4B - December 2, 2013
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The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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Monday Night Hockey:
Wolverines look for sweep
ICE HOCKEY
Finally, Big Ten
hockey has arrived
By GREG GARNO
Daily Sports Writer
The hype and anticipation
surrounding the start of the No.
3 Michigan
hockey team's Michigan at
Big Ten hockey S
tenure couldn't Ohio State
have delivered Matchup:
any more than Michigan 9-2-1;
Friday's 4-3 OSU 8-5-0
overtime win When: Mon-
against Ohio day 7 p.m.
State did. Where:
Alumni like Columbus,
Hobey Baker Ohio
winner Bren- TV/Radio:
dan Morrison Fox Sports
returned to Detroit
Ann Arbor, fans
packed Yost Ice
Arena for the first sellout of the
season, viewers tuned in from
areas that aren't exposed to col-
lege hockey and two rivals once
again fought with each other.
"I thought a lot of our players
might have gotten caught up in
all the hoopla and all the expec-
tations, rather than just playing
the game hard," said Michigan
coach Red Berenson after Fri-
day's game. "But it feels good to
win that game."
So can Monday's contest in
Columbus exceed, if not match,
Friday's excitement?
After Friday, it will be a ques-
tion of which offense shows up.
Michigan ( 1-0 Big Ten, 9-2-1
overall) has scored at least four
goals in three consecutive games
after averaging less than three
goals per game prior to that
stretch.
Sophomore forward Andrew
Copp delivered the game winner
in the last two minutes of over-
time after the Buckeyes tied the
game with less than five minutes
remaining in regulation.
JAMES coLLER/Daily
Sophomore forward Andrew Copp has eight goals already this year, needing just three more to eclipse his 2012-13 total.
By ALEJANDRO ZUNIGA
Daily Sports Editor
Big Ten football is known for
its gritty, smash-mouth style
replete with rivalries and tradi-
tion. Friday, the conference's
inaugural hockey season got off
to a similarly enticing start.
No. 3 Michigan has made a
habit of winning close games this
year, and it seemed to be head-
ing toward another such vic-
tory when it hosted Ohio State
at Yost Ice Arena. But with just
three minutes remaining, for-
ward Anthony Greco finally took
advantage of one of several defen-
sive miscues by the Wolverines
and one-timed a shot past fresh-
man goaltender Zach Nagelvoort.
But minutes later in overtime,
Michigan (1-0 Big Ten, 9-2-1
overall) sent the sellout crowd
into a frenzy. Sophomore for-
ward Andrew Copp received a
long pass from senior defenseman
Mac Bennett in stride and sliced
through the Buckeyes' zone. A
low, accurate wrister past net-
minder Logan Davis on his block-
er side ensured the Wolverines
were 4-3 victors and unbeaten in
Big Ten hockey's one-day history.
It was a wild, unpredictable
game. Or, as junior forward Alex
Guptill explained, what everyone
expects all year long from confer-
ence play.
"It was a lot of fun tonight,
that's for sure," Guptill said.
The second period brought out
the very best of the uninterrupt-
ed rivalry between the former
CCHA foes. With the score knot-
ted at one, Michigan freshman
center JT Compher drew acrucial
penalty for being checked into the
goal by forward Alex Szczechura.
The two tussled while crammed
into the net as players from both
sides had to be separated by team-
mates and refs.
"I'm just usually a feisty player,
so getting into it is nothing new
for me," Compher said.
Fittingly, it was the center him-
self who capitalized on the power
play. Senior forward Luke Mof-
fatt's blazing shot caromed into
the slot, and Compher poked the
rebound into the empty net for his
third goal of the season as Michi-
gan retook the lead.
With just 17 seconds left in the
period, the freshman stamped
his mark on the Wolverines' first
official Big Ten game. This time,
Compher won a faceoff cleanly
and reached over a defender to
slide the puck over to Guptill, who
ripped a rising shot that found
twine.
"We had some really good indi-
vidual efforts in the game, (and)
JT was one of those players," said
Michigan coach Red Berenson.
"He competed hard in every shift
and he got rewarded for it."
