The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
January 17, 2012 - 3B
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom January17, 2012 - 3B
Blue-collar Wolverines triumph
By MATT SLOVIN
Daily Sports Editor
CLEVELAND - Skyscrap-
ers cast shadows over the bright;
lights of Progressive Field after
sunset on Sunday. Cleveland,
save for its illuminated frozen
diamond on the Cuyahoga River,
stood eerily dark, its skyline
drearier than Ohio State's bench
in the waning moments of its
4-1 defeat. Hours later, the city's
blue-collar workforce trudged to
work, declining a long weekend
for another chance to punch their
time card.
The team in those buildings'
shadows, the Michigan hockey
team riding high on a nine-game
unbeaten streak, mirrored Cleve-
land's workman mentality. Fri-
day night, the Buckeyes outshot
the Wolverines, 46-33, and Mich-
igan still managed a shutout win.
Ohio State's shot output, which
gave fifth-year senior netminder
Shawn Hunwick a career high
for saves, shouldn't surprise any-
one. That's how the Buckeyes like
to play - they fire shots on goal
from all angles. Ohio State coach
Mark Osiecki refuses to squander
a single possession.
In short, No. 2 Ohio State
earned its ranking by work-
ing hard with the puck. But the
Buckeyes got outworked every
which way in Sunday's Frozen
Diamond Faceoff. And that's
precisely how Michigan turned
the corner, lifting itself from the
depths of the CCHA standings to
its third-place standing. Though
the Wolverines wore their alter-
nate maize jerseys at Progressive
Field, they never stopped don-
ning their blue-collar mentality.
"Our team knows what it takes
to play in a game like this," said
Michigan coach Red Berenson.
"I really liked the way our team
came out and just worked hard,
and we got the bounces because
of that."
HUNWICK
From Page lB
the team was ahead, after junior
forward Chris Brown took a
rebound off a shot from sopho-
more defenseman Kevin Clare,
spun 180 degrees to his left, and
slid the puck past Buckeye net-
minder Cal Heeter.
Brown had a hand in the Wol-
verines' next goal, too, assisting
on freshman forward Alex Gup-
till's team-leading12th goal of the
year. Michigan stayed in control
for most of the first period, keep-
ing the puck in Ohio State's zone
for most of the time.
The Wolverines' only costly
penalty of the night came at the
end of the first period, but even
then, they were two seconds away
from killing it unscathed. Hun-
wick was caught out of position
after a rebound - really, the only
time he was in the wrong spot
- and Buckeye forward Chris
Crane whittled the advantage
down to one just SO seconds into
the second period.
But after sophomore forward
Derek DeBlois and senior cap-
tain David Wohlberg scored
back-to-back in a 28-second
stretch later in the period, the
momentum, and the game, gave
way to Michigan.
In the second period, Michi-
gan's outdoor experience showed.
This was the third outdoor
game for Michigan's juniors
and seniors, including the Camp
Randall Classic in Wisconsin in
2010 and The Big Chill at the Big
House last December.
Ohio State got flustered, but
the Wolverines kept their cool
and put the game away.
It wasn't just Hunwick that
gave Ohio State's offense fits,
though. Michigan's defense suf-
focated the Buckeyes as soon as
they crossed the red line, basi-
cally eliminating shots near the
crease. Hunwick's goaltending
was superb, but the defense also
did its job.
"The biggest thing is that
everyone is taking pride in their
job in the defensive zone," said
senior defenseman Greg Pateryn.
"Everyone is rolling right now
and doingwhat they are supposed
to, and you can't ask for much
more - one goal-against over a
weekend is pretty good."
Osiecki added: "Lets give cred-
it where credit is due - Michigan
is really good. Their defensemen
do a tremendous job, and having
(sophomore defenseman) Jon
Merrill back in the lineup is ... in
my opinion, he is the best defen-
seman in the country."
