8 - Friday, November 9, 2012

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com


'M' seeks special-team
improvement vs. MSU

ALDEN REISS/Daily
Freshman guard NikStauskas is questionable for Friday night's season opener between Michigan and Slippery Rock.
Be 'This isn't your
f er's SlipperyRok

Touted freshman An

class gets rookie
campaign underway
vs. The Rock
COLLEEN THOMAS
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan coach John Beilein
is telling you to fear The Rock.
When the fifth-ranked Wol-
verines open their seasontonight
against Slippery Rock, Beilein
will have prepared his team for
"an extremely, extremely talent-
ed Division-II team."
And what
exactly does W
that consist of?
"(Slippery at Michigan
Rock) is a team Matchup:
that, with some SRU 0-0;
breaks, can win Michigan 0-0
a Division-II When: Friday
national cham- 8:30 p.m.
pionship," Where: Crisler
Beilein said. Center
"They return TV/Radio:
four of their MGoBlue.com
five starters,
their fifth play-
er is very good as well. They just
scrimmaged Navy - they were
ahead 30 in the second half
They're very well coached.
"We have our work cut out for
us. It's time to play that type of
basketball game. ... This is not
your father's Slippery Rock. This
is an extremely talented basket-
ball team. It's going to be the
real deal."
But since Beilein tends to
hypeup every one of Michigan's
opponents, how do you know
Slippery Rock is for real?
"We've watched them on film
a couple times now and they're a
very talented team," said senior
forward Josh Bartelstein. "You
thtnk Division-II school, but
they have the size like a Divi-
sion-I team and the strength of a
mid-major. We're preparing like
it's.any other game."

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I Michigan has had plenty Burke averaged 36 minutes
e to prepare. After debut- per game last year. If Stauskas
1 five freshmen in their doesn't play, though, Beilein is
xhibition games, the Wol- toying with the idea of playing
s have more talent than Burke and Albrecht together.
e seen in years. He's also thought about putting
ein has finalized his start- McGary and Morgan in togeth-
r tomorrow's game, but er to attack the boards.
to use a seven- or eight- In fact, Beilein has played
otation. Senior guard Matt around with multiple lineups
h and freshman forward and rotations because of the
Robinson III will fill the depth of the team.
hat have been in question "We have so much depth,"
preseason, joining return- said senior guard Josh Bartel-
arters Trey Burke, Tim stein. "If you're tired, then give
way Jr. and Jordan Mor- it the fist and we'll put some-
the starting five. one in that can do your job, and
ein is planning on using when you're ready to go, you'll
nen Mitch McGary and go back in. We don't need to
Albrecht, and hopes to take plays out anymore because
we have so many really good
players.
"When you have this type
e couldn't go of depth where teams have to,
scout for every single person,
Navy and be you have to make those six min-
utes (of playing time) a relent-
by 30 in the less six minutes."
FROM PUPIL TO TEACHER:
econd half." After former Michigan guard
Zack Novak broke the news on
Twitter, senior guard Josh Bar-
telstein has been taking a lot
reshman Nik Stauskas and of response from being named
Jon Horford - Stauskas is Michigan's captain for the sea-
onable for tonight's game son.
ack spasms and Horford is "It's been great getting a lot
g off a knee injury. of e-mails from my grandpar-
're going to play it pretty ents, aunts and uncles," Bar-
Beilein said. "We couldn't telstein said. "My mom was
gavy and be up by 30 in the probably the happiest."
I half." Bartelstein has taken the role
LING DEEP: Since the vacated by Novak and former
eshmen have arrived at guard Stu Douglass, to whom he
gan, there's been a lot of credited for teaching him good
surrounding the depth leadership skills.
umber of offensive weap- "Last year, we would talk
eilein has coming off the all the time just about differ-
ent team stuff, living together,"
recht has proven himself Bartelstein said. "I've learned a
le backup for Burke at lot from them. I use things that
guard but can also shoot Zack and Stu used. ... I'm just
ll well, McGary is anoth- trying to be the best leader I
ounding option in the post can."
Morgan and Stauskas is a NOTE: Michigan will hang
n from deep. its 2012 Big Ten Championship
for Albrecht, it might be banner Nov. 27 before its game
o find solid minutes since against North Carolina State.

