2B - March 18, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
For Michigan hockey team, night and day
KALAMAZOO -
t's on to Detroit.
With the NCAA
men's basketball bracket
announced, the Michigan fan-
base will descend en masse on
the Motor City this week to
watch both the men's basketball
and hockey teams duel in their
respective last-chance, single-
elimination games.
Somehow the scripts have been
reversed, though, as these two
teams travel to Detroit on com-
pletely opposite trajectories. One
team captivated the nation, then
limped to the finish line; the other
found new ways to reach rock
bottom all season, then caught
fire at the last minute.
A downward spiral; a pre-
cipitous climb. Stock up, stock
down. Welcome to the madness of
March,my friends.
Go Blue. It's a verb now, appar-
ently.
As he started down the hall-
way after Michigan's 4-3 victory
over Western Michigan on Friday
night, senior alternate captain
Lee Moffie, sporting a goatee
like the rest of the defensemen,
turned back to a pack of report-
ers and gave a rousing "Go Blue."
Then, he made a confession.
"Our team is going blue a little
too hard right now," Moffie said.
Now, do remember that this is
coming from the man that Michi-
gan coach Red Berenson earlier
this season called "gregarious
and outrageous." But maybe
there's something to this "going
blue" business.
True, it really doesn't make
sense. But if we're here to judge
rallying cries, I'd take the hockey
team's new motto over the men's
basketball team's "WE ON" any
day. Come on, people.
A little Elmer's glue, some
binder twine and a new twist on a
well-worn motto were the recipe
that patched together this upstart
Michigan hockey team. A month
ago, facingthe harsh reality that
the Wolverines would miss the
NCAA Tournament for the first
time since 1989-90, Michigan
readjusted its season goal: Reach
the Joe.
It's been night and day since
then.
Before, it was a broken team
playing selfish hockey. Now,
the Wolverines have won eight
consecutive games, and, with a
dominant road sweep of Western
Michigan in the CCHA quarter-
finals over the weekend, they've
punched their ticket to the semi-
finals at Joe Louis Arena.
"It's always been Michigan,"
Berenson said. "Our stock's been
going up and down like General
Motors."
Good man, that Red Berenson,
and still quick - with a clever
Detroit reference to boot, as
Michigan will be facing off with
Miami on Saturday night at the
Joe, less than a mile from the
General Motors headquarters.
I reckon he's been going blue
longer than most of us have been
alive. Don't bet against his red-
hot icers.
An EMS worker watched the
Michigan-Western Michigan.
from the behind the glass of the
Zamboni entrance at Lawson Ice
shirt.
He was proud now. He, too,
was going blue.
Well, this was the plan all
along for Beilein and Co., wasn't
it?
Buzz through the regular sea-
son; take a swipe at the regular-
season Big Ten title; never drop
out of the top-10 in the national
rankings. Sounds likea down-
right delicious season.
But here's the thing. The Mich-
igan men's basketball team isn't
spanking teams anymore. The
highlight slams and alley-oops
are intermixed with sloppy turn-
overs and missed threes.
The Big Ten is a man's league,
and Michigan got worked over
pretty good a few times. That
21-1 record slipped to26-7 pretty
quickly, and painfully.
But the NCAA Tournament is
a different animal. And now it's
time for the Wolverines and Jack-
rabbits to tangle in Michigan's
backyard - The Palace at Auburn
Hills. The hometownboys are
already 11-point favorites, but that
means little, especially during the
Big Dance.
Michigan is a team with Final
Four expectations, but the ceiling
for this team appears far lower
' than it did a month or two ago.
A four seed in the South Divi-
sion, Michigan is facing an uphill
battle, fighting the odds for just
about the first time all season.
If you've been following Michi-
gan sportstfor a while, this seems
to be life as usual: Michigan hock-
ey is on fire, Michigan men's bas-
ketball is tumbling and fumbling
its way into the postseason. That's
not really the case, of course.
The hockey team still has to
sweep the semifinals and finals
at the Joe to avoid posting its
first sub-.500 record since 1986-
87. But here's another history
lesson: just three years ago, the
Wolverines had to win the CCHA
Tournament to earn an NCAA
Tournament berth, and they did
it - knocking off Miami (Ohio) in
the semifinals, no less.