Last time Hunwick played in
an outdoor game - the Big Chill
- he didn't know he was going
to play until after warm-ups,
when then-starting-goalie Bryan
Hogan went down with a groin
injury. This time around, Hun-
wick knew he was going to be
playing, and it showed the whole
weekend. The spectacle of the
Frozen Diamond Faceoff didn't
seem to faze him at all, even
as fireworks flew through the
27-degree night sky.
One goal on 77 shots - just
another day at the office for
Michigan's backbone, leading his
team in its nine-game unbeaten
streak.
Michigan senior captain Luke Glendening is the epitome of Michigan coach Red Berenson's blue-collar philosophy.
It's become a trend for his
team, replacing the destructive
tendencies that contributed to
its November slide, which is now
just a harrowing reminder in the
rearview mirror.
In the series finale, the Wol-
verines edged Ohio State in shots
on goal, 42-32.
The Buckeyes were forced to
be content with shots from the
point, ones that Hunwick gloved
with ease. Meanwhile, Michi-
gan slammed its way into the
slot, making Ohio State ditch its
Hobey Baker nominee and start-
ing goaltender Cal Heeter in
favor of backup Brady Hjelle.
Coming into the series, the
numbers favored Heeter, but by
the end, nobody was questioning
who the best goaltender on the
ice was. Hunwick, like his team-
mates in front of him, worked
harder.
"Hard work usually pays off,"
Michigan assistant coach Brian
Wiseman wrote on Twitter after
the game. "(It was a) great effort
by the'
The
worke
defens
They s
costs,c
make
easier
shots.
kr
tak
gar
Seni
Patery:
loves t
plenty
like sol
Osieck.
man in
TEAM." He would know - he coached
Wolverines also out- Merrill at the World Junior Cham-
d the Buckeyes in the pionships. And without Merrill,
ve zone over the weekend. the defense wouldn't have the
acrificed their bodies at all same workman mentality.
diving in front of pucks to "It starts with your defen-
Hunwick's life that much sive game," Berenson said. "Our
while he faced a barrage of penalty killing's been better, our
(defensive) zone coverage has
been better, our defense is playing
stronger. And Hunwick is making
the saves when we do give up a
"Our team good shot."
Berenson's teams are usually
lOws what it blue-collar battlers, but for the
first half of the season, this one
es to play in a wasn't. It was lazy and unmoti-
vated at its worst. At best, it was
me like this." mediocre. But with the work ethic
restored, Michigan seems invin-
cible. In fact, Osiecki described
them as one of the nation's top-
or defenseman Greg five teams.
n was a "rock," as Berenson After the game, senior captain
o call him. But the unit has Luke Glendening rejoiced, hoist-
of room for more leaders, ing the Frozen Diamond Faceoff
phomore Jon Merrill, who trophy as he gleefully skated the
i called the best defense- infield rink.
the country. He worked hard to get it.
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OUTDOORS
From Page 1B
to their roots.
From the moment Michigan
stepped onto the rink on Sat-
urday afternoon for their first
skate, all the players could talk
about how cool the environment
was. Everyone - from wide-
eyed freshman Alex Guptill to
seasoned outdoor game veteran
Luke Glendening - took time to
just appreciate the game.
Because they were playing
hockey the way it was supposed to
be played - outdoors, with tem-
peratures just below freezing and
ice surrounded by freshly fallen
snow that the team had to shovel
off the rink Sunday morning.
Most of the team can share
stories about playing pond
hockey. For any player, skating
outside is about as untarnished as
you can get. There's no Zamboni
smoothing the ice or fancy locker
room to warm up in afterwards -
it becomes purely about the love
of the game.
Maybe it was the environment,
or maybe it was because the Wol-
verines came into Sunday's game
riding a wave of momentum.
Whatever the cause, the outdoor
setting rubbed off on Michigan,
and they started to play hockey
the way it's supposed to be played
for them - throwback Michigan
hockey.
The grittiness and tough-
ness of that throwback hockey
has worked for Michigan since
it became a varsity program 90
years ago. It's how Berenson
paved his way from Regina to
Ann Arbor, and how the Wolver-
ines brought nine national cham-
pionship trophies back to Yost Ice
Arena.
