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The Daily hockey beat Marty Turco was the last The Wolverines'tradi-
tells you how the CCHA goalie to win a national tion from the blue line
will shake out this year. title. Is Hogan next? .is apparent this season.
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Season
October 29 - November 18
ZACHARY MEISNER/Daily
D-ROW
From page 6C
higher.
"We're getting better from
last year," Burlon said. "You
saw last year how we went
down with three injuries to
defensemen, including myself,
and I think we still held our
own. Having everyone back
and healthy this year, we're
going to be that much better."
The six returning defense-
men each played in at least
25 games last year, even with
the abundance of injuries.
Five of those six - Summers,
Burlon, senior Steve Kampfer
and juniors Chad Langlais and.
Ttistin Llewellyn - figure to
play in every game. The sixth,
Pateryn, will battle for the
final spot with Moffie.
And that isn't a knock on
Pateryn. Rather, it's a testa-
ment to the team's great depth
and Moffie's upside.
"They're probably going to
be fighting along with (senior
Eric) Elmblad for a spot all
year long," Powers said.
"Now, the other five guys
have a little more experience.
But if anybody in that group
starts slipping, we're com-
fortable that with our depth
with Moffie, Pateryn and
Elmblad."
In Michigan's first few
games, defensemen have
joined the rush and forwards
have often looked to open men
on the point on the forecheck.
"The defense jumping up
in the rush and being a part
of the play offensively is a big
deal," Caporusso said. "If the
defensemen aren't a part of
the rush, then it's just three-
on-three down low and you
can't hit that odd guy coming
in."
In the Wolverines' first win
of the season, against Alaska-
Anchorage on Oct. 10, the
blueliners provided five assists
and eight shots on goal in the
6-1 victory.
No defensemen scored, but
the defense's increased offen-
sive role was apparent. For
D-Row, it may be only a matter
of time before pucks start hit-
ting the back of the net.
ROLE PLAY
Even with four of the Wol-
verines' five regular defense-
men capable of putting up a lot
of points, they haven't forgot-
ten to uphold the other long-
standing tradition of D-Row
- keeping the puck out of the
net.
In each of the past two
years, Michigan has been
ranked fourth in the country
in goals against. The Wolver-
ines gave up just 2.05 goals per
game last season.
"There's alot of pride in that
locker room for plus-minus,
for being on the ice for goals
against," Berenson said. "I
know there's defensemen that
are going to be looking at their
points, but they know bottom on your team," Berenson said.
line, it's what they do defen- "So everyone's not just offen-
sively that's as important or sive and not just defensive, you
more important." want them to contribute in
While many coaches and both areas or complement one
players have reiterated that another.
"We try and contribute
in every aspect of the
game. You don't
want to be a one-
dimensional player"
- Brandon Burlon
Senior captain Chris Summers leads an experienced defense this season. j $130 per team
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solid defense translates into
a good offense, the increased
role will undoubtedly lead
to increased risk on the back
end.
In an effort to find that
elusive balance between
offense and defense, two-way
talents like Summers have
been paired with more defen-
sive-minded players such as
Llewellyn.
"It's important to have a
cross section of defensemen
"We've got some physical-
ity on defense, we've got some
mobility, we've got some offen-
sive instincts that are going to
help us and they've got some
good defensive instincts as
well."
Looking across D-Row, that
cross section is evident. Lan-
glais at 5-foot-9 is dwarfed by
six inches by Pateryn, whose
locker sits just feet away.
The offensively talented
Langlais will show up on the
stat sheet much more than
Pateryn, but the physical pres-
ence the 210-pound defense-
.man displays on the ice could
be just as important.
"Different guys have differ-
ent roles," Pateryn said. "All
of us know what we need to
do and we're not going to do
things we can't do."
The defensive combina-
tions have changed often in
the early part of the season,
and while this has led to the
camaraderie seen on and off
the ice, the roles for some
have changed.
On opening weekend, the
coaches paired up Burlon and
Langlais, two puck rushing
defensemen. The pair has been
forced to adjust to each other's
offensive prowess and take
fewer risks compared to when
they are paired with a stay-at-
home defensemen.
"We try and contribute in
every aspect of the game,"
Burlon said. "You don't want to
be a one- dimensional player.
If you have to be called upon
to fill a different role, that's
important."
With just one incoming
freshman, the experienced
group knows how to adjust
to changing roles. With the
returnofveteran players comes
both the return of silly off-ice
traditions and the potential for
more on-ice success.
"To me, the team with the
best defense wins," Berenson
said.
The Daily
hockey
writers live
blog every
Michigan
game. Fol-
low at mich-
igandaily.
com/blogs/
the game
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