The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Tuesday, March 12, 2013 - 7

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The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Tuesday, March 12, 2013 - 7

For battered
defense, a late
renaissance

CCHA's worst team
in goals allowed
is experiencing a
playoff rebirth
By MICHAEL LAURILA
Daily Sports Editor
During the Michigan hockey
team's struggles this year, there
always seemed to be a laun-
dry list of things that needed
improvement - whether it was
defensive-zone coverage, goal-
tending, neutral-zone play or
special teams.
The combination of these dif-
ferent aspects typically resulted
in the Wolverines allowing easy
goals. Sometimes a man would
be left open in front of the net
for a one-time shot that was on
a near-empty net. Other times,
there would be a miscommuni-
cation between the forwards and
the defensemen, resulting in an
odd-man rush and another easy
goal.
Throughout the season, Mich-
igan coach Red Berenson has
continually stressed that until
the team's goals allowed per
game are lowered, the Wolver-
ines won't be where they want
to be. Considering how poor the
defense was for most of the sea-
son - a little more than a month
ago, the Wolverines ranked sec-
ond to last in the entire NCAA in
goals allowed per game - Beren-
son saw only room for improve-
ment.
After last weekend's sweep of
Northern Michigan, Michigan
is currently riding a six-game
winning streak and has vastly

improved on defense. The Wol-
verines have allowed one goal
per game while scoring three
and a half on average in the past
two weeks. To say the defensive
effort has been better wouldn't
be doing it justice - Michigan
looks like a completely different
team behind its blue line.
"(The difference) is just an
attitude," Berenson said. "A
combination of better penalty
killing, better goalkeeping and
better defensive awareness and
defensive responsibility. I'm still
not happy with the goals that we
gave up this weekend."
The inconsistent goaltending
has frequently contributed to the
struggles. Michigan has alter-
nated freshmen Steve Racine
and Jared Rutledge, as well as
junior Adam Janecyk, between
the pipes all season because
none of them earned the job out-
right. But ever since the Ohio
State series that began on Feb.
22 - the start of the Wolverines'
current six-game winning streak
- Racine has been a brick wall
behind the net.
Last season, then-senior
Shawn Hunwick was a goalie
who was consistent night in and
night out and also had his team-
mates' trust to bail them out if
need be. Though Racine hasn't
become that much of a sure
thing, Berenson does believe
that his performances in the past
three weeks have given the team
a confidence boost in its young
netminder.
"I think the defensemen now
aren't as worried about the goal-
ie," he said. "They're now wor-
ried about playing good defense.
There's no question that if you

junior Mac Bennett and fresh-
man Jacob Trouba both notched
goals in Michigan's 6-2 victory.
Add assists from Trouba and
sophomore Mike Szuma, and
that's a defensive unit that fin-
ished a series sweep with five
points.
"That usually means your
team is playing well when
you're getting offense from your
defense," Berenson said.
Whether Berenson is finally
happy with the defense's overall
performance or the unit is finally
living up the preseason hype,
the results speak for themselves.
For a team that has allowed
more than three goals per game
for the entirety of the season -
Michigan's 3.50 goals per game
still rank last in the CCHA - six
goals allowed in the past four
games is impressive.
"It's just everybody buying
in," said senior defenseman Lee
Moffie about the recent suc-
cess. "(The defense) has steadily
been getting better, even in the
past month of the season, and
now that the season is coming
together, the blocked shots and
the extra will to make sure the
puck is getting out helps us alot."

PAULtSHERMAN/Daily
Defensemen Jacob Trouba (top), a freshman, and junior Jon Merrill have helped lead a rejuvenated Michigan defense.

have a lack of trust in your goal-
ie, then your team won't be the
same."
And if the sweep of the Wild-
cats wasn't a perfect defensive

effort, it was close. on the offensive.
The defense didn't just per- During Friday night's 3-2 vic-
form at a high level and keep tory, junior defenseman Jon
Northern Michigan from getting Merrill scored just his second
any easy chances, but it also went goal of the year. A night later,

With return of Haylie Wagner,
Wolverines gain a second ace

I

By NATE SELL
Daily Sports Writer
The reigning Big Ten Pitcher
and Freshman of the Year is finally
back.
On Wednesday, sophomore
Haylie Wagner stepped into the
circle for the first time this season
and stared down Central Florida's
leadoff batter. She started her sea-
son - 19 games late due to injury
- with an eight-pitch battle that
ended in a walk. She went on to
throw eight innings in two games
before throwing her first complete
game against Illinois State. Wag-
ner came away with three wins
in her three appearances, proving
that despite starting her season
late, she's ready to help the team.
"It felt really good hearing my
name and hearing that I would
be starting," Wagner said. "Just
knowing that I've gotten back to
the place I want to be and to be
pitching - that's what I love to
do."
In her first two starts, against
the Knights and Miami, Wagner
threw four strikeouts while allow-
ing just four hits, two walks and
surrendering only one earned run
off a home run. She looked her best
during the third inning against
the Hurricanes, when she forced
three straight batters into ground-
outs on just four pitches.
Against the Redbirds, Wagner
pitched a full game,highlighted by
a streak of 13 straight retired bat-
ters. She finished the game with
seven strikeouts and three walks.
The onlyhit she allowed was asolo
home run in the third inning.
"We are going to have to ease
(Wagner) into some innings," said
* Michigan coach Carol Hutchins.
"Whatever innings she gets, she
has to help us win.
"She has to get into the rhythm
and the flow of the season. It's hard
to do that when you're dropped in
the middle of it, but she's going to
get there."
Wagner was named to the
2013 USA Softball National Colle-
giate Player of the Year preseason
watch list after her impressive
freshman season. She's one of just

Sophomore pitchers Haylie Wagner (top) and Sara Driesenga form, as Michi
gan coach Carol Hutchins calls it, Michigan's "deuce" as the two top pitchers.

I