The battle in the trenches
often dictates a football game,
and Ohio State (0-1, 7-2) certain-
ly did its share of the dirty work
as it kept the fans at Yost on the
edges of their seats. The Buckeyes
scored on both of their power-
play opportunities and blocked 17
shots in the first period alone.
Ultimately, the Wolverines
managed 38 shots on target, and
they needed all four goals to pull
out the dramatic win.
"I wish we could play them
every game," Guptill said.
They can't, but the scheduling
implications of a six-team confer-
ence ensure that-the rivalry will
have plenty of time to intensify.
The two will meet again Mon-
day night in Columbus and twice
more later in the year before a
potential rematch in the Big Ten
Tournament.
But with No. 1 Minnesota, No.
12 Wisconsin and natural rival
Michigan State in the conference,
nearly every game could have the
makings of an instant classic.
Copp is tied with Ohio State
forward Ryan Dzingel for the
Big Ten's scoring lead with eight
goals this season.
Junior forward Alex Guptill
and freshman forward JT Com-
pher each recorded a goal and
an assist in the win, solidify-
ing another line which includes
freshman Tyler Motte, junior
Phil Di Giuseppe and Copp. Along
with senior forward Derek DeB-
lois, Guptill and Compher's line
tallied 12 shots for ateam lead.
The Buckeyes' offense follow-
ing Friday still sits ninth in the
nation with 3.5 goals per game
after exposing an inexperienced
Wolverine defense. There were
instances when freshman defen-
seman Michael Downing didn't
keep his stick on the ice to stop a
shot or when no one crashed the
net to clear out an easy pass from
the boards.
But Ohio State scored only one
goal at even strength, capitalizing
on both of Michigan's penalties.
Junior forward Andrew
Sinelli started on defense in Fri-
day's game after junior defense-
men Brennan Serville and Mike
Szuma were scratched due to
injuries. Even before the loss of
freshman defenseman Kevin
Lohan in October, the Wolver-
ines' defense has struggled to
shut down offensesowithout being
rescued by its goaltender.
Freshman netminder Zach
Nagelvoort got the start Friday,
but Berenson has hinted that
sophomore goaltender Steve
Racine could see time Monday.
Racine hasn't seen action since
Nov. 16 after an injury kept him
out for nearly a month.
But Michigan's biggest prob-
lem could be the early week
game, marking the first time any
current Wolverine has played on
Monday night. It won't be a regu-
lar occurrence to see Michigan
play on a Monday, but with TV
stations sweeping up rights and
the football game Saturday, the
Wolverines had few options.
"It's alittlebit strange because
we're so used playing Friday
and Saturday,")aid senior defen-
seman MacBennett.
And after the win on Friday,
Michigan is certainly hoping it
had the chance to play Saturday
and ride the momentum from a
classic Big Ten game.
THE MICHIGAN DAILY TOP-10 POLL
0
Each week, Daily sports staffers fill out ballots, with first place votes receiving 10 points, second
place receiving nine votes, and so on.
1. FLORIDA STATE (22): The 6. OKLAHOMA STATE: But it ain't
Seminoles are playing Duke in no lie, the Cowboys had a bye, bye
football for a championship... bye. #boybands
#lulwut
2. AUBURN (1): Just your typical 7. STANFORD: Regardless of what
walk-off 109-yard field goal return happened in the Iron Bowl, the
for a touchdown. #sports band is still on the field. #history
3. OHIO STATE: Turns out, the 8. SOUTH CAROLINA: Risen
Daily still thinks this is the No.3 ' again against all odds, the Cocks
team in the nation. Sorry Taylor. will strike again! #cockjokes
#Everettwasonsportscenter #blastfromthepast
4. ALABAMA: Nick Saban will S 9. MICHIGAN STATE: I guess
never eat in a Waffle House. Ever. Michigan fans root for State this
Even if the person holding his soul week. #weird
is inside. #devil
S. MISSOURI: Why are the 10. BAYLOR: Michigan had 223
Tigers in the SEC East Division? more yards than Baylor did this
#geography weekend. #rolereversal #lol
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