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The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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Tuesday, February 5, 2013 - 7

PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Sophomore forward Phil Di Giuseppe had three assists to his linemate, freshman Boo Nieves, last weekend.
Di Giuseppe, Nieves,
K. Lynch carry Blue

MICHIGAN ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY of MJCHIGAN COLLEGE of ENGINEERING
The James R. Mellor Lecture
showcases an individual whose
leadership has contributed to
the public good. Its intent is to
inspire the ideals of students
and other members of the
College community.
The Impact
of Engineers
on Society:
Differentiating
Practical from
Merely Possible
Friday, February 8, 2013
11:30 a.m.
Chesebrough Auditorium
220 Chrysler Center (2121 Bonisteel Blvd)
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2092

%MMO

Line combines
for 11 points in
weekend sweep of
Spartans
By MICHAEL LAURILA
Daily Sports Editor
Not once; not twice but three
times sophomore forward Phil
Di Giuseppe connected with
freshman forward and linemate
Boo Nieves for a goal last week-
end during the Michigan hockey
team's sweep of Michigan State.
Senior forward Kevin Lynch
joined Nieves and Di Giuseppe
on the line, and the trio finished
the weekend with an impressive
11 points.
Nieves, who played a stellar
series the prior weekend despite
Michigan's sweep at the hands
of Western Michigan, contin-
ued his hot streak. He tallied an
assist and two third-period goals
during the Wolverines' 3-2 vic-
tory on Friday night against the
Spartans, one of which ended
up being the game winner. And
then a night later, during Michi-
gan's 5-2 victory, he earned
another multiple-point game
when he scored his seventh goal
of the year and notched his 14th
assist.
Despite the line only scoring
three goals during the week-
end sweep, Di Giuseppe had a
hand in every Nieves goal. Di
Giuseppe came in with nine
assists on the year, but his five
assists upped that total to 14,
which is good enough to tie

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for the team lead in that picked up the puck then passed
ry. to a streaking Nieves down the
o's got great vision, and ice for a goal. This is the kind of
as started getting into play that might not show up on
spots pretty well," said any highlight reel, but is crucial
forward Lindsay Sparks. to the success of any line.
ve been playing in prac- "We don't measure every-
gether for some time now, body on stats, and Lynch, who's
y're starting to get a little one of our most physical for-
hemistry and it's starting wards every night, digs out a lot
w up in games." of loose pucks, and he creates a
production from Nieves lot of space for the guys that are
playing with him," Berenson
said.:"He's an important part of
"They're the line, even though he might
not be getting the stats."
arting toget Lynch has skated with many
different lines this season, and
little bit of his physicality has been evident
every night he's in the lineup.
-hem istry." Though Lynch hasn't had the
most productive season interms
of statistics - just 14 points on
five goals and nine assists - he
Giuseppe was a welcome has given the team a boost with
or a Michigan offense that his intangibles, such as defen-
times struggled to find sive coverage or his presence on
ck of the net. Early on, it the penalty-kill unit.
ed that senior forward Whether it's Nieves' speed,
reais would be the Wol- Di Giuseppe's ability to find
s' offensive leader, but the open man or Lynch's all-
eading the NCAA in goals around physicality, the line's
t three weeks of this sea- success this past weekend
e has only recorded one wasn't unprecedented. Lynch
nce Jan. 11. has been a three-year starter
Lynch had the most and Di Giuseppe had an impres-
lded performance of the sive rookie campaign last year
at least on the stat sheet. that included 11 goals and 15
nished with one assist, assists. But Berenson knows that
s physical, grinding play 11 points from a line won't be a
d Di Giuseppe and Nieves common theme and shouldn't be
than once to have such expected each week.
soks. "We were opportunistic and
higan coach Red Beren- we were lucky, but when you
ferenced a play where work hard, you get lucky, so that
created a turnover in the was a good weekend for them,"
ns' zone, Di Giuseppe Berenson said.

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