4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - January 13, 2003 Chatting into the boards Nothing. - That's what the Michigan players had to say after Saturday night's disappointing loss. None were available for comment after the Broncos beat them 4-3. FRIDAY'S GAME Q0 Western Michigan 3 Michigan 10 SATURDAY'S GAME Michigan 3 VZ Western Michigan 4 Key play Saturday, 8:35 into the 3rd - With the Wolverines up by two, Western Michigan forward Vince Bellissimo shot the puck from the blueline. The spin caused it to drop right before it reached Al Montoya, and it.went into the net. 0 T FRIDAY'S GAME Michgan 10, Westem Michigan 3 W.Michigan 0 2 1 - 2 Michigan 7 1 2 - 10 Firt period -1, MICH, Jed Ortmeyer 5 (Brandon Rogers, John Shouneya) 0:52; 2, MICH, David Moss 7 (unassisted) 1:20; 3, MICH, Jed Ortmeyer 6 (unas- sisted) 4:05; 4, MICH, Brandon Kaleniecki 10 (Andrew Ebbett, Brandon Rogers) 6:26 (pp); 5, MICH, Nick Martens 2 (Brandon Kaleniecki, Andrew Ebbett) 12:22 (pp); 6, MICH, Milan Gajic 5 (Jeff Tambellini, Jason Ryznar) 16:28 (pp); 7, MICH, Jed Ortmeyer 7 (John Shouneyia, Jeff Tambellini) 18:39. Penaltes - Mat Pont, WMU (interference) 5:26; Brent Rumble, WMU (checking from behind) 11:28; Dave Cousineau, WMU (tripping) 14:44. Second period -1, WMU, Jeff Campbell 8(Pat Dwyer, Mike Jarmuth) 1:58 (sh); 2, WMU, Jeff Campbell 9 (Brent Rumble) 7:02 8, MICH, Jed Ort- meyer 8 (John Shouneyia, Jeff Tambellini) 14:03. Penalties - Brian Pasko, WMU (checking from behind) :32; TEAM, MICH (delaying the game) 4:43; Jeff Tambellini, MICH (elbowing) 11:18. Third period - 3, WMU, Dave Cousineau 4 (Shaun Rose, Ben Gagnon) 0:29; 9, MICH, Andrew Ebbett 6 (Brandon Rogers, Mark Mink) 6:05 (pp); 10, MICH, Eric Nystrom 6 (Dwight Helminen, Michael Woodford) 12:14. Penalties - Dave Cousineau, WMU (obstruc- tion-holding) 4:37; Jason Ryznar, MICH (roughing after the whistle) 5:15; Brian Pasko, WMU (roughing after the whistle) 5:15; Milan Gajic, MICH (roughing after the whistle) 5:15; Vince Bellissimo, WMU (roughing after the whistle) 5:15; Michael Woodford, MICH (roughing) 6:56; Dave Cousineau, WMU (roughing) 6:56; Eric Nystrom, MICH (roughing) 6:56; Brent Rumble. WMU (hit after whistle) 6:56; Dave Cousineau, WMU (cross-checking) 6:56; Lucas Drake, WMU (hit after whistle) 12:52; Mark Mink, MICH (hit after whistle) 12:52; Brian Pasko, WMU hit after whistle) 12:52; Dwight Helminen, MICH hit after whistle) 12:52; Brian Pasko, WMU (10-minute misconduct) 12:52; Dwight Helminen, MICH (10- minute misconduct) 12:52; Vince Bellissimo, WMU (slashing) 14:52; Andrew Ebbett, MICH (cross- checking) 17:43. Shots on goal: WMU 5-7-8 20; MICH 18-10-1240. Power plays: WMU 0 of 3; MICH 4 of 7. Saves - WMU, Mike Mantua (5-8-0) --3, Scott Foster - 27; Mich, Noah Ruden -8, Al Montoya 15-5-1 - 9. Referee: Mark Wilkins. At: Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor. Attendance: 6,917. YESTERDAY'S GAME Westem Michigan 4, Michigan 3 Michigan 0 2 1 - 3 W.Michigan 1 0 3 - 4 First period -1, WMU, Jeff Campbell 10 (Brent Wal- ton, Andy Townsend) 13:53. Penalties - Mike Jar muth, WMU (boarding) 0:54; Brandon Rogers, MICH (high sticking) 19:20. Second period -1, MICH, Michael Woodford 3 (John Shouneyia) 1:28; 2, MICH, Andrew Ebbett 7 (David Moss) 11:25. Penalties - Reilly Olson. MICH (oil 2:09; Dave Cousineau WMU (tripping) 2:34; Trevor Cook, WMU (high sticking) 6:39; Mike Man- tua, WMU (slashing) 9:08. Third period - 3, MICH, Brandon Rogers 4 (John Shouneyia, Dwight Helminen) 3:02 (pp); 2, WMU Vince Bellissimo 8 (Dana Lattery, Mike Jarmuth) 8:35; 3, WMU, Vince Bellissimo,9(Jeremy Cheyne, Josh Akright)12:12; 4, WMU, Dana Lattery 10 (Brent Walton) 16:07. Penalties - Lucas Drake, WMU (charging) 2:11: Jed Ortmeyer, MICH (rough- ing) 13:08; Jed Ortmeyer MICH (roughing) 