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Monday, February 24, 2014 - 3B
SpovtSN Oil {1 Monday, Fehruary 24, 2014 - 3B
Turnovers plague Wolverines
Defensive miscues
lead to Friday loss
By JEREMY SUMMITT
Daily Sports Editor
Defensive inconsistencies
have plagued the Michigan
hockey team all season, and
those same theatrics played out
inasecondconsecutive weekend
filled with disappointment.
With a 3-1 lead late in the
second period of Friday's
game against Penn State, the
Wolverines looked poised to
snap a three-game losing streak.
But a Nittany Lions goal with
35 seconds left made things
interesting heading into the
second intermission.
Then, Michigan self-
destructed.
It was as if the Wolverines
pointed a 12-gauge shotgun at
their bare feet and pulled the
trigger, collapsing against an
opponent that has won two
conference games all season -
both against Michigan.
"When you have the lead
at home, you should build on
it," said Michigan coach Red
Berenson. "In the third period
the game is on the line, and we
gave it away. They earned it, but
we gave it away."
There had been plenty of
defensive miscues in previous
games, but this was far from
an isolated mistake. Veteran
players made elementary
blunders, and a string of three
costly turnovers resulted in
three Penn State goals.
It was junior forward
Alex Guptill's miscue at the
offensive blue line early in
the third period that resulted
in forward Dylan Richard's
shorthanded breakaway goal to
tie the game. Though Guptill
later scored what should have
been Michigan's go-ahead
goal, his lackluster effort in
the defensive zone all evening
caused Berenson to bench him
for Saturday's game.
"We need him to work hard
every shift, the whole game,"
Berenson said. "You've got
to play both ends of the rink.
You're never going to be a good
hockey player if you can't play
hard at both ends of the rink."
Senior defenseman Mac
Bennett has been the catalyst
of a young defensive corps,
but his gaffes late in the third
period and in overtime Friday
ultimately pushed his team
toward defeat. With 10 ticks
on the clock, Yost Ice Arena
was buzzing in anticipation of
a victory. Then, Bennett swung
a blind pass behind his own net
and into the corner where two
Nittany Lions waited patiently.
And 5.4 seconds later, the
puck Bennett just had safely in
his grasp was sitting in the net.
Yost fell silent, and fans shifted in
their seats waiting for overtime.
With under a minute
remaining in the extra period,
Bennett mishandled the puck
in the offensive zone, springing
Penn State to an odd-man
rush. Forward David Goodwin
roofed a shot past freshman
goaltender Zach Nagelvoort
with 43 seconds left, and
Bennett probably wished he
were anywhere but under the
microscope of thousands of
Michigan fans.
"This doesn't come down to
talent, and this is really hard
work and just sticking with it,"
Berenson said. "The defense
and hopefully the goalie will
make up for your mistakes. And
tonight, it didn't happen."
It'd be easy to make excuses
about defensive lapses, especially
since two starting defensemen -
freshman Michael Downing and
junior Andrew Sinelli - were
both suspended from Friday's
game for illegal hits Feb. 15 at
Minnesota.
But as expected, the
Wolverines refused to make any
excuses. Instead, sophomore
forward Andrew Copp talked
about how the loss stains
the reputation of a place like
Michigan.
"I think everyone knows we
need to pick it up, because this is
flat out unacceptable," Copp said.
Copp realized the magnitude
of another embarrassing defeat,
and the next evening, the
Wolverines had to respond.
They needed a victory, and they
got one, dominating Penn State
as they should have the night
before, 5-2. It wasn't anything
to be too overjoyed about, but
Berenson and his players were
somewhat content, and perhaps
even relieved.
But Friday was the deal-
breaker. With a chance to
bounce back from a lackluster
weekend at Minnesota on Feb.
14-15, Michigan stumbled and
fell flat on its face. One win in
a two-game series against the
lowly Nittany Lions was far
from ideal.
