play, the Wolverines' hopes of victory looked to
be crushed. But by virtue of two goals with
goalie Josh Blackburn pulled from the net,
Michigan sent the game to overtime with 37 sec-
Ortmeyer
By Stove Jackson
and J. Brady McCollough
Daily Sports Writers
Michigan freshman Jason Ryznar (22) tallied two goals against Nebraska-Omaha over the weekend,
bringing his freshman-leading point total to eight this season.
Michigan
Nebraska-Omaha
0201 -3
0020 -2
FAst pedod - Penates-Jason Jaworski, UND (slashirg)
1:11; Jed Ortmeyr UM (slashing) 6:14; Dan Hcker, UNO
(high sticking) 10:34; Team, UM (too mary on ice) 11:40;
Andy Brnes, UM (trippingbs:19. Second peiod -1, UM,
Jason Ryznar5 (Eric Werner) 2:29; 2, UM, Eric Nystrom 4
(Michael Woodford) 9:49. Penalties-Andy Bumes, UM (trip
ping) 7:18; Bryce Larnpman, UNO (holding) 11:30; Gus
Grosile, UNO (high sticking) 15:17; John Shouneyia, UM
(slahng) 16:33. Thrd period - 3, UNO, Gus Grosile 4 (Greg
Zanon, Kyle O'Keefe) 2:16; 4, Aaron S-Uth, 6 (Andre Wag,
Shane Glover) 16:06. Penaldes- None.OT Pedod--5, UM,
Eric Nystrom 5 (Jed Ortmeyer) :12. Penales- None.
Shotsongor: 91141-25; UN07-9-140-30.
Powerpla: U 0of 4; UNO, 0of 5.
Se- UM, Blackburn,28(54.2); UNO, Dan Ellis, 22(74
1)
At 0mahaCivic Auditorium.Attendmnce:8,314.
CCHA ROUNDUP
Fiday's games:
Notre Dame 4, Western Michigan 4
Michigan State 3, Miami 0
Ohio State 3, Northern Michigan 1
Bowling Green 4, Wayne State 4
Michigan 4, Nebraska-Omaha 4
Ferris State 4, Alaska-Fairbanks 1
Saturday'sgames:
Mkchigui 3, NebraskaOmaha 2
Ferris State 4, Alaska-Fairbanks 1
Western Michigan 4, Notre Dame 2
Michigan State 2, Miami 0
Ohio State 2, Northern Michigan 0
Bowling Green 4, Wayne State 1
OMAHA - Jed Ortmeyer is the captain
of the Michigan hockey team for a reason.
The Omaha native was the catalyst for the
Wolverines' strong fin-_
ishes this weekend, tying HOCKEY
the game at four with 37
seconds left to play on Notebook
Friday night, and setting
up freshman Eric Nystrom's game-winning
goal in overtime on Saturday night.
With Michigan up 2-1 on Friday night, it
was Ortmeyer who knocked the puck into the
net past Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn for
the Mavericks' game-tying goal.
But down 4-3 with his team in desperation
mode, Ortmeyer received a feed from junior
forward Mike Cammalleri in front of the
crease. He wouldn't quit until the Wolver-
ines' fourth goal was in the net, firing three
shots at Nebraska-Omaha goaltender Dan
Ellis before lighting the lamp and sending
the game into overtime.
"I was hoping for any chance I could get
eft in regulation with a goal from Omaha- th
Jed Ortmeyer.
was the first time we were able to come or
from being behind in the third period (this ov
)," the junior captain said. "It showed we
lot of hunger, a lot of fight in us and we pc
give up. It's something that's really big for ju;
.ows what 'C'
to try and redeem myself, and I got a shot at
it," Ortmeyer said. "It felt great after knock-
ing the tying goal in for them."
Saturday, the junior forward went the extra
mile once again with a tremendous individ-
ual effort in overtime. Ortmeyer pressured
defender Greg Zanon behind the net, stole
the puck and passed it to Nystrom who net-
ted the series-clinching goal for the Wolver-
ines.
"That's Jed Ortmeyer," Michigan coach
Red Berenson said. "That's hustle, that's sec-
ond effort. He took a lot of faceoffs tonight
because Cammalleri's shoulder was bother-
ing him, and I don't think he lost one the
entire game. We got the puck in deep, and he
won the race to the puck. It was a great sec-
ond effort by a captain, and this is fitting
because he is from Omaha."
UP GOES FRASER: Just one month after
starting against Michigan State in the "Cold
War" game, freshman defenseman Brandon
Rogers was a healthy scratch this weekend.
