1DA-The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 4, 2006
NHL to honor Berenson ll
By Nate Sandals
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan hockey coach Red Beren-
son has been away from the NHL since
1984. But on Nov. 6, the league will
honor him when it presents the hockey
legend with the Lester Patrick Award
for his outstanding service to hockey in
the United States.
Berenson, a former Michigan hockey
player, said he was pleased to represent
collegiate hockey in a primarily profes-
sional fraternity.
"I think it's a tribute to college hock-
ey to recognize someone from college
hockey," Berenson said. "I would guess
that a lot of people included in that
group were in the pro game. Right now,
I'm in the amateur game."
Berenson played with four different
NHL teams during his career, including
the Detroit Red Wings. He tallied 261
goals and 397 assists over 17 seasons.
In 1965, Berenson was a member of the
Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Cana-
diens. The next year he returned to Michi-
gan and received his Master's of Business
and Administration. Berenson has been
an outspoken proponent of hockey players
completing their college education.
His most well-known accomplish-
ment as a player was his six-goal game
against the Philadelphia Flyers as a
member of the St. Louis Blues in 1968.
Later that season, he graced the cover
of Sports Illustrated with the caption
"The Red Baron of the Blues."
Following his retirement in 1978,
Berenson joined the St. Louis coach-
ing staff as an assistant, and midway
through the 1979-8 season, he was
named head coach. The following sea-
son, Berenson was honored as the NHL
Coach of the Year.
Although he is Canadian, Berenson
thinks the time he has spent involved in
hockey in the United States led to his
receiving the Patrick award.
"I've been in the U.S. a lot of years,
and I've seen hockey grow in the U.S.
over those years," Berenson said.
Four other hockey notables will gar-
ner the award along with Berenson at a
luncheon in Joe Louis Arena on Nov. 6.
Proceeds from the award luncheon will
benefit the USA Hockey Foundation.
Red Wing greats Steve Yzerman and
Reed Larson will be honored along
with Hockey Hall of Famer Marcel
Dionne and former NHL and college
coach Glen Sonmor.
Berenson said he was excited to be
recognized at Joe Louis alongside so
many others with Detroit ties.
"It's great that it's in Detroit and
there's so many Detroit personalities
involved," Berenson said.
This year's five award winners bring
the total number of individual Les-
ter Patrick recipients to 100. Three
U.S. Olympic hockey teams have also
received the honor - The 1966 and
1980 men's teams and the 1998 wom-
en's team.
The award's namesake, Lester Pat-
rick, was involved in hockey for half a
century as a player, coach and general
manager.
Famous past winners of the Lester
Patrick award include Gordie Howe,
Stan Mikita, Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretz-
ky and Phil Esposito.
Berenson will begin his 23 season
as Michigan's head coach when the
Wolverines face off against Alabama-
Huntsville Oct. 13.
4
PETER SCHOTTENFELS/rai
The NHL will present Red Berenson with the Lester Patrick Award at a luncheon on Nov.6.
4
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FITZPATRICK
Continued from page 9A
yourself a week later running
around in numerous hospitals,
running tests and not being sure
of what is the matter," Lauri
said.
Doctors informed Kelly and
her family that the necessary sur-
gery could wait until the after the
field hockey season.
Even though the idea of playing
out the season excited Kelly, she
couldn't help but think about how
her health would constrain her.
"Things definitely changed,"
Kelly said. "I've learned I have
to be mature, dealing with seri-
ous organs like that. If I feel
pain, I can't just be a soldier
about it."
Cox said Fitzpatrick has
already shown toughness in plen-
ty of ways.
"She has managed everything
magnificently," Cox said. "You
have to look at it from a holis-
tic perspective. She is managing
Division I field hockey, academ-
ics at Michigan and an impending
surgery. I really applaud the kid.
She's got a lot going on, and she's
still the same Kelly."
Fitzpatrick's performance on
the field has remained the same
as well. The freshman is leading
Michigan in both goals and points
(five and 11 respectively).
Because doctors say a full
recovery from the surgery will
take about a year, no one knows
exactly Fitzpatrick will be able
to return to the field next season.
But there's reason to believe that
she'll bounce back.
On Sunday, Fitzpatrick got a
second chance to put Maryland
on the ropes. And this time, she
made it count. After picking up
another steal, she fired a shot
from the center circle that made
it past the Terrapin goalkeeper to
tie the game at one.
Just as things eventually went
her way against Maryland, Fitz-
patrick's fortunes can turn health-
wise, too. Cox thinks this will be
the case. The coach believes Kelly
will rebound physically after the
surgery.
"I do think she'll manage it,"
Cox said. "Our physicians have
been in contact with kidney spe-
cialists, and they all assure us,
with 100 percent certainty, that
Kelly can manage this surgery."
Fitzpatrick is still unsure
about her status for next season.
But that hasn't stopped her from
focusing on this year's team.
"As of right now, I'm hoping
not to miss next year," Fitzpatrick
said. "I plan to have a full recov-
ery. But for right now, I just hope
we can get it done this year." rd
TAYLOR
Continued from page 9A
Even though Taylor dominates
his teammates on the wrestling mat,
they still have a warm place for him
in their hearts. They credit Taylor as
one of the funniest guys on the team,
but say that you really have to spend
time with him to understand it.
Before practice, Taylor enjoys
warming up in an unusual way.
He and Branch routinely throw
the ball around, even though Tay-
lor admits neither of them has a
future at a skill position.
"Branch really can't catch, and I
can't throw that good," Taylor said.
Taylor may not have the best arm
on the team, but he definitely has
improved endurance. For that, he
remembers his summer daysof sleepy
eyes and golf course runs as motiva-
tion for running wherever he has to
go, in particular team meetings.
"You don't want to be late (to
meetings)," Taylor said. "It's bet-
ter to be three minutes early than
one minute late. You don't want to
be late because you'll have to run
afterwards anyway."
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