B The Michigan Daily I michigandaily.com I January 26,2009 FIVE- FOR-FIVE 4N Friday Saturday MICHIGAN 6, MICHIGAN KRISTA BO' Sophomore Matt Rust scored the first goal of Saturdays 5-3 win just 36 seconds into the opening period. Michigan added two more scores in the frame to complete the team's second three-goal period of the weekend against the Spartans Kampfer didn't deserve hit A bout a half hour after Satur- He played in the Great Lakes tnvi- especially for him. day's hockey game, Karyn tational on Dec. 27-28, and he's been And it's certainly not a coinci- Kampfer was visibly upset one of the mainstays on the defense dence that Michigan State forward in the lobby of Yost Ice Arena. corps since. Corey Tropp's stick happened to Moments earlier, her son, Michi- Well, until - slash his neck while Kampfer was gan junior defenseman Steve Saturday. already down on the ice, possibly Kampfer, was wheeled out of the Tensions already unconscious. arena on a gurney, held motionless run high in any "People don't realize in the by a neck brace. He was released rivalry game, blink of an eye, your whole life can from the hospital yesterday. but that's no change," said Kampfer last month, That image of Kampfer in a neck excuse for reflecting about the first injury. "I brace brings back all-too-recent cheap shots had that thought process for a week: memories. A well-publicized off-ice - especially NICOLE 'Am I going to be OK? Am I going to assault on Oct. 12 left him hospital- against a vul- be able to play hockey again?"' ized and put him in a neck brace nerable target. AUERBACH NowKampferwill haveto answer until Nov. 19. The Spartans those questions - and more. A speedy rehabilitation process probably knew Besides worrying about doctors put Kampfer back on the ice in about Kampfer's previous injuries. and the chances of getting back early December. Teammates said They knew to go after his head and his return gave the team a boost. neck, weak spots for anyone but See AUERBACH, Page 3B 'M' sweeps MSU again By MICHAEL EISENSTEIN Daily Sports Editor Bring on the top team in the country: Notre Dame. After extending its six-game winning streak against Michigan State with a sweep this weekend, the No. 8 Michigan hockey team is ready for perhaps its tough- est test this season. The Fighting Irish haven't lost in 20 games and knocked the Wolverines out of last year's Frozen Four. And fortu- nately. for the Wolverines, junior defenseman Steve Kampfer - who left Yost Ice Arena on a gurney Saturday - may even return for the critical matchup, he told the Detroit Free Press Sunday. But there was no need for the Wolverines to put on their game faces after winning Saturday night. Acting captain Chris Summers opened his press conference in a joking manner, offering to ask the media questions instead of the other way around, and seemed relieved that the burden of the weekend series against the last- place Spartans was over. Michigan State came in try- ing to avoid losing five games in a season to the Wolverines for the first time ever and attempting to partially derail Michigan's post- season hopes. The Wolverines had to rebound from last weekend's home shutout loss to 11th-place Bowling Green and inch up into the top-four slots of the CCHA standings. They did that with 6-1 and 5-3 wins over the Spartans. "To me, you can't beat those guys enough, can't score enough goals on them," Summers said. The Wolverines (12-6 CCHA, 18-8 overall) are now in a three- way tie for fourth in the confer- ence, just four points behind second-place Miami (Ohio). "We're looking at the standings and we're looking at five teams ahead of us and you've got to win these games," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "It doesn't matter if See SPARTANS, Page 2B With less than a minute to play, Michigan Stateforward Andrew Conboy punched Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer from behind, knocking him to the ice. As Kampfer lay motionless on the ice, Spar- tan forward Corey Tropp skated toward the boards and, with his stick, slashed Kampfer in the head and neck region. Senior volverine torwara I ir vinier was closest to the play and first to retaliate after Tropp's slashing. A small scuffle ensued among the other skaters. Iropp received a major penary for slasi-h ing, two10-minute misconducts and a double-game disctuaification. Conboy drew a double minor for roughing. "Coaches don't send someone on the ice to do something, no matter what fans think," Michigan State coach Rick Comley said after the game. MEN'S BASKETBALL Improved shooting fuels first win in four games FOOTBALL Greg Robinson talks to media Nine players score in Beilein's 500th NCAA victory By RUTH LINCOLN Daily Sports Editor When his team finally hit a string of 3-pointers after its recent cold shooting slump, Michigan men's basketball coach John Beilein felt thankful - and a little liberated. "This is like being freed from bondage, are you kidding me?" Beilein said with NORTHWESTERN 59 a laugh MICHIGAN 68] after the --- ----- Wolver- ines' 68-59 win over Northwestern on Saturday at Crisler Arena. "After shooting below 26 percent from behind the arc in their previ- ous three losses, the Wolverines needed a bit of comic relief. Michigan responded and went 22-of-52 from the field, including a 5-of-12 3-point performance in the second half. And for a team that relies heavily on shots behind the are, any bit of help was gladly appreciated. "You can't go down four straight in the Big Ten and expect to win," said redshirt freshman guard Laval See WILDCATS, Page 4B By ANDY REID on the court, Robinson held his Daily Sports Editor first official press conference since coning to Ann Arbor. Saturday night, there was a new After being fired as Syracuse's addition to the usual procession of head coach with two games left Michigan football coaches, players last season, Robinson consid- and recruits who occupy the first ered his coaching options. He few rows of Crisler Arena during decided to stick with the college Michigan basketball home games. game instead of going back to the Greg Robinson, who was hired National Football League, where last week as the Wolverines' new he picked up two Super Bowl rings defensive coordinator, took an with the Denver Broncos. aisle seat three rows from the "I could have seen mtyself court and took the time to chat going back to pro football," Rob- with the football players sur- inson said. "And that would have rounding him. been fine. But I said there was About fifteen minutes before something in college that still the Michigan faced Northwestern really excited me. I like college football." While he was entertaining offers from several places, Robin- son placed just one call to put his name in for consideration for a job - to Michigan coach Rich Rodri- guez. During the Big East coaches' conference in the summer of 2005, Robinson's first year with the Orange, Robinson said he and Rodriguez developed something of a friendship or at least, as friendly as two opposing coaches can be - while both were in the conference. "I developed a comfort level See ROBINSON, Page 4B SANDALS'S TAKE ICE DANCING STARS HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A WATER POLO GAME? DIDN'T THINK THIS WEEKEND, TWO TEAMS OF ICE DANCERS TRAVELED FROM SO. IN HIS SPORTSMONDAY COLUMN, NATE SANDALS TELLS YOU ANN ARBOR TO CLEVELAND FOR THE U.S. FIGURE SKATING WHY MICHIGAN WATER POLO IS WORTH YOUR WHILE. CHAMPIONSHIPS. THEY CAME AWAY WITH THE TOP TWO SPOTS.