But at some point, Michigan
forgot about that kind of hockey.
They came off a trip to the Fro-
zen Four championship game
season and were No. 1on the eve
of CCHA play in October.
Perhaps the hype was just too
much for them, and they suffered
for it- a seven-game winless
streak spanning the month of
November taught them that. But
something changed for the team,
starting in December.
They went to Alaska and found
themselves amidst the ice and
snow. Heart conquered the hype.
The team went back to throw-
back Michigan hockey. It worked,
and came full circle for them in
the snowy outfield of Progressive
Field.
The forwards aren't scared
anymore. They're not afraid to
slam into the boards or oppo-
nents to go after loose pucks.
They didn't notice the fireworks
lighting up the Cleveland skyline
or Ohio State's band marching
on the ice - it was all about the
game.
With the forwards takingcare
of providing the offensive drive,
the defense's job becomes much
easier - they easily stifled the
Buckeye offense on Sunday.
It took a whole semester for
the Wolverines to learn their
lesson. The losses were a seri-
ous wake-up call and now the
team knows what it takes to
walk away with a victory. Michi-
gan fans won't care about the
fanfare of the Frozen Diamond
Faceoff. But they'll remember
two things - an afternoon spent
watching hockey outside and a
team that played with spunk to
pull outa win.
- Vukelich can be reached
at elizavuk@umich.edu.
Rival teams swap roles in weekend sweep
By ZACH HELFAND
Daily Sports Editor
CLEVELAND - David Wohl-
berg heard a voice.
The senior forward, who had
just collected the puck along the
boards, couldn't see the voice, but
he heard it. Perhaps if the game
were at Yost - if the game hadn't
been outdoors, if the stadium had
a roof - he wouldn't have heard
the voice. But he did, and he slid
the puck in its direction.
It worked. The voice, belong-
ing to sophomore forward Derek
DeBlois, took Wohlberg's center-
ing pass and one-timed it past
Ohio State goalie Cal Heeter.
Less than 30 seconds later,
0 Wohlberg scored, too.
Immediately after that, he
heard more voices, this time
belonging to the thousands of
chilly Michigan fans who made
the trip to Cleveland to witness a
4-1 Michigan victory in the Fro-
zen Diamond Faceoff.
It took just 30 seconds in the
second period for Michigan to put
the finishing touches on its sweep
of Ohio State and move from a tie
for sixth place in the CCHA to
third.
"You saw after they scored
their first goal, it was a big upris-
ing for them," said Wohlberg of
Ohio State's second-period goal
that cut Michigan's lead to one.
"Then when we go out and we
score two real quick, it's a big
push for us, and I think it emptied
their spirits."
The impact from Michigan's
two-goal flurry weighed visibly
on the Buckeyes. They hardly
threatened Michigan fifth-year
senior goalie Shawn Hunwick in
the remaining 30 minutes of the
game, and when they walked into
ERIN KIRKL AND/Daly
Senior forward David Wohlberg tallied a goal and an assist in Michigan's 4-1 victory in the Frozen Diamond Faceoff.
the locker room for the second
intermission, their body language
spoke volumes.
After the game, Chris Crane's
red, puffy eyes said it all. The
Buckeye sophomore forward, and
the rest of the Ohio State hockey
team, wanted this one badly.
Despite a two-goal deficit after
the opening period, the game was
there for the taking after Crane's
goal came just 50 seconds into the
second frame, making the score
2-1.
The game was turning. Ohio
State controlled the start of the
second. They took the momentum.
Then it was gone in a matter of
30 seconds.
"(It) deflated us," said Ohio
State captain Cory Schneider. "I
thought our compete level went
down a little after those two
goals."
Ohio State coach Mark Osiecki
sensed the momentum switch
and reacted by pulling Heeter,
who has been one of the confer-
ence's best goalies this season.
The move responded more to the
swing in emotions than a lack of
confidence in Heeter.
"Two goals happen for us,
bang-bang, and we had to make a
change," Osiecki said. "It was just
a situation where maybe this will
jump start our team."