And for a team that's
now hovering around a .500
conference record with a slew
of defensive concerns, Michigan
might just be fortunate to stay
Michigan salvages
series, earns split
By GREG GARNO Sophomore goaltender Steve
Daily Sports Editor Racine, making his first start
in net of the weekend, received
Senior defenseman Mac plenty of insurance in the
Bennett lay on the ice, clutching second period.
his shoulder with all of Yost "(The defense) played
Ice Arena silent and holding its unbelievable tonight," Racine
collective breath. said. "We knew we had to be
The No. 10 Michigan hockey better defensively, and they
team was really stepped up tonight."
already PENN STATE 2 Kile scored on a deflection
reeling MICHIGAN 5 seven minutes into the frame
after its after he was denied on a shot
defense surrendered a two-goal moments earlier. Di Giuseppe
lead in a 5-4 overtime loss the tallied midway through the
night before to the worst team period to capitalize on a penalty
in the Big Ten, Penn State. for his second goal of the
But rather than sulk without weekend after scoring only one
their captain, the Wolverines in the previous 16 games.
held the Nittany Lions to 20 Kile tacked on his second
shots in a 5-2 victory for a later in the third on one of
weekend split. With the win, several Penn State defensive
Michigan sits in sole possession breakdowns. The goals were
of third place in the conference Kile's second and third of the
and remains five points behind year after he was held scoreless
second place Wisconsin. since Nov. 22 against Niagara.
Freshman forward Alex "It definitely gives me a lot
Kile and junior forward Phil Di of confidence," Kile said with a
Giuseppe each scored two goals grin across his face. "I got put
to lead the way, while freshman in this position and I needed to
forward Tyler Motte added a produce."
goal and an assist. The freshman was placed
"I like the way our team on a line with DeBlois and
responded tonight," said freshman forward JT Compher
Michigan coach Red Berenson. in place of junior forward Alex
"I thought we were a different Guptill. Berenson said Guptill
team tonight." was a healthy scratch, citing his
Nearly six minutes into the failure to play well defensively
game, Bennett skated near the Friday night.
boards with his head down, The Nittany Lions got two
and Penn State's David Glen goals back in the final five
dropped his shoulder in a clean minutes of the game. The first
hit that sent him flying. Bennett came on a breakaway attempt
didn't return in the game due to from Curtis Loik and the second
an upper-body injury, according on a shot from Taylor Holstrom
to a Michigan spokesperson. that took an awkward bounce
Berenson said after the off the skate of freshman
game that Bennett had been defenseman Michael Downing.
transported to the hospital But Di Giuseppe added an
for X-rays as a precautionary empty-netter to put the game
measure in case of a fracture, away to inspire confidence after
but his status otherwise Michigan looked threatened
remains unknown. and deflated two periods earlier
"It's tough seeing him go with the loss of Bennett.
down," said senior forward What happened Friday:
Derek DeBlois. "But different Michigan needed to hold a
guys have to step up, and I think lead for just two minutes and
we did a good job (responding)." two seconds, but it couldn't put
Nearly two minutes after the Big Ten's bottom feeder
Bennett's injury, the Wolverines away on Friday night. Penn State
relieved some of the pressure scored
when junior forward Zach the game- PENN STATE 5
Hyman took a loose puck in his tying goal MICHIGAN 4
own zone down to the other end with 4.6
of the ice for an easy feed from seconds remaining in regulation,
behind the net to an open Motte, erasing what looked to have been
who tipped in the goal. the go-ahead goal from junior
Forward turned defenseman forward Alex Guptill less than
turned forward again, Andrew two minutes prior.
Sinelli saw six minutes in his Guptill finished with a
original position before he was goal and an assist to lead
shifted back to defenseman for the Wolverines while senior
the rest of the night in place forward Derek DeBlois and
of Bennett. After allowing the junior forward Zach Hyman
Nittany Lions to fire 44 shots the each added two assists.
night before, Michigan's defense Though the defense as a unit
prevented a potent offense from struggled mightily, freshman
ever getting good looks. defenseman Lohan's return was
"I think we played harder on a positive for Michigan.
the man, harder on the puck," Back in uniform for the first
Berenson said. "We got pucks time since suffering a knee
deep, we played more in their injury on Nov. 2, Lohan held his
zone, and we blocked more shots own in his return. Lohan took
in our zone." part in the Wolverines' first
It helped that Penn State was penalty kill and blocked four
called for three consecutive shots. Paired with senior Kevin
penalties in the second period Clare, his line combined for nine
and four altogether, preventing of Michigan's 27 blocks.
it from finding a rhythm and
having enough men forward to By Erin Lennon, Daily
apply pressure. Sports Writer
VICKI 1LU/Daily
Senior defenseman Mac Bennett didn't return to Saturday's game after suffering an upper-body injury in the first period.
An unacceptable performance
When Michiga
takes the ice
Yost Ice Are:
it's introduced with a vi
that boasts an extensive
of accolades: Nine nation
championships, 24 Froz
Four appearances, 35 N(
Tournament appearanc(
the most
in college
hockey.
