The'Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Tuesday; October 29, 2013 - 7 * The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Tuesday, October 29, 2013 - 7 For Wolverines, Nieves s feet not translating to goals By ERIN LENNON Daily Sports Writer If life is a highway, hockey is the German autobahn with a few daunting roadblocks along the way- the defensemen. And come game time, sopho- more forward Boo Nieves is the McLaren Fi, stuck in first gear. Early in the second period Friday against Boston Univer- sity, Nieves turned a one-on-one breakaway into a solo look at the Terriers's net, faking right and then blowing past a defenseman with that familiar ease. Nieves came equally close to scoring later in the period during No. 4 Michi- gan's second power play, but fell into the net without the puck. "I liked his energy on Friday and the speed when he cut around the defensemen twice and went to the net," said Michigan coach Red Berenson. "I thought his puck touches, defensive awareness, and his intensity and faceoffs were right on. And on Saturday, he never got that back." At full speed, Nieves wove eas- ily through traffic. But that's about the only time he's given the crowd something to marvel at this sea- son. Before the season, Berenson singled Nieves out as one'of sev- eral players in need of a breakout year for the Wolverines. Through six games this season, Nieves has only one goal and one assist. Without utilizing much of his signature speed, he has been a non-factor in each of the Wol- verines' four victories. He is on pace for a repeat season - Nieves tallied 29 points, including eight goals and 21 assists in 41 appear- ances as a freshman. But as one of the Wolverines' key offensive weapons - especially on a line with junior forwards Alex Guptill and Zach Hyman - cruising just won't cut it. The talent is there - we saw a glimpse of that on Friday night. Following the departure of five Wolverines, Michigan's biggest question mark heading into the season was the special teams. Last season, power-play production fell largely on the shoulder of first- year Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba, while penalty kill- ing was the job of former Wolver- ines A.J. Treais, Lee Moffie, Kevin Lynch and Jon Merrill. PATRICK BARRON/Daily Sophomore tight end A.J. Williams has been suspended for the MSU game. Tight end Williams suspended by-Hoke PAUL SHERMAN/Daily Sophomore forward Andrew Copp has the strength to counter the team-best speed of sophomore forward Boo Nieves. Thus far, the been as close to p expected of a ros 10 freshmen - n backup freshmani dicted, the power longer to develop. power play is just 7-for-23 this season. But the Wolverines' first loss of the season on Sat- urday featured one goal from the home team - something the penalty kill won't be able to co Nieves has sit the center positio his freshman year his new role, Ni the speed, while ward Andrew C the strength. Atc given more room better view of the to weave around. with Guptill - two goals and tw games - Nieves h to set the tempo fo penalty kill has rerfect as can be ter that includes ot to mention a innet.But as pre- r play has taken And Michigan's offense. He has the ability to create offense simply by being fast on his feet, said senior defenseman Mac Bennett. Bennett refers to Nieves's lack of production as little more than a sophomore slump. "You go "Do you want to from not play- ing at all over go or is it safer the summer to coming back, to stay here?" and all of a sud- den it's tough to be consistent," he said. "It's rntrol. an issue t've been dealing with ace moved into myself. But as we play more and n after spending more, you'll see his stock rise." r at left wing. In Added Guptill on Friday: "He's eves represents a superstar. He's one of the best sophomore for- players in college hockey right opp represents now." center, Nieves is Though Nieves might not sta- to skate and a tistically be among the top-10 defense he need centers in college hockey, he can . And on a line certainly skate circles around who has tallied nearly every member of the o assists in five fourth-ranked team in the nation. as the potential It would be misguided to assume r a highly touted that Michigan lives and dies with Nieves. But Michigan (4-1-1 over- all) cannot afford for Nieves to not produce in these games. And for Nieves, it's a matter of simply skating at top-speed in practice as often as when the stands are filled. "If you drive around in your car on low gear all the time, you get used to it," Berenson said. "Until' someone shows you you've got high gear." It's also a, matter of know- ing when to change gears. Once Nieves finds the confidence to press the pedal, the challenge will be to know when to press the pedal and when to lay off. "You also can't drive your car 100 miles an hour when you're 50 feet from a stop sign," Berenson said. "When you're on the high- way, though, that's your opportu- nity. Hockey is a game of intensity, but it's a game of short sprints and then every so often you get a chance, and that's when Boo needs to know he has that extra gear. "With cement trucks out there, you have to decide how fast you're willing to go. There's a risk involved in using that speed. Do you want to go or is it safer to stay here?" Mi end A pend "viol: team He sion again gan S Ac Dayt liams morn charg cle w violat ing. Wi main sched Thur by Th "qt when very gan c ment lot o hims' help lessor Wi cinna 40 m whict sity. W SION Mich State, and t Th reflec the g andt fell 2. pain gan's Hoke confe his to while Mi six pe "n R By MATT SLOVIN Lansing. One of the six came ManagingEdiror when then-Spartan defensive end William Gholston punched chigan sophomore tight offensive tackle Taylor Lewan. 