Backup goalie Brad Hjelle
didn't allow a goal on 18 shots in
his 30 minutes of work, but by
then, it was too late.
Wohlberg probably stole one on
his goal, with a shot that Heeter
usually saves. Wohlberg skated
with the puck for half the length
of the ice. He attacked Heeter
toward his glove side, flicked one
toward his pad, and somehow
forced the puck through.
"On Friday, I tried to cut to the
middle, and it didn't work out,"
Wohlberg said. "But tonight, I
tried to put it off the pad, and
it snuck right under there ... (I)
just (used) outside speed and it
worked out."
After this weekend's sweep,
Michigan finds itself just five
points behind the first-place
Buckeyes. The first time the two
teams played this season, Michi-
gan coach Red Berenson said he
thought Michigan outplayed Ohio
State at times, but not enough to
overcome a few unlucky breaks.
The roles reversed this week-
end. The Ohio State sweep in
November catapulted the Buck-
eyes to the top of the CCHA
standings, while Michigan fell
into a long slump. Now, it is Ohio
State that finds itself sliding, and
the Wolverines haven't lost in
nine games.
There's more: In the second
game of that November series,
Michigan was the team that
grabbed the momentum. They
too lost it in a two-goal burst in
less than 30 seconds in the second
period.
Sound familiar? This time, the
skate was on the other foot.
"We just kept bringing the
pressure every single line," Wohl-
berg said. "It wasn't them ... it was
our stronger play."
STATE growth to be had in our guys -
From Page 1lB we're still very young. It's very
important, and we embrace it,
frankly. We don't want to lose, but
yet, but that's what everybody we embraceit."
hopes it will be. When both teams That said, losing to the Spartans
are ranked year after year and at home on Tuesday would be par-
playing each other, that's what it ticularly discouraging as the Wol-
turns into. verines enter a three-game road
"I don't like anything about stint starting Saturday at Arkansas.
Michigan, and they don't like In order to top Michigan State,
anything about us, and that's the Beilein's squad will need to limit
way it should be." the production of senior forward
Apart from the rivalry, the Draymond Green and sophomore
game is crucial for the two teams point guard Keith Appling, the
which are both looking to bounce Spartans' two leading scorers. But
back from upset losses last week- more importantly, the Wolverines
end. will need to correct their mistakes
from the recent loss to the Hawk-
eyes.
"We were a step slow with so
"I don't like many things in the Iowa game,
both offensively and defensively,"
anything about Beilein said. "It actually picked up
later in the game, where we drove
M ichigan." the ball better, we did a lot of
things. I don't know if it's fatigue,
if it's focus, if it's overcoaching,
undercoaching. I have no idea."
On Saturday, Michigan lost With the Spartans looming,
badly to Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Beilein must find the answer
Arena, 75-59. The Wolverines soon.
shot at a subpar 38.5-percent HORFORD ALMOST BACK:
clip, and sophomore guard Tim Beilein mentioned on Monday
Hardaway Jr. was 0-for-8 from that sophomore center Jon Hor-
3-point range. And on the same ford is nearing a return.
day, Northwestern's John Shurna He has been sitting on the
and Drew Crawford combined for bench with a foot injury since
42 points to down Michigan State nonconference play. Typically,
in Evanston, 81-74. Horford backs up redshirt sopho-
In the crazy world of Big Ten more Jordan Morgan at center,
hoops, where no win comes easy and his role has been filled by
and upsets are commonplace, redshirt sophomore Blake McLi-
dropping two games in a row is mans and sophomore forward
something to avoid at all costs. Evan Smotrycz.
But one loss, at times, could be "He's jump shooting now, he's
beneficial. doing a couple of things," Beilein
"It's essential to success," said said. "(He's) not going to play
Michigan coach John Beilein. tomorrow. He stayed home this
"I think you see that you have weekend so he could just do ther-
to have adversity to grow. ... You apy. And then Thursday, Friday
don't grow as much in victory as we're going to go hard with him
you do in defeat. There's a lot of to see how he looks."
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