4B - December 10, 2007

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

CHECKING FROM BEHIND

4

THAT'S WHAT HE SAID
"It's obviously surprising. I don't
think anyone in this room, myself
included, would have predicted

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Chris Summers
MICHIGAN

this
off. "

team could have pulled that The sophomore switched from his usual
post at the blue line to forward, and the
move proved to be a great decision. Sum-
mers notched the game-winning goal in
- Michigan coach RED BERENSON on the Friday night's comeback thriller and was an
Wolverines' first half of the season, integral part of the Wolverines' penalty kill.

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 four pucks)

FRIDAY
MICHIGAN 4, BOWLING GREEN 2

SATURDAY
MICHIGAN 3, BOWLING GREEN 2

Michael Eisenstein

OFFENSE
"Our goalie had a better chance of
scoring than our forwards" is never
a ringing endorsement from your
coach. But the country's goal lead-
er, Kevin Porter, and freshman Matt
Rust shined with two goals apiece.
DEFENSE
Bowling Green wanted these games.
Badly. The defense, although a
little shaky at times, held up pretty
well. Michigan gave up just two
goals when it was at full strength.

'BOWLING' THROUGH

Andy Reid

GOALTENDING
Sauer and Hogan led the post-
game rendition of The Victors for
good reason. Sauer continued his
consistency Friday, and Hogan
showed last Saturday wasn't a
fluke. An extra half-puck goes to
Courtney Ratkowiak Hogan for his crazy almost-goal.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Michigan's penalty kill stood
strong against the nation's sec-
ond-best power play. The Wol-
verines held Bowling Green to
just 2-for-15 on the power play.
Michigan also had two power-
Nate Sandals play goals on Saturday night.
IN THE STANDS
Bowling Green fans were, well, interest-
ing. Students dressed as the Queen of Eng-
land threw candy (think Hot Dog Man, but a
whole lot less cool) during the intermission.
The stands were a little bare at the beginning
of Saturday night's game, but once the stu-
dents showed up, Yost was rocking pretty hard.
Who doesn't get a kick out of Santa dancing?
NOTABLE NUMBER
178 The length, in feet, of goalie Bryan
Hogan's shot at an empty net in Satur-
day night's game. It missed by inches.

Freshman goalie Bryan Hogan tallied 20 saves in Michigan's 3-2 victory Saturday, giving the wolverines sole possession oftfirst place in the CCHA.
Frosh netminder tallies 20 saves and one post

SATURDAY'S SCORING
Michigan 3, Bowling Green 2
Bow ling G reen -.................................................... 0 2 0
M ichigan ............................. ...................................... 2 1 0

2
3

FIRST PERIOD
1. M ICH Matt Rust 7 (unassisted) 3:42.2. M ICH Kevin Porter 18 (Chad Lan-
glais, Max Pacioretty) 12:31. Penalties - Russ Sinkewich, BGSU (obstruc.
tion-hooking) 0:36; Scooter Vaughan, MICH (interference) 3:10; Steve
Kampfer, MICH (cross-checking) 6:23; Scooter Vaughan, MICH (obstruc-
tion-hooking) 11:13; Derek Whitmore, BGSU (diving) 11:13; Mike Nesdill,
tGSS (ipC 0g)11 31; KnKoevuick, MICH (interference)12:40; James
rerkin, MICH (sloshing) 1720.
SECOND PERIOD
3. BGSU Jacob Cepis 5 (John Mazzei, Derek Whitmore) 2:19. 4. BGSU Jacob
Cepis 6 (John Mazzei)12:10. 5. MICH Brandon Naurato 2 (Carl Hagelin,
Steve Kampfer)019:54. Penalties - Tristin Llewellyn, MICH (interference)
1:36; Mark Mitera, MICH (hooking)1:43; Jacob Cepis, BGSU (roughing
ATW) 4:07; Aaron Palushaj, MICH (roughing ATW) 4:07; Chris Summers,
MICH (interference) 4:33; Derek Whitmore, BGSU (tripping) 5:09; Tristin
Leon eip, MICH (obstruction-hooking)15:41; Mike Nesdill, BGSU (obstruc-
1>tionrepnrol (9:24.
THIRD PERIOD
Penalties - Kevin Porter, MICH (CTH high-sticking) 1:04; Kai Kantola,
BGSU (tripping) 7:45; Chad Kolarik, MICH (high sticking)17:50.
Shots on goal: MICH7-7-14-28; BGSU 9-7-16-22 Power plays: MI CH 2-for-6; BGSU 1-
for-9 Saves - MICH Bryan Hogan (9-5-6) - 20; BGSU Nick Eno (5-6-14)
- 25. Referee: Brian Hill. Attendance:6,080.
'M' STATS -
Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM[Sht

