8A - Friday, October 23, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Quick start sparks Michigan Vaughan fitting n on front line 0 BY NICK SPAR Daily Sports Writer The main question for the Michigan hockey team entering its home opener against Niagara last night was whether it would be already looking forward to Satur- day's early-season showdown at No. 3 Boston University. While- those NIAGARA 2 thoughts MICHIGAN 3 were put to rest quickly, the Purple Eagles still managed to scare the Yost Ice Arena crowd late in the con- test. Just one minute and 47 sec- onds into the game, Michigan's home season was off and running with a goal on the Wolverines' first shot. After a Niagara tripping pen- alty less than a minute into the game, the fifth-ranked Wolver- ines wasted no time capitalizing on the man advantage. Sophomore Robbie Czarnik fed freshman A.J. Treais with a cross-ice pass on the rush, and Treais one-timed it past a flailing Adam Avramenko for the first strike. That early goal helped the Wolverines to a 3-2 win. That was just the beginning of the early scoring surge. Two minutes later, on the team's sec- ond shot of the game, junior Carl Hagelin scored another power play goal. This time, the Wolverines worked the puck around with sustained pressure in the Niag- ara zone. A pretty passing play in the slot between sophomore defenseman Greg Pateryn and junior forward Matt Rust left Hagelin wide open in front for an easy finish. Czarnik put the Wolverines up 3-0 with 9:22 left in the first peri- od; with a goal set up by tic-tac- toe passing between seniors Steve Kampfer and Brian Lebler. But that was when it started to go downhill. "We just got comfortable," Czarnik said. "We just thought we were going to blow them out, and then they came back even harder." The Purple Eagles (0-3-1) got themselves back into the game with a goal late in the first period, then cut the deficit in half with another goal in the second stan- za. Michigan coach Red Berenson said at practice this week that he wanted a fast start in the first five minutes. He got what he wanted, but still wasn't pleased with the performance in the final two periods. "As a coach, I'm not happy," Berenson said. "Our team needs to play better than that. Certain- ly we knew we might be a little rusty, but we just didn't get better as the game wore on." As impressive as the Michigan power play was in the first period, it couldn't convert on its final six chances. Two pucks rang off the post, and Avramenko stopped breakaways from junior Louie Caporusso and sophomore Luke Glendening. Junior goalie Bryan Hogan made 32 saves for the Wolverines (2-1-0). Half of those stops came in the third period, when the Purple Eagles took control of the game but couldn't score. Berenson said Hogan was the difference in the game, and the level of play in the offensive and defensive zones must improve. "We have to play better with the puck in our zone, and we have . z. f a \. , k' n O4\° f f+t 'a 'A e , 64 BY RYAN KARTJE Although Vaughan's abilities DailySports Writer may not best be suited for scor- ing on a consistent basis - he Scooter Vaughan looked like he hasn't scored a goal in three sea- would start the season as a mem- sons at Michigan - Berenson has ber of the Michigan hockey team's consistently described him as a deepest defense corps in recent complement to scoring threats years. like Caporusso and Wohlberg. But when the junior took the And with Vaughan's experience on ice two weeks ago against Alaska- defense, he will often be utilized Anchorage, he wasn't on the blue on the penalty kill as a defensive line - he was on offense. forward. And after SPECIAL PLAY: After Michi- a groin injury NOTEBOOK gan finished a modest fifth in the sidelined junior conference on the power play and forward Ben Winnett before last third in penalty kill percentage night's 3-2 win against Niagara, last year, Berenson has said several Michigan coach Red Berenson saw times this yearthat the Wolverines Vaughan as a viable replacement to still have a lot to improve on when join junior Louie Caporusso and it comes to special teams. sophomore David Wohlbergonthe Notre Dame, with the top pen- Wolverines' top line. alty kill in the conference last year, "We need some energy up there garnered the CCHA's automatic on that first line," Berenson said. NCAA Tournament bid by winning "And Scooter gives us hustle and the CCHA Tournament. The top muscle and he fits in fine." power play unit last year, Miami The Wolverines clung to a one- (Ohio), made it all the way to the goal lead with less than a minute national championship game. remaining, and Berenson left the But with his team's effort on former defenseman