4B - Monday, December 11, 2006
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
CONTACT TO THE HEAD
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
"Its probably one of
the more disappointing
(birthdays) I've ever had:'
- Michigan senior alternate captain TJ.
HENSICK on losing to Notre Dame on his 21st
RODRIGO GAYA/Daily birthday.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Travis Turnbull
MICHIGAN
The sophomore forward had his first
career three-point game yesterday, and
four points on the weekend. Turnbull
benefitted from playing alongside T.J.
Hensick and Kevin Porter during yester-
day's game against the Fighting Irish.
THE 'RED' LINE
In a system named for legendary coach Red Berenson, the
Daily hockey writers rate the Wolverines on their perfor-
mance in each of four areas. (Rated out of 4 pucks)
OFFENSE
Michigan scored lust nix goals this
weekend. But when you consider
the fact that Notre Dame was giving
up lust 1.83 goals per game going
into the series, it looks pretty good.
Nate Sandals
Friday's game
NOTRE DAME 7 - MICHIGAN 3
Sunday's game
NOTRE DAME 4-- MICHIGAN 3
Irish stewed
Canada calls Cogliano to Calgary
Amber Colvin
Ian Robinson
James V. Dowd
DEFENSE
All the 'D' wants for the holi-
days is a little health. It's hard
to judge these guys when
they're dropping like flies.
Here's two pucks for effort.
S.
GOALTEN DING
Sauer got yanked Friday after
allowing five goals in two periods,
and Jakiel didn't fare much better.
Sauer was adequate yesterday, but
11 goals in a weekend are too many.
SPECIAL TEAMS
As coach Red Berenson put it yes-
terday: "The power play couldn't
score and the penalty kill couldn't
defend." Sounds like a recipe
for disaster in South Bend.
By NATE SANDALS
Daily Sports Writer
SOUTH BEND - Calgary is 1,779
miles from the Notre Dame campus.
Andrew Cogliano just didn't have
enough time.
Thesophomore forwardwasn'twith
his fellow Wol-
verines for their
game against
Notre Dame yesterday. Instead, he
was in the southern Alberta metropo-
lis preparing for the Canadian Junior
team's tryout camp.
His first practice was 7 p.m. last
night.
Even though Michigan coach Red
Berenson was without his fourth lead-
ing scorer, he didn't use Cogliano's
absence as an excuse for his team's 4-3
loss.
"Would we be better with some
other players? Yeah," Berenson said.
"But tonight, that was our team, and
we just didn't get it done."
Still, Berenson said he was unhappy
to lose Cogliano and was even more
upset that the sophomore's absence
was the result of a schedule change for
television.
Michigan was supposed to play at
Notre Dame on Saturday, but the game
was moved to Sunday afternoon to
allow for broadcast on ESPNU. Cogli-
ano could have played in South Bend
on Saturday and made it to Calgary in
time for the camp.
Berenson called it "bad timing," but
injuries made it even worse.
Michigan lost Cogliano while still
skating without defensemen Jason
Dest and Jack Johnson, both out with
shoulder injuries.
On Friday, Dest missed his first
game since the season-opener of his
freshman year. The senior had played
in 124 straight games.
With three key players missing,
Michigan's coaches were forced to
infuse new blood into the lineup.
Junior Jon Montville saw his first
action of the season on Friday. The
Novi native played alongside captain
Matt Hunwick, but he was absent from
the ice at crucial points in the game.
On Saturday, freshman Anthony
Ciraulo played for the second time this
season. He took Cogliano's spot in the
lineup, but didn't fill his skates.
POPPING AND LOCKING: It's becom-
ing an epidemic. Another Michigan
defenseman suffered a shoulder injury
on Sunday. Freshman Steve Kampfer
succumbed to a dislocated shoulder in
the third period while battling in the
offensive zone.
Senior David Rohlfs had to move
back to defense to fill the void from
Kampfer's absence. Rohlfs played
extensively at defense last season and
didn't look out of place on the blue line
on Friday.
Michigan doesn't play until Dec. 29,
which should give Kampfer a decent
amount of time to heal. Kampfer said he
felt fine and wasn't in too much pain as
he left the arena holding a bag of ice.
MOVING ON DOWN, TO THE EAST SIDE:
After being swept by Notre Dame for
the first time since February 2004,
Michigan dropped one spot to third in
the CCHA standings. The Wolverines
are three points behind the Fighting
RODRIGO GAYA/Daily
Defenseman Steve Kampfer suffered a dislocated shoulder in Sunday's third period.