LIZ NAGLE
Daily Sports Witer
Last season, the Michigan
hockey team posted a winning
record (3-1-1) against in-state rival
Michigan State.
But the trio of
wins and ulti- MSUat
mate bragging Mican
rights didn't
come easily to Matchup
the Wolverines. MSU 2-2-0,
Of the five 3-4-1;UM
games they
played against When: Friday
the Spartans, 735 p.m., Sat-
inclding urday 705 p.m.
including
three overtime Where: Yost
periods and (aFrn
shootout, none Arena (Sat.)
finished with
more than a TV/Radio:
one-goal differ- Comcast 900
ential.
Though Michigan notched 15
goals and 26 assists in the season
series, it couldn't escape the pres-
sure of the Michigan State power
play. On multiple occasions, the
Wolverines took a lead into the
third period before penalties
struck in untimely ways.
In their first meeting last year,
Michigan took its comfortable 4-1
lead into the final frame, which
was just barely enough to seal a
4-3 win after the Spartans' power
play registered back-to-back goals.
But the Wolverines couldn't
stave off Michigan State the next
night. Knotted at two entering
the last period, Michigan net-
ted a late goal before then-junior
forward Kevin Lynch was sent to
the box for holding. The Spartans
answered with the game-tying
goal before a scoreless overtime
period and shootout victory.
Feb. 10 also seemed familiar, as
the then-No. 4 Michigan carried
a narrow 2-1 lead into the third
period. Boarding and tripping
penalties allowed the Spartans a
pair of goals in the opening five
minutes of the stanza en route to
Michigan's 3-2 loss.
"I remember those," said Mich-
igan coach Red Berenson. "There
were some poor penalties called,
thereweresomepoorgoalsscored,
there was some breaks that went
against us and then there were
some lapses on our part."
The way last season's games
unfolded, headlined by special
teams, might just repeat itself this
weekend as the 11th-ranked Wol-
verines play Michigan State at
home tonight and at East Lansing
on Saturday.
Berenson used this week's
practice to improve the Michigan
power play, which will be key in
taking advantage of Michigan
State's CCHA-high 125 minutes of
penalties.
"I think it will be a weekend of
mistakes," Berenson said. "What-
ever teamcan force the other team
to make the most mistakes could
be costly."
Though they often find them-
selves short-handed, the Spartans
have been consistent in killing
penalties (85.7 percent) and bril-

liant on the power play (25.7 per-
cent). Michigan State went 4-for-7
in its last game against Bowling
Green to split the series and even
its record at .500. Berenson com-
pared the two teams on the "ups
and downs" since both have yet
to collect a series win this season.
The Wolverines have lost depth
on defense and special teams as
of late. They entered conference
play with a perfect record on the
penalty kill, but they have since
dropped, surrenderingthree man-
advantage goals last weekend at
the hands of Northern Michigan.
Michigan remains atop the
CCHA, scoring 4.43 goals per
game, but its defense ranks at the
bottom, allowing an average of
3.43 goals.
"I think you can have the best
of both worlds," Berenson said.
"I think you can be number one
offensively and you can also be
number one defensively. ... The
name of the game is to score
goals, but right now we're a .500
team and the reason we're a .500
team is because of too many goals
against"

4

4

PAUL OHERMAN/Daily
Freshman goaltender Jared Rutledge will make the start in net on Friday.

The blue line hasn't been able
stifle its opponents due to a slew
of injuries, leaving Berenson to
rotate through the roster just to fill
the lineup. Along with the bruised
defensive corps is the unsettled
goalie situation between fresh-
men netminders Jared Rutledge
and Steve Racine.
Racine let eight combined goals
sneak between the posts against
the Wildcats last weekend, which
might be why Berenson named
Rutledge the starter in the series
opener.
Fortunately for the Wolverines,
the offense - ledby senior captain
A.J. Treais - has compensated for
the lack of defensive depth. The
preseason all-CCHA honorable
mention has notched six goals and
an assist in his 15 career games
againstthe Spartans.
"Normally, there's a little more
urgency and a'sense of impor-
tance," Berenson said. "There's
a little more buzz around the
games, before the games, the fans,
especially when you're playing at
home. ... We belong in this game.
We'rereadvforthis gnme."

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