The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 7, 2002 - 15A With playoffs, 0cers now turn to Blackburn By Seth Klempner Daily Sports Writer There is no player whose role becomes more impor- tant to a hockey team during the playoffs than a goalie. A goalie is capable of catching fire and carrying a team to a championship or slipping up and causing an * early exit for his team. No example is more evident in recent Michigan his- tory than when senior Marty Turco took a struggling team to its last HOCKEY championship when he got in a groove during the 1998 NCAA Notebook Championships, in which he allowed just six goals in four games. The Wolverines are looking for senior goaltender Josh Blackburn to give a similar performance this season in his last opportunity to win an NCAA Championship. Part of the reason for the elevated importance of the goalie in the postseason is the existence of sudden- death overtime - during which any mistake by a goalie can end a team's season. This makes every save big and every move critical as a team's season stands on the brink. If the pressure of being responsible for the team's season was not enough, Blackburn will also face the task of trying to deny the nation's other top offenses. But the easy-going Blackburn does not appear anxious about this responsibility nor are his coaches. "As a goalie, there is no such thing as pressure," Michigan goaltending coach Stan Matijiw said. "Pres- sure is either two things - something you put upon yourself or something you allow others to put upon you. With Josh we just try to go out and play every game the same way. Nothing changes come playoff time." Matijiw has stopped coaching Blackburn at this point in the season, instead encouraging him to "go with the flow and let him do his thing." This seems to be the best strategy for the easy-going netminder who traditionally plays his best in clutch situations. Not only is Blackburn confident in his ability in Polo expects Barkley says Augusta National is a racist club NEW YORK (AP) - Former NBA star Charles Barkley is accusing Augusta National Golf Club of "blatant racism," saying the reason behind recent changes to the course was to keep Tiger Woods from winning the Masters. "Jack Nicklaus won the Masters six damn times, and he was hitting it past everybody else, and they never made a change,"y Barkley said in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated. Barkley "What they're doing to Tiger is blatant racism." Augusta National spokesman Glenn Greenspan said the club had no comment. Recent renovations, which include nearly 300 additional yards, were announced by chairman Hootie John- eson the day before last year's Masters began. Woods won his second green jacket by two shots over David Duval. "I spoke to Hootie about the changes, and the changes are not for me," Woods said. "They're for the kids that are coming up in the future. I'm not that long, anymore. I kind of dink it around." Woods became the first black golfer to win the Masters in 1997. He won by 12 strokes with a 270, breaking by one shot the 72-hole scoring record held by Nicklaus and Raymond Floyd. Every hole at Augusta has been altered since the course was opened in 1934. Among the more significant changes was adding a large double bunker in the landing area down the left side of the 18th fairway in 1967, the year after Nicklaus won his second straight Masters. Tees have been moved back on eight holes through the years, and the pond was added to the left of the par-3 16th green in 1947. Barkley said he brought up the alle- gations because "Tiger doesn't like to speak out" "We need black athletes to speak out," said Barkley, who poses bare- chested on the cover of Sports Illustrat- ed appearing to break chains and shackles. "Michael (Jordan) could do it and Tiger could do it, but you have to be willing to be ridiculed. I'm willing to be ridiculed." DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn has allowed just an average of 1.75 goals in his last four games. The Wolverines expect great things from him in the postseason, which begins tomorrow with the first round of the CCHA Tournament. urgent situations, but he also has the confidence of his teammates, who need Blackburn to be on top of his game over the next month. "All of the defensemen are confident in Blackie. He always seems to play his best at this time of year," sophomore Mike Komisarek said. "He has his ups and downs like everyone else, but he pulls it together come playoff time. "I am not sure if we had the team to go to the Frozen Four last year, but we definitely had the goal- tender."' Blackburn has earned this faith from his teammates with a 2.30 goals against average making him the 12th best goaltender in the nation. In addition, Blackburn has saved some of his best performances for last witfi a 1.75 goals against average in his last four games. "I don't really know what I do out there," Black- burn said. "I just try and stay focused and pay atten- tion to what is going on in my surroundings and know who is where." With Lake Superior State, whom Blackburn has recorded two shutouts against this