4.J. Williams has been sus- Monday, Lewan admitted that ed for one game due to a a picture of Gholston was set ation of team rules," the as the background image on his announced Monday. cell phone for an entire year fol- will serve his suspen- lowing the game for motivation. Saturday NOTEBOOK Lewan said the Wolverines ist Michi- were "bullied" in that game and tate. vowed not to let it happen again. cording to a report from Hoke estimated that 27 players on, Ohio's ABC 22, Wil- on Michigan's current roster was arrested early Sunday were on that 2011 trip. ing in Oxford, Ohio and "That's what they did two ted with operating a vehi- years ago. They bullied us," hile intoxicated, a stop sign Lewan said Monday. "That's tion and underage drink- tough for me to admit. I don't like getting bullied." illiams, who is the team's Even though Gholston has blocking tight end, is moved on to the National Foot- luled to appear in court ball League with the Tampa sday, according to a report Bay Buccaneers, the incident 2e Toledo Blade. remains fresh in the mind of the 's certainly disappointing fifth-year senior. one of your kids makes a "If someone came up to you poor decision," said Michi- and hit you right in the face, oach Brady Hoke ina state- would you take that personal- . "A.J. realizes he has let a ly?" Lewan said. "Yeah, I took it f people down, including personally." elf. As families do, we will Fifth-year senior tackle A.J. as he learns a valuable Michael Schofield remembers n from this." Michigan State defensive coor- iliams's hometown of Cin- dinator Pat Narduzzi describing iti is located approximately his team's play as "60 minutes iles southeast of Oxford, of unnecessary roughness." He, h is home to Miami Univer- too, said that it's now clear the type of physical football Michi- HAT IS YOUR PROFES- gan will need to play to win in ? BULLYING: In 2011, East Lansing for the first time igan traveled'to Michigan since 2007. as it will again Saturday, "It was a battle, a fight," Scho- ook a beating. field said. "We don't forget it." at fact wasn't necessarily NOTABLE QUOTABLE: Hoke 'ted on the scoreboard - was asked to compare and con- sine 'was tied at halftime, trast the Michigan State rivalry :he Wolverines eventually and the one with Ohio State. "I 8-14 -' but rather in the think they're both important," pulsating through Michi- he said. He also added, "This players bodies afterward. isn't an admiration society. It's said'in his Monday press a great rivalry with two teams rence that it was a defeat that are 45 miles apart? That eam needed to feel for a might not be enough, but it's . what it is." ... Later, a reporter chigan State accumulated asked Hoke about the last time ersonal foul penalties dur- he wore green clothing. "That's Michigan's last trip to East a dumb question," he said. 'M' shows vast improvements By JASON RUBINSTEIN Daily Sports Writer ' Two weekends ago at the ITA/ UT Rgoa Tunmt, USTA Regional Tournament, the Michigan men'stennis team struggled to find its bearings, ' not advancing anyone past the second round. This past week- end, though, at the Big Ten Indi- viduals in West Lafayette, there seemed to be a marked difference. Seniors Shaun Bernstein and Alex Buzzi each made it to the singles quarterfinals, while freshman Kevin Wong made it to the singles consolation semifinals after suffering a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Jonas Dierckx of Iowa in the first round. In the doubles bracket, Bernstein and Wong - paired together for the first time - advanced to the semifinals before being ousted by Michigan State. "We got a chance to play more matches and were more sharp ALLISON FARRAND/Daily mentally on the match court," Senior Shaun Bernstein lost in the singles quarterfinals, but thrived in the doubles with a newpartner, freshman Kevin Wong. said Michigan coach Bruce Ber- que. "It was an improvement unique playing style to earn a Bernstein cruised through their the second doubles pair that Ber- from last week, but we're still quarterfinal berth.: first three matches before losing que keeps together this season nowhere near where we want to Buzzi upset the tournament's to Michigan State's Harry Jadun after this weekend's tournament. be for the season, but we're head- No. 5 seed, Nebraska's Dusty and Gijs Linders, 8-2. Luckily for the Wolverines, the ing in the right direction." Boyer, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, in the sec- "They both have good dou- dual-match season is months Perhaps the most important and round. Buzzi couldn't finish bles skills," Beruge said. "They away, which will allow the pair to part of the weekend was the the tournament, though, due to both are comfortable at the net really grow together. strong play of Wong in both sin- a nagging arm injury and retired and like to move at the net and "We're going to work a lot on gles and doubles. The freshman after losing the first set in his cross. Shaun has the experience playing high-percentage, aggres- used his speed to get to the net quarterfinal bout. Berque thinks and understands the intensity sive tennis," Berque said. "We quickly and extend points. Even the injury stemmed from a lack of required to play doubles at this will focus on playing points and so, his tennis IQ was what helped matches and will talk to the med- level, while Kevin is a very natu- get these guys to compete on a him the most. ical staff this week for an official ral doubles player. level that will make them suc- "He kept more balls in the diagnosis. "They seemed comfortable cessful." court and played higher-percent- Bernstein, the tournament's together and clicked really well As for now, the Wolverines age tennis," Berque said. "He was No. 4 seedlost in the singles quar- for their first time playing togeth- have two weeks before the USTA/ making a lot of sloppy errors in terfinals after being broken once er." ITA Indoor Championships. Day the first week, so we worked him in each set by Northwestern's Though juniors Michael Zhu by day and match by match, this hard on better decision making." Strong Kirchheimer, but Bern- and Alex Petrone are the only team is piecing itself together The singles success didn't end stein thrived in the doubles with pairing Berque has committed and making a statement about its with Wong as Buzzi used his his new partner, Wong. Wong and to, Wong and Bernstein may be strength. t l - .