8B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - January 6, 2003 SATURDAY'S GAME Miami . 2 Michigan 3 YESTERDAY'S GAME Miami 2 Third line leads Blue past offensive Miami By Courtney Lewis and Kyle O'Neill Daily Sports Writers Michigan 5 SATURDAY S GAME Michigan 3, Miami 2 Miami 1 0 1 0- 2 Michigan 0 2 01.- 3 First period - 1, MIA, Greg Hogeboom, 12 (Chris Michael, Ben Tharp) 8:22. Penalties - Chris Knupp, MIA (elbowing) 5:05; David Wyzgowski, MICH (trip- ping) :10. Second period -1, MICH, Milan Gajic 4 (Jason Ryzner, David Moss) 11:53; 2, MICH, Brandon Kale- niecki 8 (Andrew Ebbett, Andy Burnes) 15:45. Penalties-Chris Knupp, MIA (holding) 7:36; Jed Ortmeyer, MICH (CJ) 8:19. Third period - 2, MIA, Matt Medvecz 5 (Stephen Dennis) 10:52. Penalties - None. OT - 3, MICH, Jeff Tembellini 11 (Jed Ortmeyer, Brandon Rogers) 2:43. Penalties - None. Shots on goal: MICH 10-12-7.1 30; MIA 63-5-1 15. Powerplays:MICH 0 of 4; MIA2of4.Saves-MICH, Al Montoya 5-3-4-1 -13; MIA, David Burleigh 10- 10-7-0 -27. Referee: Matt Shegos. At: Yost Ice Arena Attendance: 6,508. YESTERDAY'S GAME Miami boasts potent first and second lines made up of mostly upperclassmen. But while the Red- Hawks' big guns HOCKEY were held to just Notebook three points this weekend, it was Michigan's third line of freshmen Bran- don Kaleniecki and Andrew Ebbett and senior Mark Mink that anchored the Wolverines offense. "It was as good a line as we had," coach Red Berenson said. The Red- hawks "put a lot of pressure on us, and I thought Ebbett's line really held up well." Kaleniecki tallied two goals on the weekend to give him nine for the season, two behind leading-goal-scorer Jeff Tambellini. Ebbett fed Kaleniecki on a break Saturday night, and netted his fifth marker yesterday. Ebbett said the senior on his right wing has been a steadying influence on the two youngsters. t "I think Mink has just kind of taught us both - me and Kal - just to be kind of like a spark plug line and not play too much in our end," Ebbett said. "I think every time we get out there and something's going back the other way, we talk to each other, we set the tone and get back in their end and get the team going again." GooD CALLS: Going into the series opener, both Michigan and Miami were among the CCHA leaders in penalty minutes per game, each averaging more than 17. Yet the game ended with just four penalties called, and none in the third or overtime periods. The teams were showing holiday cheer for one another this weekend either. There were several instances where players could have been sent to the penalty box, but were not. "I think it was a clean game and the referee, he could have called some picky penalties,' Michigan coach Red Beren- son said. "But it was a big game, both teams were playing well ... and I thought it was well refereed." Michigan's improvement in drawing penalties came to a quick end yesterday when it finished with seven - one of which led to a Miami goal. IMPROVING: After three losses in its last four games, defense had been an obvi- ous concern - Michigan allowed 14 goals in the three losses to Northern Michigan and Boston University. - It would have been easy to blame goal- tender Al Montoya, but the Wolverines knew that they were all at fault, not just the freshman goalie. On Saturday night the defensive healing began as the for- wards stepped up play, not allowing rebounds to doom the Wolverines' as they had against the Wildcats and Terriers. "We had been standing up watching more than we had been down in our stance ready to go, looking for guys," Ebbett said. REDHAWKS Continued from Page lB8 Woodford remained out of action due to a thumb injury he suffered against Northern Michigan back on Dec. 7. With Sunday's win, Michigan leapfrogged Miami and Northern Michigan for third place in the CCHA standings, keeping the squad in the race for the league title. The Wolverines also have a pair of games remaining against the two teams they are still trailing - Ferris State and Ohio State. "We had to have this weekend," Tambellini said. "If we didn't, it kind of threw us out for the rest of, the year. "We don't play that many games in college hockey, and to throw away four-point games like this, you can't do that and win a league championship." CCHA ROUNDUP Friday's games: 'Ohio State 4, Princeton 1 Alaska-Fairbanks 3, BOWUNG GREEN 3 Ferris State 7, NIAGARA 1 - LAKE SUPERIOR STATE 7, Michigan State 1 Notre Dame 5, NEBRASKA-OMAHA 3 Saturday's games: Nebraska-Omaha 5, NOTRE DAME 3 Alaska-Fairbanks 6, BowuNG GREEN 3 Ferris State 8, NIAGARA 1 MICHIGAN3, Miami 2 OT WESTERN MICHIGAN 4, Findlay 