Irish and five points back of first-place Hobey Baker-award hopeful turned
Miami (Ohio). 21 Sunday, and the only present he got
While there is still half of the con- was a sweep by Notre Dame
ference season to play, Berenson said Hensick has been praised for his
he was disappointed to fall behind increased leadership and maturity this
Notre Dame in the standings, because season. While he's the team's youngest
the two teams don't meet again this senior, the Howell native often carries
season. himself as though he was the oldest.
"Yougetsweptby ateamthat's going Hensick denied thinking about the
to compete for first place in this league big day before the game's 3:05 p.m.
and that really puts us in the backseat," start, but on his way out of the Joyce
Berenson said. "Because you're not Center admitted the loss had made a
going to getthose points back." letdown out of his 21st.
DROWNING YOUR SORROWS: Watch "It's probably one of the more dis-
out, Ann Arbor: T.J. Hensick is legal. appointing (birthdays) I've ever had,"
The senior alternate captain and Hensick said with a youthful shrug.
IN THE STANDS
It seems like the crowd at Joyce Arena missed
the memo: good hockey is back in South Bend!
There was no consistent cheer or even a uni-
form sound when the Irish went on the power
play. The band was just confused, playing over
the loudspeaker - but the fans stayed mum.
With a revamped team should come a
revamped fan base. It's not like they were
busy cheering for Brady Quinn, right?
BY THE NUMBERS
33 The number of goals scored on
Michigan since Thanksgiving.
SUNDAY'S SCORING
Notre Dame 4, Michigan 3
Michigan... . . . .............. 2 1 0 - 3
N otre D am e ........................................................1 1 2 - 4
FIRST PERIOD
1. MICH Travis Turnbull 2 (Chad Kolarik) 0:42, 2. ND Kyle Lawson 2 (Erik
Condoa, Keavineth) 13.25. 3 MICH KtnPrtnr14 (Ttavis Trnbull,
Chrsemers)6:08. Penaties-Dnny FardigMICH(slashing)836;
Christian Hanson, ND (interference)10:31; Steve Kampfer, MICH (tripping)
12:42; Brock Sheahan, ND (tripping)16:33; Evan Rankin ND (interference)
19:31.
SECOND PERIOD
4. ND Garrett Regan 5 (Mark Van Guilder, Brett Blatchford) 7:45. 5. MICH
Mark Mitera 1 (Brian Lebler, Travis Turnbull) 19:37. Penalties - Garrett
eguan, C0 (tghi nolc510, Tea) , MICH r(ta any players on)5:10 Tie
Mien, MICHA(interfetrence) 609, Math Mitena, MICH (cosas-checkinu)
7:30; Garrett Regan, ND(tripping) 9:24; Wes O'Neill, ND (interference)
16:46.
THIRD PERIOD
6. ND Ryan Thang 9 (Kevin Deeth,tErik Condra) 7:13. 7. ND Garrett Regan
6 (Mark Van Guilder) 7:43. Penalties - Erik Condra, N0 (tripping)1:44;
David Rohlfs, MICH (tripping)2:33; Travis Turnbull, MICH (hooking) 6:41;
Tim Cook, MICH (tripping)8:31.
Shots on goal: MICH 7-12-9-28; ND 6-14-9-29. Power plays: MICH 0-for-6; ND 3-for-7
Saves - MICH Billy Sauer (5-13-7) - 25; ND David Brown (5-11-9) - 25.
Referee: Barry Pocheara. Attendance: 2,763
Despite confidence, Sauer's mind hurts team
It's difficult to feel lonely among more than
6,200 people.
Unless you're the one who allowed five goals
in back-to-back home starts.
The one pulled from the game after two periods.
The one still wearing a goalie mask on the bench.
Unless you're Billy Sauer. -
Then, I guess, loneliness
doesn't seem like such a fanciful
concept for someone at Yost Ice
Arena on Friday night.t
With each Fighting Irish goal,
Sauer looked a little smaller, a
little younger and a little more t. .
helpless. By the time the horn JOSE
sounded to conclude the sec-
ond period, Sauer looked like BOSCH
a defeated man - scratch that -
- a defeated child as he somber- The Bosch
ly skated back toward his locker Watch
room.
During the third period, Sauer sat on the bench,
tucked into the corner, and kept his goalie mask on.