By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
Daily Sports Writer
BOWLING GREEN - Two inches
to the left.
That's all freshman goalie Bryan
Hogan's empty-nett shot needed for
it to be the weirdest goal of the sea-
son during Saturday night's game in
Ann Arbor.
On the power play with less than
two minutes remaining, Bowling
Green pulled goalie Jimmy Eno to
secure a 6-on-4 advantage with just
a one-goal deficit. Add that to the
fact the Falcons had the second-best
power-play unit in the nation and
had scored on a two-man advantage
earlier in the game, and the closing
minutes were sure to be tense for
Michigan.
But when the Falcons pressured the
net, Hogan cleared the puck, whipping +
it over the players' heads and down
the length of the rink. It was headed +
straight for the goal - and clanked off
the left post.
"I was just thinking about clear-
ing the puck," Hogan said after
FALCONS
From page 1B
and just one player, freshman Matt
Rust, had a positive plus-minus ratio.
Michigan also saw its first-period two-
goal lead disintegrate in the middle
frame before junior Brandon Naurato
registered the eventual game winner
with six seconds left in the second
period.
The previous night, Michigan didn't
score its second goal of the game until
less than five minutes remaining in the
third frame.
A combined 30 penalties on the
weekend added to the ugly play,
including a 5-on-3 Bowling Green man
advantage and even some 3-on-3 hock-
ey, both in the second period.
"You hate to blame it on the offici-
ating, but the game was choppy," Rust
said. "There were a lot of penalties
CCHA STANDINGS

the game. "All I saw was the lane
right in the middle."
"That's a lie - I know you were try-
ing to score," senior Kevin Porter cut
in, jokingly.
"Yeah,I'llbehonest,Iwasthinking,
'Oh my God, I think I have a chance
here,' " Hogan responded. "But it is
what it is. Ithit the post. I'll remember
it for the rest of my life."
THE STARS COLLIDE: Going into
the weekend, Bowling Green captain
Derek Whitmore and Porter were
the top two players in six CCHA and
national offensive categories. Whit-
more led the nation with 1.18 goals
per game, and Porter had a CCHA-
high 16 goals. The two were tied for
the national lead with eight power-
play goals.
But Whitmore suffered a knee
injury against Wayne State last week-
end and practiced without contact
all week. Before the series, Bowling
Green coach Scott Paluch said he was
"optimistic but not confident" Whit-
more would play against Michigan.
Whitmore played both games, but
the showdown between the two star
called both ways. Whether they wer
bad penalties or not, it slows the gam
down."
With the special-teams units domi
nating playing time, the penalty-kil
unit especially stood out. Michiga
stifled the country's second-ranke<
power-play unit, allowing just tw
goals in 15 attempts (.133). Rust eve
came away with a shorthanded goal it
Saturday's opening minutes.
But what stood out from this week
end was that Michigan didn't overloo]
a usual CCHA bottom-dwelling team
The Falcons finished last in the CCH)
the past two years, and both season
Michigan lost at Bowling Green (5
5, 8-6). Despite Michigan's poor pla:
against a revived Falcon team thi
year, the Wolverines still came awa:
with the sweep.
"We definitely didn't play our bes
hockey," Rust said. "But it's huge goin
into the break having two wins, havin
confidence going into the GLI."

forwards wasn't much of a contest.
Porter finished with two goals and
one assist on the weekend to extend
his lead in the total goals column,
while Whitmore had just two assists.
Whitmore's best scoring opportu-
nity came on a breakawayin the third
period Friday, but his shot went wide
of the net.
"I thought they had very good for-
wards," Michigan goalie Billy Sauer
said Friday. "I'm friends with Whit-
more, actually, and I was just glad he
didn't get one on me."
The most telling difference
between the two was in the plus-
minus column. Whitmore was on the
ice for all four Wolverine goalsFriday
and finished minus-5 ontheweekend.
Porter was a combined plus-1.
But when Michigan coach Red
Berenson was asked to evaluate
Whitmore's play, he refused to com-
pare the two forwards.
"I don't think I would judge
(Whitmore)," Berenson said. "I know
he was injured and didn't have a full
week of practice, so I don't think I'd
comment on that. I think they were

probably happy he could try and
get through the weekend and help
them."
FLIP-FLOPPED: Michigan was
down 2-1 after two periods Friday
before scoring three, goals in the
game's last five minutes.
Last year, the score was the same
at BGSU Ice Arena - 2-1 after two
- but the Wolverines were the ones
who flopped in the game's final min-
utes. Michigan gave up two goals in
the last seven minutes to lose 3-2.
The score would have been the
same Friday (3-2) if not for senior
Chad Kolarik's empty-netter with
seven seconds left that pushed the
Wolverines' win margin to two.
After playing without an offen-
sive spark all game, the Wolverines
needed just the last quarter of the
final period to leave Bowling Green
in the same position Michigan was a
year ago.
"It's good we pulled that win out,"
sophomore Chris Summers said. "We
probably should have done a little bit
better in the first or second, but it's a
gritty win. We'll take it."

