4 RTS michigandaily.com/ sportsdesk@umich.edu FRIDAY MARCH 22, 2002 8 4 . . .......... .... Blue taking road mentality to Yost Memories of '98 key for tumblers GYMNASTICS 1RBET COLUMBUS CHAMPIONSHIPS By Matt Kramer Daily Sports Writer ICE HOCKEY ANN ARBOR By Chris Burke Daily Sports Writer For the first half of the season, Yost Ice Arena was not the friendly confines that the Michigan hockey pro- gram has come to YOsT IC expect - the Wolver- ines were 7-2-2 on the Who: No. 4 M road heading into win- CC HA, 2 ter break, but just 3-3- WCHA, 29-1 1 at home. , When: 8p.m. But in the season's Latest: Michi second half, the altime series Wolverines discovered win in last yea the comforts of home Regional.) that have made Yost one of the most difficult places for opponents to play in the CCHA. And if Michigan hopes to contin- ue its season at the Frozen Four from April 4-6 in St. Paul, Minn., the Wolverines are going to need the success from the latter portion of the season. After the break, Michigan went 8-3 at home en route to a CCHA regular season title. The fourth-seeded Wolverines will host the West Regional's first two rounds, opening their postseason with a rematch of last year's quarter- final against No. 5 seed St. Cloud. "We never really had a home men- tality because we struggled so much E ic Sta 0-2 ga 51-C gar's early at home," Michigan forward Eric Nystrom said. 'We're trying to come in with a road mentality - we just need to be hitting and keeping it simple and feed off the crowd" No. 3 seed Michigan State will open the ARENA action at Yost by taking on No. 6 Colorado Col- higan (19- lege this afternoon at 0-5 overall) 4:30 p.m. ate (19-7-2 "It's going to be a overall) great night, some great n leads the hockey, and it's going o. (A 43 to be really exciting," s west Nystrom said. When Michigan defeated St. Cloud 4-3 in Grand Rapids last year, the prox- imity to Ann Arbor gave the Wolverines a home-ice advantage. This year, that advantage is more than a feeling. When the Wolverines last hosted a regional in 1998, the home crowd was a major catalyst in Michigan's 4-3 come-from-behind win over top- seeded powerhouse North Dakota. "We learned how to play in front of our home crowd halfway through the season," Michigan captain Jed Ortmeyer said. "We're looking for them to be loud and hopefully give us a boost." But even with the hostile environ- ment awaiting them tonight, the TOM FELDKAMP/Daily Michigan will need its freshmen to step up tonight in the biggest game of their season. Forward Milan GajIc Is the type of player who can skate back and forth with the wide-open Huskies' offensive attack. Huskies don't appear to be fazed. "We played in Wisconsin and Marriuci Arena (Minnesota's home rink), and we just have to treat it like one of those games, St. Cloud forward Nate DiCasmirro said. "Yeah, it's going to be loud and crazy, but we're used to it." St. Cloud's cheerleaders were stunned by the treatment they received in last season's game. "Michigan fans ... they're horri- ble people," St. Cloud cheerleader Molly McGannon told the St. Cloud Times. "It's like they've never seen hockey cheerleaders. Their band was obnoxious." Even with the home crowd behind them, the Wolverines are hoping to use the NCAA Tourna- ment to once again prove them- selves. They did just that in CCHA play by overcoming youth and Mike Cammalleri's absence in order to capture the league's regular season and playoff titles. See HUSKIES, Page 9 Michigan women's gymnastics coach Bev Plocki remem- bers the 1998 Big Ten Championships very well. Her team had dominated the regular season, was ranked eighth nationally and hadn't lost a conference title in six years. But the Wolverines were shocked by Minnesota that year and wound up finishing second behind the Golden Gophers to end Michigan's streak. Four years have passed, and Michigan has lost to just one Big Ten team since. The No. 5 Wolverines (5-0 Big Ten, 19-3 overall) are primed for another championship as they S e head to Columbus in search of COLUMBUS their 10th Big Ten title in 11 years tomorrow. Who: Michigan in the Big "In 1998 that team really got a Ten Championships wake-up call, so it's something When:6 p.m. Latest: Led by the nation's we talk about," Plocki said. "Big top ranked gymnasts in Tens has always been a big deal Elise Ray and Calli Ryals, for us. I know the kids are fired Michigan looks to win its up for it. They want to get those 10th conference title in the Big Ten rings." - last 11 seasons. If the regular season is any indication of how Michigan will fare in the postseason, then the Wolverines shouldn't have anything to worry about. While there are five Big Ten teams in the top 21 in the nation, the Wolverines are the top-ranked team on all four events and sport the NCAA's No. 1 and No. 2 all-around gymnasts in Calli Ryals and Elise Ray. Michigan had no problem with fellow Big Ten competi- tors Michigan State (which it beat twice), and Ohio State, which the Wolverines dismantled 196.175-193.575 in Columbus earlier this season. The Wolverines, whose regional qualifying score this year was 196.75, also beat No. 11 Minnesota twice this sea- son. But Plocki said she is looking at the Golden Gophers as Michigan's biggest challenge this weekend. "Minnesota has a very strong team this year," Plocki said. "They have been very consistent and have been scoring right up there in the high 196s." While Michigan was able to overcome numerous injuries this season - including the loss of Ray in the all-around competition for much of the early part of the season - the injury bug seems to have hit the Wolverines again just in time for the conference tournament. The status of co-captain Janessa Grieco has been ques- tionable since she suffered a knee injury during warm-ups of the home finale two weeks ago. "Our maximum floor lineup would have Janessa in it," Plocki said. "Hopefully, Janessa will be ready." Another Wolverine, Melissa Peterson, will definitely not participate for Michigan in Columbus. * The loss of Peterson and the potential