The Michigan Daily - SportsWednesday - October 19, 2005 - 3B
Icers know
pressure
comes with
beig No.1
By Mark Giannotto
Daily Sports Writer
The hunter faces a completely different situ-
ation than that of the hunted. The hunted gets
the best effort from every team it faces.
Because of the Michigan
hockey team's best start
since 1999, the powers that
be in college hockey have
rewarded them with the No. $0
1 ranking.
In the past, when hold-
ing the No. 1 position in the
polls, the Wolverines have not performed up to
their capabilities. Last season, the Wolverines
were ranked No. 1 in the preseason and lost
the opener to Northeastern. When Michigan
regained its top ranking later in the season, it
promptly lost to both Wisconsin and Minne-
sota in the College Hockey Showcase.
So next weekend's game against No. 10
Michigan State could spell trouble.
"The worst thing to be is No. 1," Michigan
coach Red Berenson said before the team was
named the nation's best. "Every time we're No.
1 we make sure that we don't stay there."
Over the weekend, No. 1 Minnesota lost
once and tied once against Alaska-Fairbanks,
No. 2 Denver lost both of its games to Maine
and No. 3 Ohio State split its weekend series
with No. 6 Colorado College. All of this, com-
bined with Michigan's two wins this weekend,
led to the Wolverines leaping six spots -in the
polls.
Not only did this weekend's games catapult
Michigan to the No. 1 ranking, but it also show-
casedthemuch-improvedCCHA. Inthis week's
polls, five teams from the CCHA ranked in the
top-20 (No. 1 Michigan, No. 3 Ohio State, No.
10 Michigan State, No. 16 Northern Michigan
and No. 19 Alaska-Fairbanks).
Entering the CCHA regular season, the
Wolverines know they will have to be on top of
their games every night when facing so many
talented teams.
"I think our league is better than people gave
WARRIORS
Continued from page 1B
through me," Sauer said. "And any goal that
goes through you you're going to want back."
Both teams were visibly worn down
by the third period and neither one could
gain a considerable advantage. But in the
waning moments of the game, the Eagles
had an opportunity to tie the game. At
18:51, Cogliano was called for charging
- which, with the goalie pulled, gave
Rileys improved consistency
CAITLIN KLEIBOER/saily
Freshman defenseman Jack Johnson collected four points over the weekend's two-game set.
it credit for last year," Berenson said. "I think a
lot of our teams are going to take a step forward
this year."
JOHNSON'S BIG NIGHT: With a sold-out crowd
and numerous NHL scouts packed into Yost
Ice Arena Friday night, freshman defenseman
Jack Johnson made his presence known early
and often.
In just the second minute of the first period,
the Wolverines had a two-man advantage on
Boston College, and Johnson immediately
took control. After receiving a pass at the top
of the right circle from junior Matt Hunwick,
Johnson unleashed a one-timer that flew by
Eagles goalie Cory Schneider.
"That first goal by Jack shouldn't have count-
ed," Boston College coach Jerry York said. "He
should be in the NHL right now."
But that was only the beginning of what
would be a very high-paced, frenetic first peri-
od. Many of the Boston College players were on
the receiving end of hits courtesy of the fresh-
man defenseman. But one hit in particular was
the defining moment of the game. As a Boston
College forward skated full speed up the ice,
Johnson collided with him in the middle of the
ice, and won. The Eagles forward was laid out
on his back - with Johnson standing over him
soaking in the intense moment he had created.
When asked what he said to the Boston Col-
lege player while he was on the ice, he respond-
ed, "Welcome to Yost."
Then in the third period, Johnson unleashed
another slapshot from the top of the face-off
circle that knocked off the goaltender Sch-
neider's helmet.
"I feel that hockey is a game of intimida-
tion," Johnson said. "If you are going to have
a big hit and intimidate the goalie, it makes life
easier for our forwards and even the defense. It
makes life easier for everyone."
In the two games against Boston College
and Merrimack this weekend, Johnson collect-
ed four points (one goal and three assists). For
his efforts, he was named the CCHA Defense-
man of the Week.
THE YOST FACTOR: With a little over one min-
ute remaining in the third period on Friday,
Boston College called a timeout to discuss
how they were going to tie the game up with
Michigan. The crowd at Yost Ice Arena had
other ideas.
"It was pretty loud," Boston College captain
Peter Harrold said. "We almost couldn't hear
our coach telling us what to do."
Despite the fact that the Eagles are used
to playing in big time college hockey atmo-
spheres, they couldn't help but acknowledge
the advantage Michigan enjoys at Yost.
"This is a great place to play," Harrold
said. "I have nothing but good things to say
about Yost."
mirrors Michi
t's fourth-and-four, but that doesn't matter
because there is just one second left on clock.
Rueben Riley - who at the beginning of
the season was considered the third-string right
tackle --is playing with casts on both his hands.
He's ready to block one of the Big Ten's best
sack artists on what Riley knows will
be a pass play.
The fact that he's out there says a
lot about how far Riley has come.
For four years in high school, "Big
Rube" played both offensive and
defensive line, and he was ranked as
high as the No. 7 center in the coun-
try when he was being recruited by
Michigan.