on the ice as a special teams through three testament to Vaughan's ability as a games, Berenson has to be already defensive-minded player. pleased. "It's a little bit different (playing The Wolverines' penalty kill is forward) than defense," Vaughan still perfect, and before Niagara said. "But it's a pretty easy transi- killed six straight penalties last tion, just being defensive-minded night, Michigan's power play per- and thinking about scoring goals." centage was a staggering.500. On several occasions this year, "(The penalty kill) has definite- Berenson has insisted that his ly been an important part of our defense will play a much bigger games," Berenson said. "When you role on offense after tallying just18 don't give up a power play goal and goals last season. we've had to kill a lot of penalties." But with a deep defensive group With the team's first two goals with seven capable players, Beren- against the Purple Eagles coming son thought that Vaughan's skills on the power play, the Wolverines' as a forward would better fit the offseason work on special teams is team's needs. beginning to show. ARIEL BOND/Daily Junior Carl Hagelin scored a goal in last night's 3-2 win over Niagara. to take care of the puck in their zone," Berenson said. "We turned it over in their zone, and they had too many rushes up the ice. It was a sloppily played game on Michi- gan's part." Despite the poor offensive out- put after the Wolverines gained the three-goal lead, Berenson liked what he saw from the third line of Lebler, Treais and Czarnik, who provided two of the three Michigan goals. Part of the reason for Michi- gan's struggles is in Caporusso's play. The junior forward led Michi- gan in goals last year but has been held scoreless through three games this season. "He's a little frustrated," Beren- son said. "The puck's not going in. Last year, the pucks went in that weren't even good scoring chanc- es. "Now the good scoring chances aren't going in, so he just has to keep battling because I thought that was his best effort in (any) game." Caporusso and the struggling offense will look to break out on Saturday against the Terriers, who have lost two straight games after beingshut out by No. 9 Notre Dame on Tuesday. Like mother, like BY AMY SCARANO Daily Sports Writer Mary Brandes remembers run- ning down the field, shouting for the ball. Thirty years later, she isn't any quieter. But this time, she's yelling from the stands. Mary is a fixture in the stands at Michigan field hockey home games and travels to a handful of away games every year. She isn't just supporting her alma mater, but her daughter Eileen as well. Eileen chuckles when reminded that she followed in her mother's footsteps. "I grew up a Michigan fan," Eileen said. "And all of a sudden, my sophomore year, it hit me: I do not want to go here. She went here. I don't want anything to do with Michigan. I didn't hate it, but I was like 'nuh-uh'." Then she changed her mind. The legacy started 33 years ago when then-freshman Mary Callam (1976-79) decided to try out for the Michigan field hockey team. Title IV had just passed. Field hockey scholarships made their debut that year, but the women's own field and locker rooms were a distant dream. Former Michigan head coach Nancy Cox was playing for West- ern Michigan, and she and Mary met as opponents numerous times. Fast forward to 2006. Cox had moved east from Kalamazoo to Ann Arbor to coach at Michigan. Meanwhile, Mary had married and raised a daughter, Eileen, who was then a senior in high school. Eileen wanted to make her own mark as a field hockey player, not following the same path as her mother. After being opposed to being a Wolverine for most of her youth, daughter: Brandes finds way to A2 Eileen decided as a senior that was same thing - those incredible made me a better player." Eileen redshirted her fresh the only place she wanted to go. intense close relationships," Mary Unsure if she would even make year, worked hard in practice When Mary took Eileen to visit said, referring to her old friends the team after her initial visit to stayed patient on the sidel Michigan her senior year to see if from the team. "Anytime you do Ann Arbor, Eileen and her mother, Academics always come firs playing for Michigan was a realis- something hard, you create a rela- who doubled as her high school Eileen, and she refused to give tic goal, Mary and Cox met again tionship that just doesn't go away. club coach, went to work. Michigan education for a sta after 28 years. And sports here are hard." "She was like my partner position on the field. "I said, 'I think I know you from Coming from Maine, the field because you need a partner when While