6A - Wednesday, October 15, 2014

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

SPORTSWEDNESOAY COUMN
What Michigan hockey is supposed to be

At some point in the
middle of August, in
the weight room on the
second story of Yost Ice Arena,
the Michigan
hockey team
arrives to
practice.
Each
member
wears the
same gray
shirt with GREG
the same GARNO
simple GARN __
phrase on
the back,
"Day by day."
Captains say the practice
represents Day 35 of the summer
workouts - another long day
in a long week of a long, never-
ending season - and then they
start their morning with the
same intensity of a tie game.
Everyone finishes the lift,
heads to the ice through a locker
room, one with a complete
makeover from the last season.
Gone is the sign that said,
"Win the nextgame." It's been
replaced with key words such as
"Unity" and "Respect."
So they get dressed to hit the
ice and work out before they
return to the same locker room,
the one where Hobey Baker
winners Brendan Morrison
and Kevin

"For half of the team, they
don't even know that," said
Michigan coach Red Berenson.
"We're obviously on a mission to
be abetter team than last year."
What Michigan needs isn't
a reminder about what it once
was, but rather an identity of
what it's going to be. It needs
to go through its process, "day
by day."
Last season's team had
"checked out" of a game or a
practice or a lifting session,
accordingto Copp.,This year's
team is focused on being "the
champions of each day."
"We're not the same 27 guys
that we were last year, or two
years ago," Copp said. "This is a
differentteam, with a different
attitude and a different makeup,
and we play a little different, too.
"Just because we haven't
made the tournament in the
last two years doesn't mean
we won't make it this year. It
doesn't mean we will make it
this year."
No, this is a team that fights
back, albeit in a 4-3 loss, even
after it goes down 3-0 against
Ferris State - a top-five team in
the country. It's one that doesn't
lose to the U.S. National Team's
Under-18 squad, which was the
case the last two years.
It's ateam that's even closer
than last year's team that had
barbecues, went to Red Wings
games together and played
paintball.
Thisis ateam that's treating
tomorrow's practice no different
than Friday's game.
This is ateam that wants
to win, because it wants to be
the champion of the day. Not
because it's supposed to.
Garno can be reached
at ggarno@umich.edu or
on Twitter: @GGarno.

A

PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Red Berenson and the Michigan hockey team made the NCAA Tournament in 22 consecutive seasons, but they have failed to reach the postseason since 2011-12.

Michigan, as it had been for
22 consecutive years, is about
makingthe postseason.
Frankly, though, it hasn't
followed

Porter sat or through on
NHL great that lately.
Marty Turco "We're obviously The
once hung his , , Wolverines,
jersey. And on a mission to the same
they each team that had
have a team be a better team come one win
"manual" that ? away from
lays out what than last year. qualifying
this year's for the NCAA
team stands Tournament
for in the - two years
simplest way possible: Michigan in a row. One win away from
is about winning. relieving the pressure of

generations past, instead left to
let the fact burn inthe back of
their minds.
"I think everybody knows
what Michigan hockey is about,"
said senior forward Zach
Hyman. "And I think everybody
is trying to get back to what
Michigan hockey is supposed
to be."
Added junior forward
Andrew Copp: "There's an
attitude, not that we need to
make up for the last two years,
but improve on the last two
years to get us back where we
should be."
But that's a problem when
80 percent of the team hasn't

experienced what Michigan is back.
supposed to be at all. They know There are several who don't
because they have a manual and remember the breathless
teammates to teach them about feeling of being on the losing
it. side following
After all, more than
there are some " 9knows 90 minutes
who aren't Everybody of hockey
old enough to what Michigan against Penn
drink and one State in last
who's not even hockey is about." year's Big Ten
old enough Championship.
to buy a pack Many
of cigarettes. of these

0

Many of them
know only what they're told
about last year, but they didn't
experience the silent locker
room or the silent plane ride

players let the
expectations and the pressure
of past years weigh them down,
but they aren't the team of years
past.

Second line developing
T 1 T

L
an
15
e)

Redshirt Junior Colin McAtee and the Michigan men's soccer team's offense were held scoreless in Tuesday's 3-0 loss.
'M'blankedt -i