"Brandon's a young player," Berenson
said. "He's done a lot of good things, but he's
got to eliminate his turnovers and positional
mistakes, and if he does that he's going to be
is young team, and it's a big step for us."
The Wolverines outshot the Mavericks 47-21
the evening, but were unable to capitalize in
vertime as the game finished in a 4-4 stalemate.
"I thought we could have had two points or no
Dints," Berenson said. "Maybe a tie was poetic
stice."
really means
a good player."
Junior defenseman Brad Fraser, Rogers'
current replacement on the blueline, has
taken advantage of his opportunities - espe-
cially this weekend. Fraser cleared the puck
on the penalty kill countless times, contribut-
ing to Michigan's improbable string of 24
straight kills.
"He's experienced, he's been here, he
knows what it takes, and he's playing well,
Berenson said.
MELTDOWN: On both nights, Blackburn's
job wasn't very difficult - until the third
period. The Wolverines allowed almost as
many shots in the final frame (24) as the rest
of the games combined (27).
"I know we were really tired," junior Mike
Roemensky said. "They dump it in a lot and
forecheck and really bang us. It's tough to
play against that. The best thing for us to do is
do quick changes and keep the shifts short."
CENTURY CLUB: Junior forward Mike Cam-
malleri recorded his 100th point as a Wolver-
ine with his assist on Ortmeyer's game-tying
goal Friday night. Cammalleri leads Michi-
gan this season with 14 points after 11
games.
RYAN LEVENTHAL/Daily
Michigan captain Jed Ortmeyer had his best series of the season
in front of family and friends in his hometown of Omaha.
He nd
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By Steve Jackson
Daily Sports Writer
OMAHA - Much has been written
and said about the performance of
Michigan hockey's special teams this
season.
Very little has been positive - until
now.
The young HocKEY
Wolverines got off Commentary
to their worst start
(2-4-1) since 1986.
But now Michigan is winning again (3-
0-1 during the last three weeks,) and
the improved special teams play
deserves some credit for the team's
resurgence.
Immediately after the poor start, the
majority of the blame - fairly or not
- fell on the shoulders of the power-
play and penalty-kill units.
After every game, new combinations
were thrown together in hopes of solv-
ing the "problem."
"We're finding guys that seem to fit
the bill, and we're doing a better job at
it," Michigan coach Red Berenson, said.
"We were using a lot more players to
kill penalties, and now I've got it down
to just a handful. We're getting some
continuity on the powerplay as well."
It's too early to claim that the
Wolverines have finally found the per-
fect personnel for the job, but it's clear
that things are improving dramatically.
The penalty-kill unit is fast becom-
ing one of Michigan's strengths. Cur-
rently, the Wolverines are riding a
streak of 24 consecutive penalties
killed. One big reason for the turn-
around has been improved forecheck-
ing.
The increased pressure by forwards
'Special' turnaround key for 'M'
like junior captain Jed Ortmeyer and
freshman Dwight Helminen has pre-
vented teams from getting good
chances and forced them to waste pre-
cious powerplay time in their own
zones.
Oftentimes this weekend, Nebraska-
Omaha would watch its penalty expire
before getting any real scoring chances.
"We're really buying into the sys-
tem," Ortmeyer said. "We're working
hard, the coaches are giving us a great
scouting plan. We.know what they're
doing, and we're executing."
Clearing the puck out of the zone
was especially troublesome for the
Wolverines early in the season. But
over the weekend the problem seemed
to magically disappear - the Maver-
icks were only able to mount one long,
sustained attack on the powerplay, and
they came away empty-handed.
The powerplay also came to life this
weekend in Omaha.
Michigan scored two goals with the
man-advantage on Friday night -
something it hasn't been able to do
since its first win of the season.
The man doing most of the damage
has been junior alternate captain Mike
Cammalleri.
From the point, Cammalleri demon-
strated a remarkable knack for finding
open teammates with cross-ice passes
and showed-off his devastating slap-
shot, which found the net twice this
weekend.
Freshman Eric Werner has taken
over the other spot on the blue line, and
his confidence will only continue to
grow if he can create as many good
chances for himself and his teammates
as he did this weekend.
Ortmeyer, junior John Shouneyia
and freshman Eric Nystrom join Cam-
malleri and Werner to form the best
No. 1 powerplay combination that
Michigan has fielded this season.
"Puck movement is the key for us on
the powerplay," Cammalleri said. "Hav-
ing five guys working together as a one
I
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