13:08; Andy Townsend, WMU (holding) 13:08. Shots on goal: MICH &14-7 29; MIA 3-5-17 25. Power plays: MICH 1 of 5; WMU of 3. Saves- MICH, Mon- toya (156-1) - 21; MIA, Mantua (6-&0) -26. Referee: Matt Shegos. At: Lawon Arena, Kalamazoo. Attendance: 4,575. HOW THEY FARED No.1 North Dakota (18-1-3) def. Minnestoa 4-2, lost to Minnesota 6-3. No. 2 Colorado College (16-2-4) did not play. No. 3 Maine (16-2-2) def. Northeastern 7-1, def. Northeastern 3-1. No. 4 Cornell (12-3-0) did not play. No. 5 New Hampshire (134-2) def. Provi- dence 6-3. No. 6 Denver (14-5-3) lost to St. Cloud State 5-4. No. 7 Minnesota (11-5.5) lost to North Dakota 42, def. North Dakota 6-3. No. 8 Mchigan (14-61) def. Western Michigan 10-3, lost to Western Michigan 4-3. No. 9 Ohio State (1442) did not play No. 10 Boston College (105.3) def. Mass.Lowell 6-3, def. Mass.Lowell 7-1. No.11Boston University (13-6-2) did not play. No. 12 Ferris State (15.50) def. Notre Dame 6-3, tied Notre Dame 4-4. No. 13 Harvard (11-5-1)def. Yale 6-2, lost to Princeton 2-1. No. 14 Dartmouth (940) lost to Clark- son 75, lost to St. Lawrence 7-3 No.15 Massachusetts (12.7-1) def. Mer- rimack 4-3, lost to Merrimack 4-3. CCHA ROUNDUP Friday's games: MICHIGAN STATE 5, Alaska-Fairbanks 2 Mil~* 10, Western Michgn 3 FERRIS STATE 6, Notre Dame 3 MIAMI 3, Nebraska-Omaha 0 BoWUNG GREEN 3, Northern Michigan 2 LAKE SUPERIOR 2, CaniSiuS 2 Saturday'sga es: Notre Dame 4, FERRIS STATE 4 WESTENMien iw4, Michlgwn3 Nebraska-Omaha 2, MIAMI 0 BOWUNG GREEN 5, Northern Michigan 3 MICHIGAN STATE 6, Alaska-Fairbanks 3 LAKE SUPERIOR 4, Canisus 4 CCHA STANDINGS lCers' third-period lapse is nothing new this year By Dan Rosen Daily Sports Writer i 1 KALAMAZOO -The Michigan hockey u players hung their heads as they left the ice Sat- a urday. Just outside the lockerroom, coach Red v Berenson talked about several third-period t defensive lapses that had cost his team a win. a It's a conversation that's been replayed a number t of times this season. In five of the Wolverines' six losses this year, t they have been tied or held a lead entering the a third period. Twice, including Saturday night's 4-3 stunner, they have seen a two-goal lead a evaporate late in the game. In the second game against Western Michigan t this weekend, Michigan held a 3-1 lead with t 16:58 remaining. But after a pair of goals by Vince Bellissimo and a scrappy tally in front of o the net by Broncos captain Dana Lattery, the E Wolverines were left with a frustratingly famil- 1 iar taste in their mouths. i "We had chances to really take them out of t the game and we really didn't convert," Beren- a son said. "Sooner or later, the home team is going to get going, you just hope time runs out t before they do." 1 All Michigan players were unavailable for 2 comment after the game. ROCKY Continued from Page 1B hits and slammed themselves into the boards and even when they did make contact, the Wolverines weren't falling. One could almost hear Paulie screaming, "Michigan's not getting killed, they're getting mad!" And as Michigan's passing, bulls-eye shooting and two goals became blows to the bodies of the Broncos, Western Michigan students - who had been filling Lawson Ice Arena with deafening sounds from ThunderStix just a period earlier - were left stunned to see that their "BlackOut" wasn't doing the trick. In the third round, Michigan seemingly land- ed the knockout punch when defenseman Bran- don Rogers scored his fourth goal of the season to put the Wolverines up 3-1 with less than 17 minutes to go. Adrian was jumping for joy. But then, as the Broncos were stumbling around, looking for a soft place to land, they did the unthinkable and landed an uppercut to Michi- gan's jaw with a Vince Bellissimo goal from behind the blueline. For