The history of the men's bas-
ketball team offers no such com-
fort. Fact is, Michigan hasn't seen
a team engineered to win like this
in decades. As announcer Gus
Johnson said earlier this season,
Michigan has an embarrassment
of riches. I'd hate to see thatgo to
waste in the Big Dance.
Circle this Saturday on your
calendar.
It could mark the historic col-
lapse or it could signal the begin-
ning of these Michigan teams'
second seasons.
One day, one night: the end or
the beginning?
We'll have to wait and see -
plus, the basketball team has to
get through South Dakota State
first. It'sbeen night and day of
late for these two programs. And
now they've got only the guaran-
tee of one more game.
It's on to Detroit.
- Nesbitt can be reached
at stnesbit@umich.edu and on
Twitter: @stephenjnesbitt.
PAUL SHERMAN/Dai
Jacob Trouba (top) wan Id too popular at Lawson Ice Arena Evn junior for-
ward Derek Deblois, typically a defensive forward, added a goal Saturday.
9
Arena in Kalamazoo. After the
Wolverines poured in four unan-
swered goals in the second period
on Saturday, he gave a smile. He
turned to his left and looked up
into the stands, where a group of
students were waving a massive
Michigan flag in enemy territory.
"Do you go to Michigan?" he
asked. They nodded. He pulled
back his black EMS vest to reveal
a large, gold 'M' pin on his under-
In surprise CCHA run,
a reminder of 2009-10
By LIZ VUKELICH
Daily Sports Editor
KALAMAZOO - Amid all
the excitement surrounding the
Michigan hockey team's impend-
ing trip to Joe Louis Arena for
its 24th-consecutive appearance
in the CCHA Tournament semi-
finals, the seniors had a chance
to reflect on how their Michigan
careers have come full circle.
This season is eerily similar
to the Wolver-
ines' 2009-10 NOTEBOOK
campaign when
this year's seniors were freshmen.
Michigan went on a miracle run
through the playoffs to keep its
postseason hopes alive after bare-
ly breaking even on the season.
"It feels a lot similar," said
senior forward Kevin Lynch. "It
feels like right now we're on a
streak and can't lose. We know
what's nt stakeW We've eai two
games to finish this off and we're
ready."
This weekend marks Michi-
gan's fourth consecutive sweep
and Lynch chirped at the media
and fans that doubted Michigan
would be standing where it is
today.
"A month ago we told (every-
one) we were a team to be reck-
oned with and that's because guys
in that locker room believed,"
Lynch said. "We showed that we
could play as a team, play with
passion and overcome adversity
any time throughout the year."
Michigan coach Red Berenson
agreed, saying guiding this strug-
gling team has been one of the
most rewarding experiences in his
coaching career.
"I'm really proud," he said.
"I've always said you never give
up on a player and you never give
up on ateam. I'm glad they never
wave um and Iknow t'mLneladlI
never gave up."
PERFECT PENAlTY KILL: The
Wolverines won every battle
against Western Michigan, but
perhaps no victory was as impres-
sive as Michigan's penalty-kill
performance.
Going into the weekend, West-
ern Michigan boasted the third-
best power play in the CCHA, and
prior to the weekend, Berenson
expressed concern that special
teams performance could harm
the Wolverines.
Turns out he had nothing to
worry about - the Michigan
penalty kill had another flawless
weekend, leading Berenson to
assert that it was the best series
the unit has had all season.
"The (penalty kill) was ter-
rific," Berenson said. "(Western
Michigan) got some good looks,
but nevertheless, we got through
with it, whether it was our goalie,
our defense blocking shots or our
forwards."
The Broncos managed to reg-
ister just two shots on net during
the course of their six power plays.
Michigan's penalty kill has killed
off its last 25 penalties, turning it
into the Wplverines' biggest asset.
And most of that has to do with the
do-or-die attitude the team has
adopted moving forward.
"It's the playoffs," said fresh-
man defenseman Jacob Trouba
on Friday. "Our season's going to
be over if we don't win. We know
that, and we know we're playing
the hardest hockey now when it
counts."
SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS,
EVERYBODY: Though both teams
were knotted at one by the time
the first period ended, the game
wasn't as even-matched as it
appeared. By the time the 20-min-
ute mark had passed, Michigan
had woefully outshot Western
Michigan, 15-3.
