8 - Tuesday, October 7, 2014 Sports
The Michigan Daily -- michigandaily.com
'M' blasts U.S. NTDP Big gaffes on'D'worrisome
By ERIN LENNON
Daily Sports Writer
Last December, when the
U.S. Under-18 National Team
Development Program traveled
across town to play an exhibition
at Yost Ice
Arena, the US NTDP 4
Michigan MICHIGAN 7
hockey
team turned a two-goal lead
into an embarrassing overtime
loss. The breakdown took just 52
seconds and became a preview
of a regrettable month for ateam
with expectations of reaching
the NCAA Tournament.
So with memories of
devastation and the sour taste
of Saturday's season-opening
loss to Ferris State, this year's
Wolverines took pent-up
frustration out on the newest
class of NTDP players Monday
in their first home contest - a
7-4 victory.
"It feelsgood," said Michigan
coach Red Berenson. "We gave
the game away last year. With
two minutes to go, we changed
goalies to give our third goalie
a chance, and sure enough, they
score two goalsplus an overtime
goal. That didn't sit well.... This"
year, that didn't happen."
Despite an ominous first two
minutes, Michigan's offense
took command in the win.
Michigan's four starting U.S.
NTDP alums - sophomore
forward JT Compher,
sophomore forward Tyler
Motte, freshman forward
Dylan Larkin and freshman
defenseman Zach Werenski
- became the overwhelming
difference in the exhibition,
combining for seven points -
including five goals - against
their former teammates.
"Our offensive presence
was better today than you saw
Saturday," Motte said. "I think
this was a confidence builder for
our team hoving forward. It's
good to get back on the winning
side of a game like that."
Larkin, a first-round draft
pick of the Detroit Red Wings
and a stanpdou during his time
with the NTDP, netted two
rebound goals and finished his
first collegiate appearance at
Yost with three points.
"I had some chances at Ferris
State that I thought about the
night after that," Larkin said.
"It felt good to score."
In the third period, it took
the NTDP - which shut out
Miami (Ohio) 3-0 on Saturday
- just 16 seconds to score on
junior goaltender Steve Racine.
But as they had all game,
the Wolverines (0-1) had an
answer at the other end when
junior forward Justin Selman
connected for his first goal just
two minutes later. It was the
second straight game in which
Michigan got production from
its fourth line.
"I didn't like the fact that
we gave up the first goal again
tonight," Berenson said. "On the
other hand, I liked the way our
team just kept playing. We got
better as the game went on."
The Wolverines carried
two-goal advantages into the
first two intermissions, a feat
they couldn't claim at Ferris
State on Saturday. Though
a series of penalties on both
sides disrupted the tempo and
allowed the NTDP to threaten,
Michigan's offense answered
twice in the second frame to
push the lead to 5-3.
"(Special teams) are good to
work on in exhibitions like this,"
Motte said. "It kind of 9hps up
the game, but it's good to work
the kinks out. You saw a little bit
more production from the power
playtoday and we did some good
things on penalty kill as well, so
it's good to get thaton film."
While they managed just a
pair of shots through the first 10
minutes, the Wolverines scored
off their first two chances of
the contest. Motte found twine
moments after sophomore
forward Alex Kile's goal,
earning Michigan a one-point
advantage with 14:34 remaining
in the first frame.
Having trailed all three
periods Saturday, Compher's
late score off a faceoff allowed
the Wolverines to skate into
their first intermission with
their first lead of the season.
And despite some defensive
issues, Michigan eventually
coasted to a three-goal win.
Of
01
a
fense's success Berenson said."
team and they're
overshadows some goals, but
shorthanded better defensive]
shorthanded With senior
lefensive unit Brennan Servil
the game an
defenseman Mi
By ZACH SHAW suffering a foot
Dlaily Sports Writer first period, tl
looked for the
ying its home opener defense to step
st a team of elite high Sam Piazza did,<
d students, the No. 8 assists in his cc
gan hockey team had a But with each N'
e to showcase its depth allowed, bad p
ense and defense Monday and giveaway
Pla}
agains
schoo
Michi
chanc
on off
night.
While the offense continued
to demonstrate that it will be a
huge asset for the Wolverines,
the defense showed it may very
well become a liability.
The end result- a7-4 victory
over the U.S. Under-18 National
Team Development Program -
went in Michigan's favor, but
Michigan coach Red Berenson
saw right through the offensive
flurry.
"I don't like the fact that we
gave up four goals at home,"
near the
Michigan
goal, there
were still
plenty of
question
marks on
the deep, yet
inexperienced
unit.
"We've
got a stack
of defensemen
Berenson said. "
nine guys ready,
They're a good to have to compete if you want
e going to score to play."
we have to be On the other side of the ice,
y." things looked much cleaner.
r defenseman With five different goal-scorers
le sitting out and at least two goals in every
id sophomore period, the strong forward unit
chael Downing was on display from start to
bruise in the finish.
he Wolverines Even without last season's
rest of the leadingscorei-andjuniorcaptain
up. Freshman Andrew Copp, Michigan found
chipping in two a way to pressure NTDP goalie
ollegiate debut. Luke Opika almost nonstop.
TDP breakaway "We had agood net presence,"
ass committed said sophomore forward Tyler
Motte, who
scored ;twice.