how slowly the puck While it was a disappointing loss for the Wolver- nes, it was not the fastest they have seen a sizeable ead disappear this season. In just their second reg- ular-season contest of the year, the Wolverines held two-goal lead against then-No. 13 North Dakota with 4:58 remaining. But the Fighting Sioux scored wice in the last few minutes of regulation and added a backhander past Michigan goalie Al Mon- oya in overtime to win it. Freshman Jeff Tambellini said after that game hat the Wolverines had become overconfident nd had lost focus in the defensive zone. Sophomore Milan Gajic made a similar assessment after three third-period goals by Notre Dame buried Michigan Nov. 23. He said hat the Wolverines had been unable to match he Fighting Irish's intensity in the loss. Against Boston University in the champi- onship game of the Great Lakes Invitational Dec. 29, the Wolverines had suffered another apse. Sophomore David Moss put the Wolver- nes ahead 3-2 at 1:24 of the final stanza. But he Terriers scored three times down the stretch nd won the tournament. Even in their win last Saturday over Miami, he Wolverines had trouble protecting the lead. Two goals in the second period gave Michigan a 2-1 edge heading into the third. But Miami's Matt Medvecz corralled a loose puck at center traveled, one would have never thought the would mount to any damage. But it hit hard woke up the thunder in black shirts. The silence that once cheered for Michi was now beginning to fade. And when Wesi Michigan evened the score at 12:12 of the p od, Rocky was officially cut. "We kept hitting them, kept doing what making us successful," Cousineau said. "Thi to-one? You know we're not by any means ou the game. It was wild. You could feel momentum shift: A couple big hits, that ct goal and the students were just going craz think Michigan sat back on their heels a which a team of that quality can't do because can pound goals just as well." Then, like against Boston University, Northern Michigan, the Wolverines buc< under the pressure of a momentum-driven op nent and were T.K.O.'ed before the final g rang the victory bell. The Wolverines now find themselves at a tur point in the season. They have two sequels left the remaining regular season and the CCHA F offs. The sixth movie - the NCAA Tournamer is either there for them to make or not. *I Alternate captain John Shouneyla fires a shot on Western Michigan's backup goalie, Scott Foster. Michigan led 3-I in the third period Saturday before the Broncos scored three unanswered goals to win 4-3. ice and wristed it past Montoya on a partial breakaway to force overtime. Tambellini saved the weekend with a slapshot from the blueline for a 3-2 win. "I think we held back in the offensive zone," Tambellini said after that game. "After losing the game to BU, I think we're a little tentative with the lead. And I think, next game we got to make sure we put a little more pressure on them and not just being happy with a one-goal lead, and try to give it to them a little more." But Saturday night, Berenson had a different view of the team's third-period struggles. "This is about playing better defensively. This isn't about how many goals we score," Berenson said. "We had a lead, we had enough goals, and then we give up three goals. There's no way. Can't happen." Terrible threes Saturday was not the first time this season that the Wolverines have lost a game in the third period. Here are a few of the most eye-popping losses. The meltdowns North Dakota On Oct. 12, the Wolverines led 4-2 with with under five minutes left in the game, but lost 5-4 in OT. Boston University Michigan made it 3-2 at 1:24 of the third on Dec. 29, but Boston answered with three straight goals and won 5-4. Western Michigan A 