But the
players who
started
that NCAA
Tournament
run aren't
these A ALEJA
ones. The ZOJIG
teams that
won those
championships aren't th
And facing Penn State
night, the worst team in
Ten, this Michigan lost.
and simple.
"(The Nittany Lions)'
the hungrier team - you
see it," said Michigan co
Red Berenson.
He was right. The
Wolverines blew a pair c
two-goal leads. They ga'
up the game-tying goal'
fewer than five secondsI
regulation. They allowe
sudden-death winner in
of a stunned and silent C
of Yost student section.
All that to a programI
has existed
for less than
two years. To "
a team that
can't win a emb
conference 0
game, except
when the
opponent dons
a winged helmet.
Michigan, which is fig
for the No. 2 seed in the.
Tournament and an at-l
to the NCAA Tournamet
outworked by a team tha
nothing but pride to play
"When you come to a1
like this, with all the tra
all the history, the legac
playing for Coach Beren
for us to be putting forth
effort is unacceptable," s
n sophomore forward Andrew
at Copp, a look of disgust
na, plastered on his face.
deo Why unacceptable? Because
list the talent is there. The
nal Wolverines climbed all the
en way to No. 2 in the nation for
CAA a reason. They beat Boston
es - all College and Boston University
and passed a road test at New
Hampshire. They lost freshman
defenseman Kevin Lohan and
sophomore goaltender Steve
Racine to injuries, but they
didn't lose games. That's what's
keeping this team's NCAA
Tournament hopes alive, but
it's also what makes the sudden
NDRO incompetence all the more
A maddening.
Michigan, despite all the
tradition and pregame pizzazz,
is one. sits dangerously close to the
e Friday bottom half of the Big Ten
the Big and to missing the NCAA
Plain Tournament for a second
straight year.
were Before last season, the
could Wolverines had made every
ach NCAA Tournament since 1990.
A championship team doesn't
lose to Penn State because it
f couldn't be bothered to play
ve hard, even with so much on
with the line. It doesn't split the
left in season series to the conference
d the cupcake. If Michigan needs
front an attitude change, the time is
hildren now. There are no more games
left to give away.
that "This is flat-out
unacceptable,"
Copp
We kind of got repeated.
Yes,
iarrassed in our Michigan won
wn building."1 Saturday to
salvage a home
split, but the
problems were
still there. The Wolverines took
ghting a penalty 20 seconds into the
Big Ten game. They committed mind-
arge bid numbingly obtuse turnovers
nt, was in their own zone. The Nittany
at had Lions actually outshot Michigan
y for. on the first three Wolverine
place power plays and then cuta
dition, four-goal deficit in half to turn
y, a blowout into a somewhat
son, competitive contest.
a this Afterward, Berenson and
aid Michigan praised the change
in attitude and bemoaned the
previous night.
"We kind of got embarrassed
in our own building last night,
and that is unacceptable being
at Michigan," said senior
forward Derek DeBlois. "We
knew we had to bounce back."
And to give them credit, they
did, holding a trigger-friendly
Penn State offense to just 20
shots. When the final horn
sounded, the Children of Yost
yelled, "The Victors" blared,
and for a moment, everything
was OK. But it's not.
Thanks to their own
failures, the path to the NCAA
Tournament isn't easy, and
the Wolverines may have to
navigate it without senior
captain Mac Bennett, the
heart and soul of the team
and the thread that holds the
patchwork defense together. He
suffered an upper-body injury
in the first period Saturday.
Upon taking the hit that
knocked him out of the game,
Bennett laid on the ice staring
up at the roof of Yost, where the
banners hang.
The 32 pennants
are memories of those
championships and the
moments that created them.
They're the lore and tradition
that Michigan flaunts so boldly
in its pregame video. There is
room for a 33rd.
"It's time to set our place in
Michigan history," Bennett's
voice resonates in that video.
The Wolverines are flawed.
They've lost half of their
games this calendar year.
They could very well finish
the inaugural Big Ten season
closer to the bottom of the
conference than the top,
especially if they play with the
same mindset as Friday.
DeBlois said it. Copp said it.
This is unacceptable.
So where will their place in
history be?
Zdhiga can be reached
at azs@umich.edu and on
Twitter othe-zuniga
PATRICK BARRON/Daily
Senior forward Derek DeBlois called Michigan's performance against Penn State Friday "unacceptable," and he responded with two assists in Saturday's 5-2 win.