Michigan 2
Colorado Coll.
Gateway to
S - - -
The Michigan hockey team celebrates after an overtime victory over Nebraska-Omaha on Friday. Kevin Lynch was
awarded a goal after a 10-minute review. Michigan ultimately secured a Frozen Four berth.
Early s cormn surge helps -
sg s Michigan tops Nebraska-Omaha and
'M' top Colorado College Colorado College in St. Louis to earn
By STEPHEN J. NESBITT tured an early two-goal lead and Just over two minutes into the N CA A- lea d ing 24th Frozen Four berth
Daily Sports Editor
ST. LOUIS - Lounging in
the hotel and recovering from a
3-2 overtime win over Nebras-
ka-Omaha on Friday, the No. 6
Michigan hockey team couldn't
get comfortable.
On the TV in front of them,
upstart Colorado College was
obliterating No. 1 seed Bos-
ton College with an eight-goal
onslaught.
But in the NCAA West
Regional final at the Scottrade
Center on Saturday, the Wolver-
ines decided to run away quickly
- with the lead. Michigan cap-
battened down the defensive
zone to secure a 2-1 victory and
the program's 24th Frozen Four
berth.
"For Colorado College to score
like they scored against argu-
ably the best team-in the country,
I think it put the fear of God in
our team," Michigan coach Red
Berenson said. "So we might
have played a little better defen-
sively just in respect for their
team."
Against the Mavericks on Fri-
day, the Wolverines entered the
first intermission trailing 2-0.
On Saturday, they flipped the
equation on its head.
opening stanza, senior forward
Scooter Vaughan collected the
puck in the neutral zone with
four defenders ahead of him.
Vaughan gained a step on the
defender with a nifty toe-drag,
and then flipped the puck over
Tigers goaltender Joe Howe's
glove-side shoulder.
The goal, Vaughan's 13th of
the year, gave Michigan the
quick 1-0 lead.
"I knew my man was a little
flat-footed," Vaughan said. "I just
used my speed and got by him
and got a good shot off above his
glove."
See ST. LOUIS, Page 2B
Senior goaltender Shawn Hunwick had 21 saves in Saturday's 2-1 win over Colorado College.
Hunwick uses tournament
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LEFT: Scooter Vaughan scored Michigan's first goal on Saturday. RIGHT: Carl Hagelin looks on against Colorado College.
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'After three-year absence, seniors fisrznForsne20
By CASANDRA PAGNI rado College. to have a strong defensive game.
back in NCAA semifinal Daily Sprt Writer He does have a letter on The Tigers came off of an 8-4
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By MICHAEL FLOREK
Daily Sports Writer
ST. LOUIS - For the seniors
on the Michigan hockey team,
three years of
disappoint- NOTEBOOK
ment didn't
turn into four. It turned into a
Frozen Four..
The second-seeded Wol-
verines tore through St. Louis
beating Colorado College 2-1
to reach the Frozen Four in
St. Paul. It is Michigan's first
appearance since 2008, when
the current seniors were fresh-
man.
The Wolverines carry seven
seniors and the leadership
showed throughout the region-
al. The seniors combined for five
points on the weekend.
But after the regional final
win, senior forward Louie
Caporusso, donning his "West
Regional Champions" hat along
with the team, spoke of all the
little things the seniors did.
Things like senior Chad Lan-
glais, making up for his own
mistake Friday night against
Nebraska-Omaha. Langlais's
shot was blocked, leading to a
near breakawaythe other direc-
tion. He didn't give up though,
lifting the Maverick's stick and
diving to swat the puck away to
negate the scoring chance.
"To get to the Frozen Four as
a senior, I think it's a much dif-
ferent experience," Caporusso
said. "You're the leaders of the
team and you feel like it's more
See NOTEBOOK, Page 2B
ST. LOUIS - During the
NCAA West Regional Final press
conference on Saturday, Colo-
rado College coach Scott Owens
called Michigan an "old" team.
It wasn't a snub, or an offen-
sive remark, but simply a syn-
onym for the veteran experience
that showed up in St. Louis and
led the sixth-ranked Wolverines
to a 2-1 victory over the Tigers.
Being "old" is a good thing
when it translates to victories.
And no one showed their
age quite like senior netminder
Shawn Hunwick against Colo-
this team," senior forward Louie
Caporusso said following the
win.
Added Michigan coach Red
Berenson: "That's why we're
sitting here, is because of our
seniors. And Shawn really is a
senior. These "guys have been the
glue on our team and the leaders
on our team right from day one."
Playing a lead-by-example
role Saturday, Hunwick stepped
up at crucial moments in the
game to keep the surprisingly-
quiet Colorado College offense at
bay and setthe tone for Michigan
College on Friday, but Hunwick
stopped seven shots in each peri-
od on Saturday and only allowed
one goal in the game.
Colorado College's lone goal
came on their prolific power
play - one that Hunwick and
the defense shut down six other
times in the game. Colorado
College scored four power play
goals against the Wolverines
in the Great Lakes Invitational
championship game back in late
December, but Hunwick showed
his age - and experience - Sat-
See HUNWICK, Page 2B
RING BEARERS
All but one of the hockey team's nine
championship rosters have included
a player from St. Mike's, a school that
breeds champions. Page 4B
SMC: UNDERDOGS
We're all underdogs when March
Madness comes around, Daily Sports
Editor Ryan Kartje says. The Michigan
hockey team is no exception. Page 2B
£