It could've been a sign of weakness, a way for Sauer
to hide from the embarrassment of giving up 18
goals over his previous three starts; a way for him to
avoid seeing the hundreds of pairs, of eyes glued to
him as he sat and watched like everyone else.
Or it could've been a sign of what he was think-
ing, a symbol he's ready for his next game and he
won't allow this last slip-up to affect him.,
The only way to know is to ask him.
After Friday's game, Sauer opened the door to
leave the locker room. He appeared to walk just a
little bit faster than usual, maybe trying to avoid a
post-game discussion.
Not so fast, Billy.
But while I talked to him, there was no sense
that the past three weeks have been, statistically at
least, the worst of his career. Judging by his body
TURNBULL IR
From page 1B Fr
unleashed a slapshot that found its way into thro
the net for Turnbull's third point of the con- onc
test. ing
With the first half of the season finished pucl
and the Great Lakes Invitational over the of t
holidays, Turnbull's offensive outburst in the terv
final game before the break could create a lit- of t
tle momentum for a team that needs a lift. Bab
CCHA STANDINGS
Team CCHA Overall Pts
1. Miami 10-3-1 14-5-1 21
2. Notre Dame 9-2-1 14-3-1 19 Mi
3. Michigan 8-5-0 12-7-0 16 t
4. Michigan State 7-5-1 9-7-1 15
5. Lake Superior 6-4-2 11-5-2 14
6. Alaska 5-4-3 7-5-4 13
Mi
Ohio State 5-6-3 5-9-4 13
8. Nebraska-Omaha 5-6-1 8-7-4 11
Western Michigan 5-7-1 6-7-1 11
10. Northern Michigan 4-7-1 7-10-2 9
11. Ferris State 2-9-2 4-11-2 6
12. Bowling Green 2-10-0 4-13-1 4
language and the way he talked, Sauer was treating
this like just another rough day at the office.
Unfortunately, another rough day doesn't just
affect him - it affects his team. And as positive
as he sounds after rough games (this isn't the first
time he's seemed upbeat after a tough loss), he still
appears rattled on the ice after allowing a goal.
It's easy to tell people you have to forget about
the last goal, but actually doing it isn't so easy for
Sauer.
"It was a tough game for him," Michigan coach
Red Berenson said on Friday. "He only had four
shots in the first period and two were goals. That is
frustrating for a goalie. Then in the second period,
it got worse. I cannot tellyou what his psyche is, but
obviously the puck is going in too easily."
Yet despite his concerns, Berenson stuck with
Sauer yesterday. The goaltender he dubbed the
starter at the beginning of the season.
Sauer started between the pipes for yesterday's
game, the bookend of a home-and-home series with
Notre Dame. He had a chance to redeem himself
with a win on the road. Instead, Sauer gave up two
third-period goals within 30 seconds of each other,
and the Fighting Irish finished their sweep of the
Wolverines with a 4-3 win.
That's nine goals against one goalie in one series.
In the world of theater, Sauer's rise and fall is a
quintessential tragedy. At the tender age of 17, he
was hailed as the next one in a line of great goal-
tenders. His 8-3-1 record after the first half of last
season was just a glimpse at his talent.
But since then, his inability to rebound after
tough goals and tough contests has led to many dis-
appointing games.
Sauer should know that to succeed as a goalten-
der his mettle must be harder than the pucks he's
supposed to stop. And to come to that conclusion,
he may need to spend some extended time on the
bench.
Last year was the first time in 10 years Berenson
had to pause before penciling in his starting goalie.
It seemed like Sauer had done enough to eliminate
that problem before this season. But the last three
weeks have prosven he's done anything but that.
"There's nothing you can do about anything in
the past," Sauer said on Friday. "You might as well
just keep on going."
For the Michigan hockey team, forgetting about
the past may require going on without Sauer in net
for the short term.
It seems counterintuitive to bench a player whose
mental game is shaky. But it's the only option Beren-
son hasn't tried with his young - he's still just 18
- goalie. Last season's goalie carousel did a lot to
harm Sauer's confidence. And Berenson's undy-
ing support (with the exception of last weekend's
benching) has also failed to spark anything in the
sophomore.
An extended stint on the pine may be just what
Sauer needs to kick-start his mental game to the
next level. He already knows how to talk the talk
while dressed in a finely pressed suit, the stink of a
bad game washed away.