Eileen prides hersel somewhere,' and indeed she knew hockey competition wasn't what you play field hockey," Eileen said. ating her own journey at Mich why," Mary said. "We were oppo- it is in other parts of the country. "She would pass me balls and stay her mother insists their paths nents. That was fun to come back And while Eileen, was the best for extra drills after practice. She one day cross - and that's a and know folks and have them on her high school and club team, was always the person that would thing. know you, to walk into the locker she knew that playing on the Divi- do extra hours with me." "Youknowit's the coachyell room and see your name still up sion I level was going to be tough. While not up to date on the mod- you, working out and going thr there, and to look in the record offered scholarships and the ern technique, Mary was familiar all that stuff, but it just make book and see your name still listed. opportunity to start on a number with drills and hadn't lost her dex- all get together, and for the rf All those things are very cool." of teams at smaller schools, she set terity with the stick. your life On alumni weekend, Mary was her mind on Michigan for the aca- So when Eileen made the team you'll have laughing and reminiscing with demics and hoped she could walk as a freshman, she and her mother that thing," old teammates, some of whom on, never expecting to be a star. were both ecstatic. But the work Mary said. she hadn't seen since colldge, in "There are girls out there twice had hardly begun. Every one of the "She'llhave between cheering for her daugh- as fast as you and you have to Wolverines had been the star of that and I ter. learn how to stay with them, so I their high school and club teams, had that. "I think she wants her own definitely had growing pains, but I but they couldn't all remain in the And that's experience, but she'll have the don't regret it," Eileen said. "It has spotlight. great." hman e and lines. st for e up a rting f cre- igan, s will good ingat ough s you est of 4 STAFF PICKS The Daily football writers do their best to predict what happens in the 2009 football season. Michael agRuth Eisenstein Lincoln r Courtney Ratkowiak m Andy Reid . i .. I 1 .ice:.: Am" TI&.. .:Y" .. .r, No.13 Penn State (-4.5) at Michigan No.1 Alabama (-15.5) vs. Tennessee No. 2 Florida(-22.5) at Mississippi State No. 3 Texas (-12) at Missouri No. 4 Southern Cal (-21) vs. Oregon State No. 5 Cincinnati (-18) vs. Louisville No. 6 Boise State (-24.5) at Hawaii No. 7 Iowa (+1) at Michigan State No. 8 Miami (FL) (-5.5) vs. Clemson No.9 LSU (-7.5) vs. Auburn No.10 TCU (-2.5) at No.16 BYU No.11 Georgia Tech (-6) at Virginia No.12 Oregon (-10) at Washington No. 14 Oklahoma State (-10) at Baylor No.17 Houston (-17) vs. Southern Methodist No. 18 Ohio State (-17) vs. Minnesota No.19 Utah (-9.5) vs. Air Force No. 20 Pittsburgh (-6.5) vs. South Florida No. 21 Texas Tech (-21.5) vs. Texas A&M No. 22 West Virginia (-7) vs. Connecticut No. 23 South Carolina (-13) vs. Vanderbilt No. 24 Kansas (+8) vs. No. 25 Oklahoma Indiana (+5) at Northwestern Illinois (+11) at Purdue Last Week Overall I Michigan Alabama Florida Texas Oregon State Cincinnati Hawaii lowa Miami LSU BYU Georgia Tech Oregon Oklahoma State Houston Ohio State - Utah Pittsburgh Texas Tech Connecticut South Carolina Oklahoma Northwestern Purdue 10-10 83-68-1 Michigan Alabama Florida Missouri Southern Cal Cincinnati Boise State Iowa Clemson Auburn BYU Georgia Tech Washington Oklahoma State Houston Ohio State Air Force South Florida Texas A&M Connecticut Vanderbilt Kansas Indiana Illinois 9-11 76-75-1 Michigan Tennessee Florida Texas Oregon State Cincinnati Hawaii Iowa Miami Auburn BYU Georgia Tech Washington Oklahoma State Houston Ohio State Utah South Florida Texas Tech Connecticut South Carolina Oklahoma Indiana Purdue 10-10 80-71-1 Michigan Tennessee Florida Missouri Southern'Cal Cincinnati Boise State Iowa Miami LSU Texas Christian Georgia Tech Oregon Oklahoma State Houston Minnesota Utah South Florida Texas Tech West Virginia South Carolina Kansas Indiana Purdue 10-10 71-80-1 Guest Picker: Drum Major David Hines Jr. Michigan Alabama Mississippi State Texas Southern Cal Cincinnati Hawaii Iowa Miami Auburn BYU Georgia Tech Oregon Oklahoma State Houston Ohio State Utah South Florida Texas Tech Connecticut South Carolina Kansas Indiana Purdue 12-8 81-70-1 6 0 \J_____ Y________f _________ 1___1__________ . ________v____4 ______I___.__ .._____________ To apply to be a guest picker, e-mail lincolnr@umich.edu. If you're chosen and can beat at least two of us, you'll stay on for another week. The longest tenured guest picker will get a prize at the end of the season.