TO THE MAIZE RAGE? hasn't yet turned it around * The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com February 11, 2008 FRIDAY: MICHIGAN 4, MIAMI 2 * SATURDAY: MICHIGAN 5, MIAMI 5 No. vs. No. 2 Battle of the nation's best DRIGO GAYA/Dal The Michigan hockey team celebrates one of its nine total goals scored against Miami (Ohio) goaltender Jeff Zatkoff. Zatkoff came into the weekend with the nation's best goals-against average and save percentage. Dynamic of fenses carry the 'Al' lives up to all the hype, day in marquee matchup but still has more to prove By NATE SANDALS Managing Sports Editor OXFORD - In abattlebetween the nation's top two offenses and top two goalies, something had to give. Judging from the 16 goals scored this weekend, the net- minders broke first. Trailing Michigan, 5-3, and at risk of being swept for the first time all season, No. 1 Miami (Ohio) stormed back to tie the game in just over three minutes Saturday night. Though Miami had all the momentum in the final minutes, the second-ranked Wolverines held on for a tie and a critical con- ference point that, coupled with Bowling Green's loss to Alaska, clinched a first-round bye in the CCHA playoffs. "It was an exciting game for the crowd," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "I'm sure the goal- ies aren't crazy about it when they give up that many goals." The hectic conclusion started with a quirk and ended with a flurry. Wolverine goalie Billy Sauer came into the weekend with the nation'ssecond-bestgoals-against average and save percentage. After allowing two third-period goals in Friday night's 4-2 win, Sauer was victimized twice again in the last 20 minutes Saturday. Even more frustrating for the junior netminder, one of the goals came after the puck appeared to hit the netting above the end glass. "It hit the top of the glass and popped up," Sauer said. "But I mean, who knows? I guess I have to see a replay for that." Instead of the whistle blowing, the puck caromed awkwardly into play, and bounced off the top of the net into the crease, where freshman Andy Miele had plenty to shoot at for his second goal of the game. With just a one-goal lead, Michigan went on the defensive instead of continuing to press. It proved to be a costly adjustment. Miami (17-4-1 CCHA, 25-4-1 overall) knotted the score at five when forward Jarod Palmer fed senior Nathan Davis with a cross- crease pass that left Sauer See REDHAWKS, Page 3B OXFORD - ed by the media after Saturday's H is team was No. 1. game, fielding questions about His team's red-and- why his team, all of a sudden, white clad fans had was a disappointment. Obviously camped outside Steve Cady flustered, he tried to stick up Arena since for his team after a 4-2 loss and Thursday, -- - 5-5 tie made them victims of the braving the Wolverines' best series of the 33-degree season. temperature "I mean, come on, guys," Blasi in 60 tents snapped. "We're 25-4-1. Give me lining the a break." path to the He probably didn't expect it. arena's doors. Not many did. It took just 11 min- And his COURTNEY utes for Michigan to take control team was RATKOWIAK of the weekend, with four quick about to play goals in the last half of Friday's a No. 2 team first period. But Saturday's 5-5 frustrated after a four-game tie showed glaring differences winless streak. between the teams - and rea- But Miami (Ohio) coach Enri- sons why the Wolverines are co Blasi found himself surround- atopthe CCHA. Miami is the polished, experi- enced team that's looking beyond the CCHA regular-season crown - a statement made by Red- Hawks senior Nathan Davis after Saturday's loss, when he said the team is built more for a national championship run. Michigan is the team that finds an opportunity in every lucky break, the team that can unpredictably swing from being completely dominating (by scor- ing a goal in the first 63 seconds of each period Saturday) to shockingly bad (in their 2-shot, 8-penalty third period Friday). But the Wolverines played better than Miami Saturday - and should have won. Defense- man Mark Mitera was tripped See RATKOWIAK, Page 3B SOFTBALL Young pitching no problem for Wolverines Nemitz, Taylor turn in top-notch performances in opening weekend By NICOLE AUERBACH DailySports Writer While snow blanketed Ann Arbor this weekend, the Michigan softball team was throwing its first pitches and taking its first swings of the season in sunny Boca Raton, Fla. The 12th-ranked Wolverines didn't allow an earned run and went 4-1 on the weekend, beating Massa- See SOFTBALL, Page 4B Blue avoids familiar late-game collapse in 2nd conference win' By MARK GIANNOTTO Daily Sports Editor Play impressively for a stretch, maybe even take a lead, only to watch it wither away after a sequence of missed shots, bad defense and costly turnovers -It has become a familiar storylirie for the Michigan men's bas- ketball team this year. Against Penn State Saturday, the Wolverines appeared to MICHIGAN 68 be follow- PENN STATt 63 ing the same script. They allowed the Nittany Lions to take an early second-half lead, despite playing well for the game's first 30 minutes. But this time, Michigan rebounded from its mistakes and escaped with a 68-63 victory in front of 9,714 at Crisler Arena. Penn State opened the second half on a 12-0 run. During that stretch, the Wolverines committed five turnovers and failed to score for more than five minutes. Penn State's lead surged to six, and Michigan appeared to lay down in defeat once again. Instead, the Wolverines showed.the growth and maturity Michigan coach John Beilein and his staff have been searching for all season. "You get hit in the head so many times, eventually you have to pro- tect yourself," redshirt junior C.J. Lee said. "I think that's what we did tonight. On our home court, we knew it was important to respond from that run in the second half." Michigan didn't respond with a huge surge of its own. The Wolverines had to claw their wayback, using scor- ing outbursts of 6-0, 7-0 and 9-0 to regain the lead. And it was a collective- effort that helped Michigan win its first game since Jan. 12. Sophomore DeShawn Sims - who didn't play much in crunch time against Ohio State last Tuesday - led the charge down the stretch. With the score tied at 57, he spun along the base- line, drew attention from help-side defenders and dished the ball to soph- omore Ekpe Udoh for an easy layup. On the ensuing possession, Sims put back an Anthony Wright miss to give See NITTANY LIONS, Page 3B+' SAID ALSALAH/Daly Sophomore DeShawn Sims poured in 16 points in Saturday's victory.