3-1aWolverine lead evaporated in the final 12 minutes on Saturday night and the Broncos triumphed 4-3. A medium between the perfection of Friday night's seven-goal first period and Saturday night's third-period collapse must be found. That middle ground is the type of play that may not produce seven-goal wins every night, but will be, enough to get Michigan into the starting blocks for a serious run at a title. But until consistency is achieved, "Rocky VI" will never leave the studio lot. Captains sharp for M'in blowout win By Bob Hunt Daily Sports Writer KALAMAZOO - Before Vince Bellissimo knuckled the puck past Al Montoya to begin a 12-minute stretch in which Western Michigan scored three goals to defeat HOCKEY the Wolverines, Notebook it was looking _______ like a dream weekend for Michigan's two star seniors, Jed Ortmeyer and John Shouneyia. Their moments in the spotlight gave a glimpse of what the Wolver- ines are capable of doing on offense. The first period of Friday night's game had an offensive outburst like nothing the Wolverines have seen this season. As Michigan scored seven early goals, Ortmeyer knotted a hat trick with Shouneyia setting him up on two of them. In the second period, Ortmeyer's fourth goal was also set up by Shouneyia. The senior alternate captain had three assists in the game and five for the weekend. Prior to Friday, Shouneyia had just eight assists in 14 games. "There have been other nights where we've had more shots and more chances, but the puck didn't go in," Berenson said Friday night, when the mood of the Michigan program was still jubilant after downing the Broncos. The scoring blitz began in the game's first minute, when Shouneyia passed the puck from behind the net to Ortmeyer, who put it in above Western Michigan goalie Mike Mantua. Then, minutes later, Ortmeyer appeared to have found Shouneyia in front of the net as Mantua cheated over to the near side. Shouneyia was credited for the goal, but it was announced to the crowd during the third period that Shouneyia actually did not touch the puck and the goal was credited to Ortmeyer. "Johnny and I talked about it and he said that if I didn't get another one, he would get it," Ortmeyer said. "But I guess they reviewed it." Shouneyia fed Ortmeyer on the break for his third in the final two minutes of the first period and fed Ortmeyer again late in the second period. Ortmeyer slipped the puck under Western Michigan backup goalie Scott Foster before jumping over him into the net. While Ortmeyer doubled his season goal total in one evening, he attrib- uted much of his success to how Shouneyia was able to set him up. "I didn't have to do a lot on any of my goals," Ortmeyer said. "(Shouneyia) made great plays, had defensemen hanging off of him and I just had to tap them in." HOUSE OF HORRORS: With thou- sands of crazy students wearing black shirts, fans standing three or four deep throughout the concours- es and thousands of ThunderStix, it was hard to tell which school was known for a great hockey atmos- phere on Saturday. The home of the Broncos, Law- son Arena, was rocking. The Wolverines attracted Western BRONCOS Continued from Page 1B Bellissimo struck again less than four minutes after his flukey goal. This time it was with a wrister from the right faceoff circle, which put the Wolverines on their heels for the final eight minutes and sent the standing- room-only crowd into a frenzy. Montoya responded, snagging sev- eral shots with his glovehand while the Wolverines killed a Jed Ortmeyer four-minute penalty. But the Bron- cos' unrelenting pressure was too much for the freshman, who was left helpless when Michigan and West- ern Michigan players crashed the left side of the net with just under four minutes left. Dana Lattery found the