SPORT S The Michigan Daily-Orientation Edition 2004-25
After three Frozen years,
Icers fall one round short
TONY DING/Daily
Goaltender Al Montoya watches two Eagles celebrate after their overtime win in the NCAA Tournament.
March 29, 2004
By Shrad Mattu
Daily Sports Writer
MANCHESTER, N.H. -All season long, when
the Michigan hockey team was playing at its best, its
opponent was irrelevant. The Wolverines would win
faceoffs, control the puck and outshoot their oppo-
nents. That was their formula for success Saturday
in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when
Michigan cruised past host New Hampshire 4-1.
But last night, in their 3-2 overtime loss to Boston
College in the Northeast Regional final, the Wolver-
ines discovered how those teams felt: Even with
their best effort, they were ultimately overwhelmed
by a more talented opponent.
Michigan held 1-0 and 2-1 leads, but in the end,
the Eagles' unyielding pressure was too much for
the Wolverines. Forward Patrick Eaves tied the score
with less than five minutes left in the third period,
and his brother and linemate, captain Ben Eaves,
batted in a rebound 10:08 into overtime to send the
Eagles (29-8-4) back home to Boston, this year's
host of the Frozen Four. The Wolverines finished the
season 27-14-2 and did not make the Frozen Four
for the first time in four years.
Michigan made it into overtime thanks in large
part to goaltender Al Montoya, who saved a career-
high 42 shots and was named to the regional's All-
Tournament team. The Wolverines were outshot
45-17 and lost 46 of 76 faceoffs.
Despite being manhandled, Michigan held a 2-1
lead entering the final period and its play improved
as the game wore on. For nearly half the third period
Michigan had its best chances of the game. But
Kaltianinen turned away the Wolverines' opportuni-
ties down the stretch.
"(In) the third period we had our chances," Beren-
son said. "(Jeff) Tambellini has a breakaway at 2-1,
(David) Moss has a breakaway when it's 2-1 and we
didn't capitalize."
Boston College's top line struck again with under
five minutes to go in the third period. Off a faceoff
in the Wolverines' zone, Voce sent the puck out to
Peter Harrold, who one-timed a shot from the point.
Montoya made a kick save going to his right, but
Patrick Eaves corralled the rebound and backhanded
the puck over Montoya's right leg.
Both teams had chances in the overtime. Five
minutes into overtime, Michigan's line of T.J. Hen-
sick, David Rohlfs and Tambellini got shots on net
with Kaltiainen out of position, but he just got a
piece of a shot, and then J.D. Forrest cleared a puck
that was sitting right at the goal line.
Just before Ben Eaves scored the game-winner,
Tambellini and Hensick had a 2-on-1, but Hensick
was unable to get the one-timer on net.
Eaves scored the game-winner off of another
rebound. Patrick Eaves fired a shot from the boards,
and the rebound again went to Montoya's right.
Montoya saved the first rebound shot, but Patrick's
brother, Ben, batted the rebound out of mid-air.
Ben had just cramped up in his quadriceps and
was on the verge of going to the locker room before
deciding to try to give it one last shift.
Though all four lines successfully put pressure
on Michigan, the Eagles' first line did all of their
damage.
"Their best players were their best players
tonight," Berenson said. "That was the one thing we
couldn't nullify. They scored all their goals- they
certainly had most of their chances."
6a i,-v pate 0-/ f4e,
Piccolo
Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Trumpet
Horn
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion
Michigan Marching Band
Open Auditions During Orientation
Auditions start at 3:00 PM
Playing Auditions will be held at
Revelli Hall on the final day of your
Orientation Session.
Audition will consist of:
* two major scales
- one chromatic scale two octaves
" two excerpts of contrasting musical
style no more than one minute
in length
Call 764-0582 for more information
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