But walking the walk while wearing the damp
and bulky goalie's equipment during the game is
still out of his reach.
Back on Friday, Sauer spent most of the third
period with his hockey helmet on. He looked like he
was desperate to get back out on the ice and atone
for his mistakes.
And maybe that's the problem.
Maybe he's pushing too hard.
Maybe spendingsome time on the bench without
his helmet on will clear his mind.
Maybe, just maybe, Michigan hockey fans will
finally get the consistent goalie they've been pray-
ing for the last two years.
- Bosch can be reached at hectobos@umich.edu.
'M' STATS
GP G A Pts
Player
+/- PIM Sht
i . i i i i i i
Hensick
Porter
Kolarik
cogliano
Rohlfs
Johnson
Miller
Naurato
Lebler
Hunwick
Mitera
Turnbull
Cook
Dest
Ward
Kampfer
Fardig
Summers
Bailey
Craulo
Montville
19
19
19
18
17
16
19
18
19
19
19
19
14
17
11
16
19
19
19
2
7
14
12
10
10
6
3
6
5
0
1
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
33
31
25
23
20
13
9
9
8
8
8
6
4
3
3
2
2
3
0
0
+10
+11
+7
+1
+10
+10
+4
+1
-3
+4
+2
-2
+4
+1
+3
0
-1
+3
-11
-1
-1
18
8
12
10
8
33
35
4
22
28
24
26
8
12
0
8
22
36
28
0
0
47
69
71
37
46
47'
26
43
25
34
27
33
8
7
6
9
19
16
17
0
ISH
om page 1B
ugh the neutral zone, Turnbull
e again found a hole in the Fight-
Irish's defense, slipping the
k to Kevin Porter just outside
he Notre Dame blue line. Por-
walked the puck to the left side
he ice while holding off Noah
in and Brock Sheahan before
AROUND THE CCHA
Friday's results:
Notre Dame 7, MICHIGAN 3
ALASKA 4, Bowling Green 3
chigan State 3, NoRTHERN MICHIGAN 2
Lake Superior 1, FERRIS STATE 1 (OT)
Miami 5, OHIo STATE 2
NEBRASKA-OMAHA 5, Bentley 2
Saturday's results:
chigan State 3, NORTHERN MICHIGAN 2
Bowling Green 6, ALASKA 4
Obio State 2, MIAMI 2 (OTi
Lake Superior 4, MFEIS STA
Sunday's results:
NoTRE DAME 4, Michigan 3
NEBRASKA-OMAHA 7, Bentley 2
'Home teams in caps
cutting back across Brown's net
and slipping the puck in with just
fewer than four minutes remaining
in the period.
As the second period opened,
Notre Dame's power play again took
advantage of a shorthanded Michi-
gan team. A series of penalties by
both teams culminated with a 4-
on-3 Irish advantage after defense-
man Mark Mitera was penalized for
tripping with 12:30 remaining in the
second period.
Michigan was able to clear
their zone after 15 seconds, and an
exhausted Kolarik, who had played
an active role on the penalty kill,
raced to the bench. But before his
replacement, senior David Rohlfs,
could reach the defensive zone the
ensuing odd-man advantage ended
with a game-tying goal by Garrett
Regan.
With the opportunity to take its
first lead of the game in the follow-
ing minutes, Notre Dame generated
several rushes on Michigan's net,
but goaltender Billy Sauer was up to
the task.
As the second period wound to a
close, the Wolverines again seized
the lead with a shot from the left
point by Mark Mitera - his first
career marker. The sophomore
slapped the puck toward the net, and
it found a pinhole between Brown's
pads for the go-ahead goal.
Michigan held onto the lead for
more than half of the final stanza,
but it was then that the famed magic
took over.
The Fighting Irish needed the
magic in the late-game come-
back yesterday, but Friday's vic-
tory was plain dominance from the
start. Notre Dame jumped out to
a two-goal lead in the first period
and never looked back. Michigan
twice narrowed the deficit to one,
but three consecutive goals by the
Fighting Irish in the late second
and early third period put the game
away for good.
Having allowed five goals in two
periods on Friday, Michigan coach
Red Berenson elected to use fresh-
man Steven Jakiel in the third peri-
od. But even a change in backstop
couldn't prevent Notre Dame from
running away with a four-goal vic-
tory.
Michigan now has a 19-day break
before returning to the ice for the
Great Lakes Invitational inDetroit.