Sandals: This season's team
shouldn't be missed

4

Porter
Kolarik
Palushaj
Pacioretty
Langlais
Hagelin
Rust
Kampfer
Turnbull
Cayorusso
Mitera
Winnett
Miller
Summers
Lebler
Fardig
Naurato
Ciraulo
Sauer
Quick
Vaughan
Llewellyn
TEAM

18
17--
1
18
18
18
1
18
te
17
12
17
18
13
18
13
12
12
16
13
13
13
18

18
12
5
5
0
5
7
2
5
3
1
3
0
1
2
1
2
1
0
0
0
0
73

11
12
14
13
12
7
5
8
5
5
2
6
4
1
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
137

29
24
19
10
12
12
12
10
9
8
6
5
6
5
3
3
4
2
2
1
1
1
210

+13
+11
0
+14
+7
+10
+6
+10
+9
+6
+14
+4
0
+10
0
+1
-1
+1
0
+5
+1

8
6
4
32
22
12
29
16
32
0
24
4
12
18
42
10
10
2--
0
8
12
18
321

59
80
32
54
28
28
21
22
32
10
23
26
15
21
11
13
30
5
0
6
13
6
531

SANDALS From page 1B
as do his 18 goals.
"I don't think anyone could have
predicted how Kevin Porter would
come out of the gate and carry this
team on his back," Berenson said.
But maybe we should have seen
this coming. Porter chose to return
to Michigan. He could have signed
a pro contract and jumped ship on
a team with 17 underclassmen and
low expectations. No one would
have blamed him.
Instead, Porter stayed in Ann
Arbor - and went to West Quad?
Rather than making their senior
season about individual achieve-
ments, Porter and fellow-senior
Chad Kolarik trekked to their
freshmen teammates' dorm rooms
and got to know the new guys. This
team's off-ice camaraderie shows
up on the sheet every Friday and
Saturday night.
Ata time when too many college
athletes - in football, basketball
and hockey - focus on personal
stats with one eye on the pros,
Porter is an impressive exception.
He is back on campus to lead his
team and get a degree - a student-
athlete in the classical definition.
Most superstars would have an
inflated ego by now, but not Por-
ter. For him, it's still all about the
team.
"No one really expected us to do
this well," Porter said. "We were

ranked fourth in the
CCHA (preseason), and now,
I think we're two or three in the
country.
"So, I think everyone is a little 4
surprised. But now going into the
second half, we shouldn't be as
surprised. We know we're a good
team. We can play with the top
teams in the nation."
That's just what the Wolverines
will be doing when January rolls
around, and you have a chance to
be there. In the first month back
to school, Michigan will host No.
5 Michigan State and No. 6 Notre
Dame at Yost Ice Arena.
The Yost student section is loud,
but it could be louder.
Next semester, don't make the
same mistake you did this one.
Don't miss the chance to cheer for
a team that actually works hard,
players that sacrifice their bod-
ies to win games (just ask Danny
Fardig about the broken knuckle
on his right hand) and a squad
that couldn't care less about low
expectations.
It's time to learn the names
of the 26 players on this roster.
They've surprised their coaches,
they've surprised the media and
they've even surprised them-
selves.
Now, they believe. It's about
time you did, too.
- Sandals can be reached
at nsandals@umich.edu.

Team

CCHA jIOverall j Pts

i i i

1. Michigan
2. Miami
3. Notre Dame
4. Michigan State
5. Ferris State
6. Nebraska-Omaha
7. Bowling Green
8. Northern Michigan
9. Alaska
10. Ohio State
11. Western Michigan
12. Lake Superior

11-1-0
10-2-0
10-2-0
8-2-0
6-6-0
4-7-3
5-5-0
5-9-0
2-7-1
2-8-0
2-8-0
0-8-2

16-2-0
14-2-0
16-4-0
12-3-2
7-8-1
5-7-3
8-6-0
6-10-0
2-9-1
5-12-1
6-10-0
2-11-3

22
20
20
16
12
11
10
10
1
4
4
2

AROUND THE CCHA
Friday's results:
Michigan 4, BowLING GREEN 2
Notre Dame 4, PRINCEToN 2
OHio STATE 3, St. Lawrence 2 (OT)
Michigan State 4, FERRIS STATE 3
Lake Superior 1, NEBRASKA-OMAHA
1(OT)
WESTERN MICHIGAN 5, Wayne State 2
MIAMi (OH) 3, ALASKA 1
Saturday's results:
MICHIGAN 3, Bowling Green 2
Alaska 3, MiAMI (OH) o
Notre Dawe 7, PRNEON0
S. Lawrence 5,O HIo STATE 4
MICHIGAN STATE 4, Ferris State 1
Lake Superior3, NEBRASKA-OMAHA 3
OTt WESTERNsMICHIGAN5 , Wayne
State 1