But it was still a game of inches
- the Broncos had been able to
capitalize on their shots when in
counted, leading the Wolverines
to believe that Western Michigan
could counter with a strong sec-
ond period, asit did with the night
before.
"We knew that it was the score
that counted, it wasn't the shots,"
Berenson said. "We knew we
were playing well (and) we had
to build on that. We came here to
play Michigan hockey on the road,
and that's what we tried to do the
whole game."
0
Oi
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
The Michigan hockey team celebrates during a sweep of Western Michigan, the tearn's fourth consecutive sweep.
Moffie and Merrill
peaking at right time
By MATT SLOVIN defensemen begin to look as for-
ManagingEditor midable as any other quartet in
the country. -
KALAMAZOO - Enter- Friday night, Moffie held down
ing this season, the strength of the defensive zone, making the
the Michigan, hockey team was safe passes around freshman
expected tobe its defense. goalie Steve Racine that have
Back then, junior defenseman eluded the alternate captain this
Jon Merrill hadn't been injured, season. He was also noticeably
and freshman defenseman Jacob more physical. On one particular
Trouba was ready to arrive on play, he bumped Western Michi-
campus and bolster the unit. gan's Chase Balisy off the puck,
Well, it wasn't the strength preventing the Broncos from
it had the potential to be. And potentially tying the game late in
as recently as a few weeks ago, the third period.
the team ranked third to last in Moffie said that Friday was
the country in goals allowed per one of his best all-around defen-
game, ahead of only Alabama- sive efforts of the season.
Huntsville and then-winless "I knew it had to be," he said.
Sacred Heart. "We have enough scoring on
Though some of that can cer- our team right now, and I think
tainly be attributed to previously the focus of our team has to be
poor goaltending, there's been an defense. All our defensemen have
undeniable turnaround by the kind of taken that role."
defense. The blue liners played According to Michigan coach
one of their best games yet in Sat- Red Berenson, it's notonly Moffie
urday's series-clinching 5-1 win who's playing the best hockey of
over Western Michigan. his season - it's all of the team's
Friday nightbelonged to Jacob seniors.
Trouba, who has been the most "That's what you need," Beren-
consistent piece to the blue line son said. "Moffie's had a tough
all year. season, but he's really come on
The freshman defenseman strong recently."
rocketed two shots past usually Though Moffie's efforts didn't
trusty Western Michigan net- show up in the box score, they
minder Frank Slubowski, but an contributed to an impressive,
interesting sideshow has devel- Michigan checkinggame.
oped outside of Trouba's spot- On Saturday, it was Merrill's
light. turn to contribute on both ends.
Not only has the top defensive He set the tone for the comfort-
pair of Trouba and junior Mac able Wolverines' victory with
Bennett been performing up to his perfect up-ice pass to senior
the high preseason expectations, forward Kevin Lynch, who pro-
but senior Lee Moffie and Merrill ceeded to score the game's first
have made Michigan's top-four goal.
After missing the first half
of the season for the second
straight year - last year due to
suspension and this year because
of injury - Merrill has caught
fire at the right time and matches
the inherent physicality of Trou-
ba at times, like Saturday.
"I thought Jonny played really
well," said senior captain A.J.
Treais. "He made some really
smart plays, took hits to make
plays. He's been doing that all
year, but I thought he had an
extra -special game today."
Merrill finished with the assist
on Lynch's goal, a plus-one rat-
ing, three shots on goal and two
blocked shots. He embodied a
new mindset for the defense, one
that was absent in the playoff
opener against Northern Michi-
gan on March 8, but has been on
display ever since. To Berenson,
the difference is desperation.
For Moffie, it's about doing
whatever it takes to continue
eliminating the miscues that
proved costly earlier in the sea-
son. Those mistakes were put
under a microscope because
of the poor play of the goalies.
Now that Racine is playing well
between the pipes, the defense
seems more willing to absorb
shots and protect the goalie.
"We're absolutely willing to
do whatever it takes not to let
in a goal," said senior defen-
seman Lee Moffie about the
defense holding a late one-goal
lead. "You're getting in front of
every shot, you're diving, you're
desperate. More importantly,
you're playing sound defense."
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