"I think four
"You're going to of our first
five goals were
have to compete due to screens,
ifyou tip-ins or
S ant rebounds, so
t plyit was good
toplay." to make the
goalie work a
little harder
than he has to,
right now," and it was good to see that kind
I think we have of production tonight."
so you're going After falling to No. 9
Ferris State, 4-3, Saturday
in Big Rapids, Michigan, the
Wolverines are looking to
build confidence in two home
exhibitions before returning
to regular-season action. The
defense doesn't have it yet,
Berenson said, but the offense
looked as ready as ever on
Monday.
"1liked our offense tonight,"
Berenson said. "There's a lot
of good things happening all
around. We just have to make
sure we build off of them."
Added freshman forward
Dylan Larkin: "It's good for
everyone. Especially with
the rest of the regular season
coming up, it was good to get
into a rhythm and score some
goals."
The defense remains an
enigma, especially outside the
top line. But for now, Michigan's
assets outweigh its liabilities.
P.
Sophomore forward Tyler Motte scored twice for the Michigan hockey team, which snapped a streak of three straight exhibition losses with a 7-4w
AUL SHERMAN/Daily
win Monday.
I
With Green out, responsibility falls to trio of runners
a
Broken clavicle
sidelines Green,
leaves Smith as
featured back
By MAX COHEN
DailySportsEditor
The play couldn't have
been more promising for the
Michigan football team at the
time.- Sophomore running back
Derrick Green slashed through
the Rutgers defense for 21 yards,
advancing the ball to the Scarlet
Knights' 32-yard line.
The Wolverines were down
by nine, and the scamper led to
a rushing touchdown by fifth-
year senior quarterback Devin
Gardner that cut the deficit to
two. But the run came with
great cost. Toward the end of
the run, Green was hit as he
approached Michigan's sideline.
He didn't return to the game.
Monday, Michigan coach
Brady Hoke announced Green
had suffered a broken clavicle
and will miss the remainder of
the season.
Michigan career for Green. He
arrived in Ann Arbor a highly
ranked recruit, but was out of
shape and struggled to find room
behind a porous offensive line'
during his freshman year. This
season, he began to show signs
of why he was so highly touted
- most recently on the run in
which he was injured - but this
latest setback will inevitably
slow his development.
Through six games, Green
rushed for 471 yards and three
touchdowns on 82 attempts, a
marked improvement from his
270 yards on 83 carries in the
entirety of last season.
"We'll miss Derrick, but this is
like anything else in competition
in sports; the next man's got to
stand up," Hoke said.
With Green sidelined, the
burden of the Wolverines'
running game will fall to the
trio of sophomore De'Veon
Smith, redshirt junior Justice
Hayes and redshirt sophomore
Drake Johnson.
"I'm very confident in the
three guys that will be doing
most of the work as a running
back," Hoke
he will likely exceed with Green
out. Smith did appear to suffer
an injury late against Rutgers,
but Hoke wouldn't comment on
his status for Penn State.
If healthy, he's expected to be
the Wolverines' featured back.
"I think he's more than
capable of it," Hoke said.
Hayes, the team's primary
third-down back this season,
will also receive an increase in
touches. He has carried the ball
19 times this seasonfor101yards
and has yet to be heavily relied
upon for numerous arries in
his Michigan career. His 19
carries through six games this
year are the most he has had ina
single season.
Johnson, despite limited
work so far this season, will also
likely factor into the equation.
He has just three carries for
28 yards, all in Michigan's
blowout win over Appalachian
State on Aug. 30. He garnered
a great deal of praise in the
spring before the Wolverines'
2013 season, but a torn anterior
cruciate ligament suffered
in the season opener against
Central Michigan forced him to
miss the rest of the year.
"Drake is probably a
combination of somewhere with
Derrick and Justice as far as
when you see his ability and his
quickness in the hole," Hoke said.
Johnson also earned praise
before the current season, but
it didn't result in increased
playing time. Hoke said that
he's seen progression from
Johnson, but how much remains
unknown.
With Green out, so does much
of Michigan's running game.
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I
De'Veon Smith should receive the bulk of Michigan's carries for the rest oftthe near. He has four touchdowns this season.
"You know said. "I'm
I don't talk highly
about injuries "W e'll miss confident of
unless a guy is what they
going to miss Derrick ... but bring and
the year, and , what they can
unfortunately the next man's do"'
that's what ,, Smith is the
Derrick Green got to stand up. member of the
- he broke his ,group likely to
clavicle late receive most
in the football of Green's
game," Hoke said. carries. At the beginning of
According to Hoke, Green's the season, Michigan's coaches
attitude has been phenomenal considered him a1-2 punch with
and his focus has turned to Green, but the latter became
mentoring some of the younger the featured back as the season
players on the team for the progressed. Through six games,
rest of this season. Still, the Smith has 282 yards and four
news comes amidst difficult touchdowns on 47 carries.
circumstances. Smith hasn't received more
The injury complicates what than the 10 carries in agame that
has already been a difficult he did against Rutgers, anumber
JAMES COllER/Daily
Justice Hayes has primarily been used as a third-down back, but Derrick Green's injury could result in more playing time.
a