Breakdown: Michigan a big favorite outdoors -
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By MARK BURNS
Daily Sports Editor
When Michigan and Michigan
State skated to a 3-3 tie in the Cold
War - the first-ever outdoor Division
I college hockey game, on Oct. 6, 2001
at Spartan Stadium - they set the
precedent for outdoor hockey games.
And on Saturday, the Wolverines
and Spartans will meet in the Big
Chill at the Big House, the world's
third-largest non-soccer stadium. The
game is projected to draw more than
110,000 to Michigan Stadium, crush-
ing the old record for attendance at
a hockey game. It was last set at the
2010 IIHF World Championship at
Veltins-Arena in Germany - the
recorded attendance was 75,976.
Fireworks are set to go off after
Michigan scores, and Guinness World
Records will be in attendance to put
the event in the history books. Clear-
ly, the stage is monumental in every
sense of the word.
OFFENSE
Following the end of last season,
there was some speculation that
Michigan coach Red Berenson might
lose upward of three juniors - Carl
Hagelin, Louie Caporusso and Matt
Rust - to entry-level contracts with
their respective NHL organizations.
But instead of foregoing their
senior season, the forwards decided
to return to Ann Arbor in hopes of
winning the program's first national
championship since 1998. So, it's no
surprise then that the three are the
Wolverines' leading scorers almost
midway through the season, helping
Michigan to an average of 3.22 goals
per game.
Even with a senior-laden roster,
the Wolverines have a slew of under-
classmen who have contributed on the
offensive end. Over the last few weeks,
the line of freshman Luke Moffatt and
sophomores A.J. Treais and Chris
Brown has tallied four goals and 11
assists. Berenson gave a vote of confi-
dence to the young crop of Wolverines
shortly after putting the trio together,
saying that they can match up against
any other line in the country.
And while Hagelin, Caporusso and
Rust all returned for their senior sea-
son, Spartan forward Corey Tropp
andAndrew Rowe didn't --bothopted
to sign with NHL teams and head to
their respective AHL affiliates. Tropp
and Rowe were Michigan State coach
Rick Comley's one-two punch on
offense last season, with Tropp lead-
ing the Spartans with 20 goals.
Michigan State sophomore Derek
Grant and junior Brett Perlini have
led the Spartans early on in scoring,
as Perlini sits in eighth place in total
points in CCHA play with 11 goals and
5 assists.
If the Big Chill turns into an offen-
sive shootout, expect the hometown
team to use speed to its advantage
against the Spartans.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
DEFENSE
Berenson said adios to two of his
best defensemen last year in seniors
Steven Kampfer and Chris Summers.
The two led a deep crop of blue lin-
ers who were an integral part of the
Wolverines' stretch-run to the CCHA
Tournament title in March. Compared to Michigan, the Spar-
But even without the two veter- tans have converted on 17.5 percent of
ans, Michigan's roster is still full of their power plays.
talented defensemen, led by senior While Michigan State might exhib-
Chad Langlais and junior Brandon it a better power play statistically,
Burlon. And with freshman standout both teams are relatively even on the
Jon Merrill pairing with Langlais, the penalty kill, with Michigan at No. 30
Wolverines could have the best defen- in the country and the Spartans at No.
sive pair in the CCHA. 29
The Wolverines are allowing 2.5 Last weekend, the Wolverines
goals per game compared to the Spar- killed off seven of eight power plays
tans' 2.71. against Ohio State, but over the
In addition to Michigan State los- Thanksgiving holiday, Michigan's
ing two junior forwards last year, it penalty kill allowed four goals at
also lost defenseman and captain Jeff Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Petry. Petry - who actually started EDGE: MICHIGAN STATE
the list of Spartans leaving early for
the NHL when he signed with the GOALTENDING
Edmonton Oilers in March - was Throughout the week leading up
undoubtedly the leader along the blue until the Big Chill, Berenson remained
line for Comley. mute about which goaltender - Bryan
Without his star offensive defense- Hogan or Shawn Hunwick - would
man, Comley has called upon sopho- get the start between the pipes.
more Torey Krug to lead a young crop But after Thursday's practice, he
of Spartans. Krug, who was named said Hogan would get the nod against
the team captain in late August, is Michigan State, citing his current 7-2
second in points with five goals and record and past outdoor experience at
10 assists. the Camp Randall Classic last Febru-
Experience will play a factor in ary against Wisconsin as reasons for
this game, and Michigan has a slight starting.
advantage in that respect. Down at the other end of the ice
EDGE: MICHIGAN is Spartan junior Drew Palmisano,
experience will again play a factor.
Even so, the outcome of tomorrow's
game won't be determined between
the pipes, as both teams start solid
netminders.
EDGE: PUSH
INTANGIBLES
The Children of Yost - the name
given to the Michigan student section
in the early 1990s - will be in atten-
dance on Saturday at the Big House,
though their witty cheers and some-
times raunchy jeers at opposingteams
shouldn't play a role in the game's
outcome, as noise easily funnels out of
Michigan Stadium.
But at this week's Monday press
conference, Berenson did say the
wind, snow and weather conditions
will certainly factor into the Big
Chill's outcome. With the contest slat-
ed to begin at 3 p.m., the weather could
very well dip below freezing toward
the third period, maybe even sooner.
Over the course of the last week, there
has been more than 20 amateur and
college club games on the actual ice in
an effort to get the ice game-ready for
the heavyweight match up.
Fans should hope the extra games
haven't broken down the ice too
much, because if they have, expect
another situation like that during last
year's Camp Randall Classic, with
constant stoppages for ice repair and
snow removal.
This one's too close to call between
the Spartans and the Wolverines.
EDGE: PUSH
FINAL SCORE:
MICHIGAN 2, MICHIGAN STATE 1
SPECIAL TEAMS
Ever since the beginning of the sea-
son, Michigan's power play has been
a work in progress. Whether it's not
getting enough shots on net or failing
to set up inside the offensive zone, the
Wolverines have struggled to muster a
15.4-percent rate with the man advan-
tage, converting on 12 of 78 opportu-
nities.
who has started 16 of 18 contests for
the Spartans, allowing 2.44 goals per
game - good for 31st in the coun-
try. The Ann Arbor native has been
backstopping a team weighted by 14
underclassmen, and a defensive core
that lost its best defenseman last year
in Petry.
Compared to Hogan, Palmisano
controls more of his rebounds, but
like the defensive aspect of the game,
I 190B, -Imr ON. w w An M: Z ANZ ANIZ I I - - - -- - - - -_ --I
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