He was even bigger in high school IA
than he is now. When he was grow- HERF
ing up, Riley was always the biggest TIeSports)
kid on the team - so big, that he ThCSou
was singled out with an 'X' on his
helmet, indicating that he was too big to play on
the defensive line. His dad, a 380-pound lineman
who played with Jerry Rice at Mississippi Valley
State, told his son that he should never have to
apologize for being big.
"He told me, 'Never apologize for being fast
and big and strong,' " Rueben recalled. "So what,
you're nine years old but as big as these 13-year-
olds. That's not your fault. Don't apologize for it.
... It's a gift.' "
So there were high expectations for Riley
coming into his freshman year at Michigan.
Riley was one of the best. Riley expected to be
one of the best. The coaches expected him to be
one of the best.
But for a while, he was the odd man out. Com-
ing out of training camp last year, Riley didn't
get one of the five starting jobs. He ended up
playing when Leo Henige went down with an
injury, but, as a competitor, he was still disap-
pointed.
This year was a different year, but the same
result for Riley. He said he handled the disap-
pointment better this year, but he came into
training camp fighting for one of the five 0-line
positions and left without a starting job.
"The issue was consistency," Riley said. "And
coach Carr told me, 'Rueben, you can play well,
but can you play well for 60 minutes?' He put me
in there against Minnesota (last season) - that
was a tough game that we won. He said, 'OK,
you can play consistently. You showed us what
you need to. Now continue to do that.' "
But Riley hasn't been the only player strug-
gling with consistency this year. It's been the
theme song for the Wolverines all season long.
Win one, lose one, win one, lose one. For the
team that hasn't yet won two in a row, consis-
tency has obviously been an issue.
This Michigan team came into the season
with expectations at least as high as Riley's. The
Wolverines were ranked third in the country and
had what looked to be a cupcake nonconference
schedule. They were going to do big things.
But like Riley, the Wolverines didn't always
Lyan,
's fortunes
get to where they wanted. They dreamed national
championship, and they started the season 3-3.
They dreamed Big Ten championship, and they
dropped out of the top-25 for the first time in
nearly a decade. The Wolverines made mis-
takes in games that they should have won. They
weren't able to produce consistently,
week in and week out. They won an
overtime battle at Michigan State
only to turn around and lose a heart-
breaker to Minnesota.
But how do you teach consistency?
How do you make sure that you don't
make any mistakes?
"It's mental," Riley said. "When
they're telling you consistent, it's
mental. You can pull around and
N block the linebacker. You can pass
BERT block. But can you do that when
Thdnesday you're tired? Can you do that when
nesday the odds are stacked against you?"
Riley should know. Because he's
made the change. He took his weakness and
worked on the mental part of his game. And this
week against one of the best defensive lines in
the country, he made consistency a priority.
This week, Henne had plenty of time to throw.
This week, the offensive line - still suffering
from injuries - picked up blitzes. This week,
with one second left, Henne had enough time to
make the throw that won the game.
"I can't say enough good things about Rueben
Riley," Carr said.
He has changed his approach to the game, and
he has managed to eliminate the mistakes from
the football game. Like much of his team, he's
playing hurt - he has casts on each of his hands
- but he has stayed consistent. Saturday was
just one game, and, like Carr told him, he needs
to continue to do that. But it's a step in the right
direction.
The jury is still out on the Michigan football
program. This was a great win for the team, a
great win for the coaches and a great win for the
fans. But consistent would be winning two in a
row. Two in a row means going into Iowa City
and taking one from the Hawkeyes.
"Whenever you feel like, 'We might not get
this one,' it's over,' " Riley said. "Really, it's
over for you. So you repeat to yourself, 'It's not
over. We have a second left. It's not over.' And it
wasn't over."
Riley admitted he was nervous on that final
play. He lined up across from defensive end
Tamba Hali, who last week against Ohio State
sealed the game for the Nittany Lions with a sack
on Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith.
But that didn't matter for the newly consistent
Rueben Riley.
The ball was snapped and Hali rushed to the outside.
As consistent as ever, Riley used his speed to
push Hali upfield, opening up a throwing lane for
the game's winning score.
Boston College a six-on-four advantage.
The call was questionable and the players
seemed visibly upset, but the Wolverines
would benefit from the same call just a few
moments later.
With 30 seconds left, the Eagles scored
what appeared to be the game-tying goal,
but the referees called it off. Captain Peter
Harrold was called for the same penalty
that sent Cogliano to the box. The infrac-
tion negated the goal.
"If a player doesn't let up when he's
going to the net, if he hits the goalie and
keeps him from making the save, then
it's a penalty," Berenson said. "I thought
Cogliano's was a questionable call, but
from where I was, I couldn't tell if he was
being pushed into (the goalie) or not. Both
teams had their chances to separate them-
selves, but they just didn't do it."
The win was the Wolverines' first over
the Eagles since a 3-2 overtime win in
the 1998 NCAA National Championship
game.
- Ian Herbert can be reached
at iherbert@umich.edu.
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