loss of Grieco could mean more rotations for freshman Chelsea Kroll, who has just recently moved into the vault and floor lineup with- out missing a beat. Regardless of the injuries, the Wolverines will look to Ryals and Ray for high scores in all four events. In 12 events this season, the pair has taken home ten all- around titles. "We've been looking forward to this for some time," Plocki said. "We never looked past it." Icers beware: Sniper Hartigan prnmed and ready By J. Brady McCollough Daily Sports Writer Sometimes, St. Cloud forward Mark Hartigan just likes to be alone. The Hobey Baker Award finalist often passes up meals with his teammates at St. Cloud's own Timber Lodge Steakhouse because they just can't pull him away from the ice. "I like being out there all by myself when there's nobody in the whole rink," Hartigan said. "I think it's a lot of fun just doing that. I can do it for three to four hours." The 24-year-old junior plays the game with the excitement of a kid out on the pond and is admittedly still learning as he goes. "I've learned so much in the last little while from coaches because I didn't get coached that well when I was younger," Hartigan said. "I love being on the ice. I think it's just a thrill shooting the puck." Hartigan, the WCHA Player of the Year, has perfected the art of doing just that. Michigan associate head coach Mel Pear- son believes that Harti- rZ gan owns the most potent shot in all of college hockey.. "I kind of relate it to y golfing a little bit," said Hartigan of his slapshot. "You get young guys who just want to crush the ball Hartigan as far as they can, and I just want to shoot the puck as hard as I can whenever I have the chance." The chances often come from his best friend and linemate Nate DiCasmirro, who has benefited greatly from playing with Hartigan. "He's an amazing hockey player," DiCasmirro said. "You give him any chance to shoot the puck, and he's got a 90-percent chance of burying it. All I have to do is feed the puck to him in the high slot, and he's going to put it in." Hartigan is as prolific a goal scorer as Michigan has faced this season. The British Columbia native has scored 75 points (37-38-75), including 31 (12-19- 31) on the powerplay alone -- more.than all but three Wolverines have scored all season. But last weekend in the WCHA tournament, he was shut out in the Huskies' games against Minnesota and Colorado College, rendering his team lifeless as it scored just one goal in each contest. "If I play well, our team is going to play well," Hartigan said. "I've just got to lead my team, and if that means doing the little things right and not getting any points, then that's just as good." St. Cloud's 0-3 record in the NCAA Tournament shows that Hartigan is not the only player who has disappeared come tournament time in past years. Earning that elusive first victory against Michigan in Yost Ice Arena would be a special way to get the monkey off the Huskies' back - and Hartigan would love to be the guy to do the damage. "It would really kill the crowd," Harti- gan said with a grin. "I wouldn't mind being that guy to bring them down and put them back in their seats." Does he have a celebration planned out in advance? "I just kind of let loose and do what- ever I'm feeling at the moment," Harti- gan said. The soft-spoken, laid back superstar has been more to his team than just a 75- point scorer. He's a best friend, a team player and a "pleasure to coach." With all of the Hobey Baker hype surrounding him during the past few weeks, Hartigan has See HARTIGAN, Page 9 Baseball hits road to prepare for Big Ten , By Charles Paradis Daily Sports Writer On the road again. After a single home game against Bowling Green on Wednesday, the Michigan baseball team (3-10) will take to the road again for a three-game weekend in Kansas. So far, Michigan has played 12 of its first 13 games away from The Fish. After winning their home opener on the strength of a dramatic 4-3 finish, the Wolverines head south again to warmer weather and a more hostile environment. With Big Ten play just a week away, Michigan hopes to use this weekend's games to get ready for the conference schedule. "We're trying to get ready for the Big Ten season," interim coach Chris Harrison said. "That's where our sea- son becomes important to us, and the most important games are the Big Ten." One thing the Wolverines will have to do this weekend to prepare for the conference season is to cut back on the mental errors that have plagued them so far this season. Against Bowling Green, poor baserunning almost cost Michigan its chance to win the game. "We made some baserunning mis- takes that we have to eliminate," Harri- son said. "We ran ourselves out of some innings." This weekend is important because the Wolverines know they cannot afford to make mistakes when the con- ference season rolls around. "In Big Ten games, because of the weather and the overall conditions - especially early in the season - a lot of times it comes down to the small things (like) hserunnin. nitchin arind Rich Hill and Jim Brauer are the proba- ble starters, in that order. Another difference between this weekend and the Big Ten is that Michi- gan will face two different opponents. The Wolverines will play Kansas today and Sunday and will face Oral Roberts tomorrow. Harrison played for Oral Roberts from 1978-1982 and played in the 1978 College World Series with the Golden Eagles. Harrison faced Oral Roberts twice as an assistant coach at Michi- gan, and both games ended up as wins for the Wolverines. This will be his first shot at his alma mater as a head coach, but Harrison does not want to call any attention to the game. "We've actually played them twice since I've been at Michigan," Harrison said. "It will be just like another game." LAWRENCE, KAN. Who: Michigan (3-10) at Kansas (10-6) and vs. Oral Roberts (12-8) When: 1 p.m. today, 4 p.m. tomorrow and 4 p.m. Sunday Latest: Kansas enters the series with a six game losing streak. I .:4'.xx+v-:- -~- >.- ~. .~...+....~ .....*.....~. Im