puck near the crease and flipped it into the wide-open right side for the game-winner. Western Michigan came out with fire in the first period, looking like a different team than the one that Michigan had outscored 7-0 in the first period the night before. The Broncos took the lead at 13:53 when Jeff Campbell rifled in a shot from the slot for his third tally of the weekend. The momentum swung Michi- gan's way in the opening minutes of the second period, when Michael Woodford took a pretty feed from John Shouneyia and beat Western Michigan's Mike Mantua glove- side. Falling down near the right circle at 11:25, freshman Andrew Ebbett put Michigan ahead 2-1. The Wolverines looked like they would leave Lawson Arena with the sweep after Brandon Rogers gave them a two-goal cushion early in the third period. But it was all Broncos from there. "We started to play well in the third period, and' it looked like the game was not going to change, but it did," Berenson said. "And when it changed, it went completely the other way. It was a battle in here, and we just didn't finish the battle." Montoya may be battling demons after allowing three goals in the third. "It's a challenge for him," Beren- son said. "You can't blame the game on him because he does more good things than bad obviously, but (Bel- lissimo's first marker) was a bad goal. He's not the only goalie who's going to be victimized by that, but it's how you bounce back from that. Bounce back, put it out of your mind, it's done, and move on." But Montoya and the Wolverines will have to wait to rebound from the stunning loss. Because of its required bye week, Michigan won't see game action again until a week from Thursday at Lake Superior State. If Montoya has nightmares about his Osgood-esque mishap during all of that free time, he can remember that Osgood went on to win the Stanley Cup two weeks after his breakdown. TONY DING/Daily Michigan captain Jed Ortmeyer celebrates with freshman Jeff Tambellini after Ortmeyer scored his fourth goal in Friday's 10-3 win over Western Michigan. Michigan's first sellout crowd of the season. Saturday was the first time Lawson was sold out since the last time Michigan visited there - when the Wolverines won the CCHA regular season title by defeating the Broncos on Mar. 2, 2002. The crowd of 4,575 - Lawson has a listed capacity of 3,667 - was only reached twice last season - the other time being when the Broncos played Michigan State. From the opening draw, the Bron- cos' fans, most of which were wearing black, were crashing their ThunderStix, which were given out to everyone at the door as they walked in. The invention that became famous during the baseball playoffs created one of the most hostile atmospheres the Wolverines have played in this season. "You get those 1,500, 1,600 kids ranting and raving with the Thun- derStix, and it gets us going with a shot of adrenaline that we needed," Western Michigan coach Jim Cul- hane said. "To tell you the truth, you know, that's the extra player on our team right now." Michigan is 1-1-3 in its last five games at Lawson Arena. Michigan players were unavail- able for comment following Satur- day's game. Team Ferris State 7 Ohio State Michigan Miami Northern Michigan Notre Dame Michigan State Western Michigan Nebraska-Omaha Aask a-Fairbanks Bowling Green Lake Superior W 1 CCHA NL 1 2 3 2 9 4 3 6 3 6 7 8 7 6 ' 7 69 5 8 3 10 1 13 T Pts 1 23 1 19 1 19 2 18 0 16 1 15 0 14 0 14 1 13 3 13 2 8 0 2 Overall W L T 16 5 1 15 4 2 15 6 1 14 8 2 10 9 1 9 9 4 11 9 1 9 12 1 8 11 3 5 13 2 4 15 3 Three stars of the weekend CCHA LEADERS Through Jan. 12 - League games only Player G A P A" John Shouneyia 0 Jed Ortmeyer 02 Bra ndon Rogers C...,.:..«// "nH nv ' Qns iny+lTinm. nny+a ,Cllt1} ?/liY//1i' DmOfDfl.COri /YY1. I