MMMMER
10 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Icers' powerplay unit
clicking from start
Bambino what ???
Sox knock off A's in Game 5, will face N.Y.
By Sharad Mattu
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan coach Red Berenson says
defensemen and goaltenders have an
advantage in the early stages of the sea-
son because it takes time for forwards
to get comfortable and develop chem-
istry with their linemates.
After Michigan's 5-3 win over Mer-
cyhurst, if the best of
the Wolverines' offense
is yet to come, then
their future opponents
had better be ready for $
an offensive onslaught.
Against the Lakers,
Michigan looked surprisingly sharp
on the powerplay, converting on three
of six chances. Relying on good spac-
ing and crisp passing, Michigan was
able to generate opportunity after
opportunity.
The Wolverines also got to experi-
ment with a myriad of units, and Beren-
son is quickly getting a feel for which
ones he can rely on.
"We did have a lot of different com-
binations," Berenson said. "We're still
feeling our way on the powerplay. The
powerplay has to take advantage of
chances, and for the most part, I think
we're going in the right direction."
One tactic that is working particular-
ly well on the powerplay is having for-
ward Jeff Tambellini back at the
blueline playing the point with Brandon
Rogers. As the fourth forward and yet
another threat on the ice, he forces the
opposing team to keep an eye on him,
and that gives the forwards even more
room to operate.
This worked beautifully on Michi-
gan's third and fifth goal, even though
Tambellini wasn't involved in either
one. On the two goals, Eric Nystrom
and T.J. Hensick both benefited from
clear paths to the net and had no trouble
notching their respective goals.
Nystrom's powerplay goal, which
gave Michigan a 3-1 lead early in the
second period, was also important
because it turned the momentum in the
Wolverines' favor. Blowing powerplay
chances has the potential to be demoral-
izing, but in Saturday's game that was
never a factor.
"The timing sometimes of your pow-
erplay goals is huge," Berenson said. "I
thought (Eric) Nystrom's goal was a big
goal for us at the time."
STANDING TALL: Michigan easily
defeated York Friday night in an exhibi-
tion game 6-2.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Pedro
Martinez, Johnny Damon, Manny
Ramirez and even that maligned
Boston bullpen - they all were
tougher than any curse.
Martinez pitched seven gritty
innings, and Ramirez broke his slump
with a decisive three-run homer as
the Boston Red Sox completed a
three-game playoff comeback, beat-
ing the Oakland Athletics 4-3 Mon-
day night in Game 5 of their AL
Division Series.
Boston meets the Yankees, its tradi-
tional rival, in the AL Championship
Series, which starts Wednesday night
in New York. The Red Sox had to
withstand a rally attempt in the ninth
to get there.
Reliever Scott Williamson, making
his fifth straight appearance for
Boston, led off the inning by walking
Scott Hatteberg and Jose Guillen.
Red Sox manager Grady Little went
to Derek Lowe, the Game 3 starter
and Game 1 loser out of the bullpen.
This time, Boston's No. 2 starter
came through.
After Ramon Hernandez bunted
pinch-runner Eric Byrnes and Guillen
into scoring position, Lowe threw a
called third strike past pinch-hitter
Adam Melhuse -- the A's backup
DANNY MOLOSHIKaily
On Saturday, forward Eric Nystrom tallied a powerplay goal early in the second.
York's goaltender Derek Dolson
earned the first star of the game.
Sound strange?
Look closely at the box score and
you'll find out why it's not - Dolson
stopped an astonishing 68 shots, includ-
ing 51 of 52 in the final two periods.
After the game, Berenson and
Michigan players alike knew the sce-
nario wouldn't play out again during
the season.
"We're old enough and smart enough
to realize we're not going to get those
chances (Saturday) night (against Mer-
cyhurst)," Milan Gajic said. "We're not
going to be able to sit in the slot for 30
seconds and not get picked up."
Though Mercyhurst was a much
tougher team, the Wolverines still out-
shot it by a hefty 43-26 margin.
A
i
7
i
-AW
Oro
On our team,
.
your brightest
ideas get noticed.
II
rP
catcher who had three hits in Game 4
Sunday.
Moments later, Chris Singleton
topped a weak grounder down the
first-base line - but Kevin Millar
didn't charge it in time to prevent it
from going foul. Lowe then walked
Singleton, loading the bases.
The A's countered with pinch-hitter
Terrence Long, who was just 2-for-7
in the series. Long took an inside
fastball for another called third strike
- and the Boston bench and bullpen
emptied onto the field in celebration.
"This team has been remarkable
all year in our ability to never quit,
never give in," Boston's Jason
Varitek said.
Damon left the field in an ambu-
lance after a frightening head-to-head
collision with second baseman Dami-
an Jackson. Both players were con-
verging on Jermaine Dye's fly ball in
the seventh.
Jackson shook it off, but Damon
was knocked unconscious with a con-
cussion.
The game was delayed 10 minutes
until Damon, awake and alert, raised
his hand to loud cheers from the Col-
iseum crowd as he was loaded into
the ambulance on a stretcher. He was
taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Boston had taken a 4-1 lead on
Ramirez's homer - punctuated by a
showboating walk to first base.
Oakland battled back with runs on
Miguel Tejada's double in the sixth
and pinch-hitter Billy McMillon's
RBI single in the eighth, which
chased Martinez.
But Boston's relief crew, which
blew Game 1 of the series and
numerous leads during the regular
season, bailed out Martinez with
three straight outs in the eighth after
the ace allowed two hits and a run.
It was all just a prelude to Lowe's
season-saving work in the ninth.
"I knew we were going to make it
because I have confidence in my
teammates," Ramirez said.
Boston's imposing cleanup hitter
had just three singles in 18 at-bats
before the homer. Ramirez made the
most of his first postseason homer
since 1998, standing at the plate to
admire his blast before walking slow-
ly up the baseline while pointing at
his celebrating dugout.
Heatley
charged in
death of
teammate
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) - All-Star
Dany Heatley was charged yesterday
with vehicular homicide after the death
of Atlanta Thrashers teammate Dan
Snyder, who was fatally injured when
Heatley's sports car ran off a road.
A spokesman for the district attor-
ney's office, Erik Friedly, said the
charge was based on a preliminary
finding that Heatley was driving reck-
lessly. It carries a prison sentence of
three to 15 years.
Snyder died Sunday night at Grady
Hospital, six days after sustaining
severe brain injuries in the wreck. He
was 25.
"The news of his passing fills all of
us with an overwhelming sense of sor-
row," NHL commissioner Gary
Bettman said.
Atlanta general manager Don Wad-
dell said that team officials held inter-
nal discussions about possibly
delaying Thursday night's season
opener but that the Snyder family per-
suaded them to play.
"When I talked to the Snyder family,
they really expressed their concern for
the team and how we move forward,"
Waddell said at a news conference at
the team's headquarters in suburban
Atlanta. "They really felt the team
needed to play."
The Thrashers weren't scheduled to
practice again until Tuesday morning.
They open the season against the
Columbus Blue Jackets.
Heatley already had been charged
with serious injury by vehicle, but that
charge was dropped after the vehicular
homicide count was filed. He also still
faces four misdemeanor counts, each
of which are punishable by up to a
year in prison. He is free on $50,000
bond.
"We are overwhelmingly saddened
and distraught over this tragic loss," the
Heatley family said in a statement
released by the Thrashers. "Dan was a
genuine and caring individual, and a
tremendous friend to us all.
"Our deepest sympathies and com-
passion go out to his parents and their
antis family
4
T
0
ii
i
Im m-V
I
I I
Agh