season, on the slate for the first round of the CCHA Tournament Black- burn will look to continue his stellar play and begin Michigan's campaign for an NCAA Championship. READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP: Sophomore defenseman Mike Komisarek knew it had to be good news when he received a postcard in the mail from the CCHA informing him to order a tuxedo for the CCHA ban- quet - he just didn't know for what. But last night everything became clear when it was announced that he made the Ali-CCHA first team. Komisarek, who was Michigan's only member on the first team, was the top vote getter in the league with 51 total points and 10 out of the possible 11 first team votes. He was the CCHA's second leading scor- ing defenseman in conference games with 20 points (7-14-21) and top in plus minus rating with plus-19. Juniors Mike Cammalleri and John Shouneyia were recognized by being named to the All-CCHA second team, while Josh Blackburn received honor- able mention. :ontinued success in the East By Daniel Bremmer Daily Sports Writer Never has a team so enjoyed seeing Pennsylvania as a travel destination as the Michigan water polo team. The Wolverines are an impressive 8-1 against opponents from the East, and are the top-ranked team in their geographic division. On the other hand, the team is a disappointing 0-9 against West Coast opponents this season, including eight losses during last week's trip west over spring break. Michigan coach Amber Drury- Pinto believes that her team has played at the same high level throughout all of its games this sea- son and that the difference in the opposing teams accounts for the dis- parity in records. "The competition level was differ- ent (out west)," Drury-Pinto said. "We were in a lot of close games against really good, tough competi- tion, and we took some losses." On the bright side for Michigan, most of those losses were close, down-to-the-wire battles. Losses to No. 8 California-Santa Barbara and No. 11 California-Davis came by one goal apiece. The team would not end the heartbreakers there, also dropping two contests to No 9. California-San Diego by two goals each. After coming back east on Satur- day, the team swept three matches at the Brown Invitational. Michigan buried Iona 11-1, then got past No. 16 Princeton and No. 18 Brown in a series of two-goal victories. The team's effort this past weekend pleased Drury-Pinto. "We knew that coming back to the East Coast, we definitely wanted to defend our No. I ranking in the East, and we were able to do that," she said. This weekend, the Wolverines head to Slippery Rock, Pa. to com- pete in the Southern Division Tour- nament, their first division tournament of the season. The team is looking to add to its three-game winning streak and should do so eas- ily, facing Washington & Jefferson, Grove City, Penn State-Behrend and Slippery Rock. "We need to make sure that we carry through and we remain unde- feated in our division," Drury-Pinto said. "Definitely (winning the Brown Invitational) has given us some momentum, and we want to keep that going." It was hard to find many flaws with the Wolverines' performance last weekend at Brown, but Drury-Pinto GROVE CITY AND SLIPPERY ROCK, PA. Who: Michigan (8-10) vs. Washington & Jef- ferson (0-0) and Grove City (0-4) Penn State- Behrend (0-0) and Slippery Rock (3-5) When: 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday Latest: The Wolverines hope to improve upon their powerplay this weekend. feels that the team needs to improve its performance on the powerplay. After working all week in practice on that aspect, Michigan will come out firing when it has the man advantage. /0'.'- - IMMM 0cc~ ICC iI cf as a' a Publication Date:: Thursday, 03.28.02 peadline: 1 0Thursday, 03.21.02 ~$40 if placed by 03.15.02 (first come, first serve color option) $45 if placed betweenH 03.18.02-03.21.02 (no color) R 9 9.* Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2002 Sunday, March 10 " DEFINING BODY IMAGE: an Interactive Exhibition & Time Line 2 locations: Michigan Union and Pierpont Commons (runs through 3-15) " THE FEMALE BODY, MEDIA & SOCIETY: Confronting a Social Epidemic Interactive presentation by Alison Brzenchek, MSW, University Health Service Michigan Union, Pond Room 7-9 pm Monday, March 11 " KATE DILLON Presentation by this dynamic fashion model Michigan Union, Ballroom 7-9 pm Tuesday, March 12 " "I AM NOT THE AVERAGE GIRL ON VIDEO" Body Workshop by Stacey Pearson, Ph.D., Counseling & Psychological Services Michigan Union, Pond Room 7-9 pm Wednesday, March 13 " EATING DISORDERS: Signs, Symptoms & Support Panel discussion by the Center for the Education of Women 300 East Liberty, CEW Office 12-1 pm " HELP! Someone I know has an eating disorder Presentation by Wendy Campbell, Psy.D., Counseling & Psychological Services Michigan Union, Pond Room 7-9 pm Thursday, March 14 * SPEAK OUT Students in recovery from eating disorders share their stories. Presented by, SPEAK, a student organzation Hale Auditorium in Davidson Hall (UM Bus. Sch.), 701 Tappan 7-9 pm A schedule of events is also h~A *,LE - nam plaa ,.,14u' I j3 listen to F'