1 Michigan State 6, LAKE SUPERIOR STATE O Yesterday's ;one: Micnw 5, Miami 2 Tomorrow's game: Findlay at OHIO STATE 0 Michigan 5, Miami 2 Miami 0 2 0 Michigan 1 1 3 - 2 - 5 DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily Andrew Ebbett celebrates after giving the Wolverines the early lead over the Miami RedHawks yesterday. Ebbett's line combined four points in Michigan's sweep. FIrst period- 1, MICH, Andrew Ebbett 5 (David Moss, Nick Martens) 9:01. Penalties - Milan Gajic, MICH (cross-checking) 6:19: Todd Grant, MIA (high sticking) 8:03; Nick Jardine, MIA (charging) 17:48; Brandon Kaleniecki, MICH (hooking) 19:59. Second period - 2, MIA, Todd Grant 4 (Chris Busby, Nick Jardine) 1:55 (pp); 3, MICH, Brandon Kalenec- ki 9 (unassisted) 3:12: 4, MIA. Taylor Hustead 1 (unassisted). Penalties - Andy Burnes, MICH (roughing after the whistle) 7:27; Greg Hogeboom, MIA (roughing after the whistle) 7:27; Jeff Tambelli- ni, MICH (cross-checking) 11:05; Al Montoya, MICH (roughing) 14:05; John Shouneyia, MICH (high stick- ing) 18:01. Third period-5, MICH, Jeff Tambellini 12 (John Shouneyia) 6:37; 6, MICH, David Moss 6 (Eric Wern- er, Nick Martens) 17:00 (pp); 7, MICH, Jason Ryznar 2 (Jed Ortmeyer) Penalties - Chris Michael, MIA (tripping) 10:37; Nick Jardine, MIA (slashing) 15:23; Chris Knupp, MIA (checking from behind) 15:42; Chris Knupp, MIA (game misconduct) 15:42; Jed Ort- meyer, MICH (roughing after the whistle) 16:24; Matt Medvecz, MIA, (roughing after the whistle) 16:24. Shots on goal: MICH 6-6-9 21; MIA 11-15-10 36. Power plays: MICH 3 of 6: MIA1 of5. Saves - MICH, Mon- toya 11-13-10 -34; MIA, Burleigh 5-5-6 - 21. Referee: Matt Shegos. At: Yost Ice Arena. Attendance: 6,488. Tambellini on fire after By Bob Hunt Daily Sports Writer Scoring six goals in his first six games, Jeff Tambellini quickly established himself as one of the stars of the Wolverines' offense. But after that initial streak, the British Columbia native had lost his touch and his confidence, picking up just two points in his next six games. That's all forgotten now. Tambellini was firing on all cylinders this weekend as he not only scored twice, but also lit the lamp for game winners each night. The freshman has now scored in six of his last eight games and is brimming with the confidence he had at the beginning of the season. "Confidence is a weird thing," Tambellini said. "Once you get it, you start rolling." When Eric Nystrom and Dwight Helmi- nen left the Wolverines to play in the World Junior Championships in Nova Scotia, Tam- bellini was given a chance to play on a line with John Shouneyia and Jed Ortmeyer. He has been rolling ever since. After scoring goals in both games of the Great Lakes Invi- tational, Tambellini kept it going during Sat- urday's game in overtime. He received a pass from Ortmeyer while streaking toward the net, made a move and put the puck past Miami goaltender Dave Burleigh's left pad. Last night he gave Burleigh a lot to deal with even though his teammates didn't. After two periods, Tambellini had more shots than the rest of the Wolverines com- bined. He ended up firing nine shots on net compared to his teammates' 11. "I was definitely in the right spots," Tam- bellini said. (Shouneyia) and (Ortmeyer) are )fef slump great passers and they make it really easy to shoot the puck." Michigan coach Red Berenson thinks Tambellini's recent surge of confidence has followed a trend with all the freshmen. "I think it's a pattern at Michigan," Beren- son said. "We've seen our freshmen in the past have a pretty good first half and then really take off in the second half when they get confidence and they really get their legs under them." Last year, the Wolverines' I1-member freshman class played a crucial role in win- ning nine straight conference games en route to winning the CCHA regular season championship. This season, Tambellini hopes he can take a similar path and have a great second half. "The kid can fly," Berenson said. "He can skate, he can shoot and he is dangerous around the net." DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily Jeff Tambellini scored both of Michigan's game-winning goals this weekend and has scored goals in his last four games. Mark Your Calendar! In just a few days, you will have the opportunity to add more fun and excitement to your college experience! Beginning January 10th, Delta Chi staff members will be on campus to recruit Founding Fathers for Michigan's newest fraternity. Are you ready to build a lasting and proud tradition at U of M? If so, please contact Director of Expansion, Joe Burak, at 888-827-9702 x4002 0