The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 20, 2004 - 11B
After three Frozen
years, Icers fall short.
By Sharad Mattu
March 29, 2004
MANCHESTER, N.H. - All season
long, when the Michigan hockey team
was playing at its best, its opponent was
irrelevant. The Wolverines would win
faceoffs, control the puck and outshoot
their opponents. That was their formula
for success Saturday in the first round of
the NCAA Tournament when Michigan
cruised past host New Hampshire 4-1.
But last night, in their 3-2 overtime
loss to Boston College in the Northeast
Regional final, the Wolverines discovered
how those teams felt: Even with their
best effort, they were ultimately over-
whelmed by a more talented opponent.
Michigan held 1-0 and 2-1 leads, but
in the end, the Eagles' unyielding pres-
sure was too much for the Wolverines.
Forward Patrick Eaves tied the score with
less than five minutes left in the third
period, and his brother and linemate, cap-
tain Ben Eaves, batted in a rebound 10:08
into overtime to send the Eagles (29-8-4)
back home to Boston, this year's host of
the Frozen Four. The Wolverines finished
the season 27-14-2, and did not make the
Frozen Four for the first time in four
years.
Michigan made it into overtime thanks
in large part to goaltender Al Montoya,
who saved a career-high 42 shots and was
named to the regional's All-Tournament
team (along with defenseman Andy -,
Burnes and winger Brandon Kaleniecki).
The Wolverines were outshot 45-17 and
lost 46 of 76 faceoffs.
"He's an unbelievable goalie," said
Patrick Eaves, who played with Montoya.
on the U.S. team at the World Junior
Championships in December. "I don't,
know how to describe how he plays. He'sn
always there anticipating. He's a terrific
goalie because of it"
Most of the game was spent in the
Wolverines' zone, as they had trouble get-
ting the puck out of their side of the ice
throughout the game.
"They forechecked us hard - real
hard," forward Eric Nystrom said. "They
were real aggressive and we weren't mov-
ing the puck quick enough. Their for-,
wards were fast and crafty. That's why {
they're heading where they are."
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local employersw
TONY DING/Daily
Captain Andy Burnes (4) made the Frozen Four his first three years at Michigan. However, the Wolverines fell short in his senior year, losing in the Regional finals.
OTHER NOTABLE WOLVERINES
When you think of University of Michigan athletics, the football team's national title in 1997 or the championship
in men's basketball in 1989 usually come to mind. As a result, often times individual championships are overshad-
owed. Here is a look at some of those who've captured national titles in the past four years:
Elise Ray, Women's Gymnastics
An Olympian before she ever came to Ann Arbor, Ray has lived up to the hype, As a freshman, Ray captured the NCAA All-Around
Tile with a score of 39.625, the highest allaround score ever recorded by aMichigan gynast, Ray won Michigan's first ever national
tide on the balance with a score of 9.925 at the 2002 NCAA Individual Finals. Ray sat out 2003 with an injury, but returned to form
n her senior year. She captured her third national title., this time on the uneven bars with an almostperfect score of 9,975.