By NATE CLARK narrowly missed sophomore
Daily Sports Writer forward Ahinga Selemani on a
cross from the left. Michigan
Coming into Tuesday night's ended the first half with five
game, Akron was undefeated at corner kicks.
home in 2014. "We were too relaxed in the
And the Zips' (7-4-1) record at first half," Daley said.
FirstEnergy Stadium remained In the second half, rain and
untainted, as they defeated the wind made the field conditions
Michigan resemble a slip n' slide. But Daley
men's MICHIGAN o said it was a non-factor.
soccer AKRON 3 "The weather deteriorated as
team 3-0. the game went on," he said. "But
The Wolverines have never won by that point the game was so
in Akron. far gone. There really isn't that
"Akron is certainly one of the much of a difference between
best teams in the country," said losing2-0 and 3-0."
Michigan coach Chaka Daley. The Wolverines had a few
"We've played five games in the golden opportunities to score
last 15 days, and I think we're as the game progressed. Fifteen
tired." minutes into the second half,
Akron's scoring began early junior midfielder William
when Zips forward Stuart Mellors-Blairescaped adefender
Holthusenpushed ashotbyfifth- on the right flank, but no
year senior goalkeeper Adam teammate was nearby to assist
Grinwis in the sixth minute. him. In the next eight minutes,
Nine minutes later, a foul was Mellors-Blair created two more
called in the box on Michigan chances, including a shot that
(4-6-2), setting midfielder Adam traveled just above the crossbar.
Najem up for a penalty kick. "We sorted out some things
Najem converted and put the in the locker room before the
Zips up 2-0. second half," Daley said. "We
In spite of the early onslaught had more energy."
by Akron, the Wolverines had Michigan had seven shots on
some scoring chances in the first goal in the second half while the
half. In the 25th minute, redshirt Zips had six.
junior midfielder Colin McAtee But Akron ultimately

controlled the action as the
Wolverines managed just one
corner kick the rest of the game.
It appeared the final score would
be 2-0 in favor of the Zips,
until in the 88th minute, Akron
forward Anthony Macchione
scored his first career goal.
The loss snapped the
Wolverines' three-game winning
streak, which included a 3-2
victory over then-No. 6 Notre
Dame and a 3-0 win over Rutgers.
During that stretch, Michigan
outscored its opponents, 8-3.
Before Tuesday, the Wolverines
had not been shut out since its
1-0 overtime loss to Western
Michigan on Oct.1.
If there's any solace the
Wolverines can take after
Tuesday's game, it's that
they have historically played
well in October under Daley.
They are 12-7-1 in the month
during his tenure and have
three consecutive home games
remainingbefore Halloween.
"We've definitely shown that
we can play well againstthe best
teams in the country," Daley
said. "Right now, the best thing
we can do is rest, regroup and
mentally prepare for Detroit
Mercy (Oct.21).
"We have to take it one game
at a time."

In i
New
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Bas
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In
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Dylan
Hyma
Kile c
11 ass:
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Pro
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of the
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excite
that's

arxin, Hyman a unit.
"They're connecting well
now and making a lot of nice
-i w plays for us so far, I like where
points in two we're going with them."
xhibition wins The strength of the line is
even more impressive given
the range in experience. Larkin
By ZACH SHAW has been with the team for just
Daily Sports Writer a few weeks, while Hyman has
been working to find his niche
ts upcomingseries against on a variety of lines for more
Hampshire beginning than three years.
y, the No. 10 Michigan "Right now, it's just our
y team (0-1) will require chemistry on and off the ice,"
butions from more than Kile said. "Me, Larks and
ason's top scorers. Hyman are good friends off the
ed on last week's ice and we like to talk about
-mances, the second line what we can contribute on
re than ready to produce the ice. We've got some good
r share. chemistry going right now, and
two exhibition wins, the I think that's why we've been
rd tandem of freshman successful."
Larkin, senior Zach Added Berenson: "If you
.n and sophomore Alex ask Zach Hyman, he'll tell
ombined for four goals and you that he's as comfortable
ists, making it Michigan's with Larkin as anybody in his
productive line. three-and-a-half years here,
jected to make up the and he's only been with him
d line once the regular for two or three weeks. That's
n resumes, the trio how special it is."
give the Wolverines an The "special" group has
edge against tougher particularly benefitted Larkin.
etition. Entering the season as the
a not surprised," said No. 4 recruit in the country,
gan coach Red Berenson expectations have been set
success. "They're all in. higher for him than perhaps any
re good kids, and they're other Michigan player.
d to be out there, and But the mix of talent and
what you're looking for in chemistry on the line has

allowed the freshman - who
scored three goals and added
four assists in the two games
last week - to maintain a high
comfort level while continuing
to adjust to collegiate-level
hockey.
"It's pretty good," Larkin
said. "I try to feed off of (Kile)
and Hyman. They're both fast
players, and they're pretty
consistent, so they're going to
play hard every day, and I just
try to do what I can to follow
their lead."
On Friday, last season's
leading scorers - junior
forward Andrew Copp and
sophomore forward JT
Compher - will return to the
lineup after resting last week.
Copp and Compher will likely
continue to be scoring threats
for the Wolverines, but they
know they won't be alone.
"We're looking forward to
this Friday," Kile said. "We
know we've got a deep offensive
group and all four lines can be
threats.
"I think we can have a lot
of fun and see what we can all
bring to the thale"

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