4B — March 23, 2015
SportsMonday
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
reporters, Berenson walked
straight to the team bus. He sat
there as his team filed out of the
locker room, heads down and
optimism dashed. Berenson
sat in the front of the bus as
thoughts on another season
of underachievement rushed
through his head.
Hardly anyone takes losing as
hard as Berenson does.
“You know what, I went
through that three-year stretch
where we didn’t make it,” said
Minnesota coach Don Lucia.
“You don’t even want to watch
the NCAA Tournament because
you’re bummed out, because
you’re competitive, and Red is as
competitive as anybody else.”
Berenson has said he would
be the first to step down if he
thought he couldn’t lead the
Michigan hockey program to its
full potential. The team means
too much for him not to.
But his coaching ability hasn’t
faded. The Wolverines needed
their best weekend of hockey
to have a chance at winning
the Big Ten Tournament and,
defensively, they got that.
In the final month of the
season, Berenson pushed his
team to buy into a defensive
philosophy that was lacking
beforehand. Following a
disheartening loss to Ohio State
on Feb. 20, Berenson called a
team meeting.
The Wolverines’ defense
was in flames, and Berenson’s
message was simple — play better
without the puck. It took time
for the team to buy in, but it
bought in this weekend, when it
mattered most.
Berenson preaches defense, and
he preaches work ethic. His team
played through the philosophy
of its legendary coach. The effort
was there, the desperation was
there and the defensive corps was
consistently stout for the first time
in a long time.
Winning and losing are
separated by the smallest of
margins. The dichotomy between
how a person feels after winning
and how a person feels after
losing, however, is immense.
“Very few teams and
individuals get to finish their
season on a winning note,” said
undergraduate assistant coach
Mike Komisarek. “So, that’s
where we want to be, and that’s
where we want to get at.”
And Berenson will be a part of
it. The 73-year old coach has one
year remaining on his contract,
and he has admitted he thinks
about retirement a lot.
But this is not the summer
that Berenson walks away from
what he’s most passionate about.
He loves coaching because he
loves competition, but he loves
coaching most when he gets to
watch his young players grow as
people and as hockey players.
“Our team really came up
and our young guys came up,”
Berenson said. “I mean, who
would have thought (Cutler)
Martin would be playing regular,
the way he has, as an unknown
coming in and so on. I could go
through our lineup, and it wasn’t
just the freshmen, it was the
seniors as well.”
As a man of few words,
Berenson likely won’t express
how much this weekend stings,
nor will he admit how long it
might sting for. He’s used to being
at the top of the hockey world.
This is an uncomfortable and
unfamiliar position for a coach of
his stature.
He has won two national
championships with Michigan,
coached dozens of NHL players
and created a program built on
hard work and integrity.
After Saturday’s game,
Berenson insisted the podium
wasn’t his to take, though it
has been his for the taking
throughout his entire career.
“Look, I don’t want to take
any more time,” he said. “This
podium should be for the
winners, OK? Thank you.”
He then sauntered out of the
room as a coach whose season
ended prematurely and as a
legend who has been left empty-
handed. There wasn’t anything
left to say anyway.
Berenson had his chance to
speak at the loser’s podium, but
he’s more comfortable in the
winner’s circle. He’ll have to wait
a year before he gets back, but
there’s little chance Berenson
won’t speak as a victor once more.
Jeremy Summitt can be reached
at jssumm@umich.edu and on
Twitter @jeremysummitt.
Hyman’s career
ends painfully
By JASON RUBINSTEIN
Daily Sports Editor
DETROIT — Zach Hyman
entered the press room after
Saturday’s loss teary-eyed, but
understandably so.
He knew his season was over.
He knew his Michigan career
was over. He knew his incredible
year, one in which he tallied
22 goals and notched over 50
points, had ended sooner than he
planned.
And he knew that his time
playing next to freshman Dylan
Larkin — the other half of the
team’s dynamic duo — was done.
Michigan coach Red Berenson
found solace, though, knowing
that Hyman did everything he
possibly could to extend the
Wolverines’ season.
“You could see how he drove
the net and he had a guy on his
back,” Berenson said of Hyman’s
goal on Saturday. “He just
powered through the trap to the
front of the net, and then beat the
goalie. He singlehandedly tried
to take the team on his back, and
he’s been doing that all year.
“It’s been a pleasure for me to
coach him and watch him emerge
as the player he’s become, and as
a person and so on.”
Hyman was the centerpiece
of this Michigan hockey team.
When the team needed a goal,
Hyman was there. When the team
needed a talking-to for lackluster
play, Hyman was there. But now,
Hyman won’t be there anymore,
at least while wearing a Michigan
hockey sweater.
“I’m upset because my career
is over here,” Hyman said before
taking a big gulp of water. “I’m
not upset because of the way we
played.”
Still, the atmosphere in the
locker room after the game was
one each Michigan player will
remember forever, and not for
the
right
reason.
Freshman
defenseman Zach Werenski had
never experienced such sorrow
on his teammates’ faces.
“I can’t say I have,” said
freshman
defenseman
Zach
Werenski. “The locker room, it was
devastating. It was very hitting in
the locker room, seeing the seniors’
faces. It’s not what you want to do.
It’s not what you see.”
And for Michigan, it was
especially hard to see Hyman’s
sorrow.
Mike
Komisarek,
Michigan’s
newest
assistant
coach who played two seasons for
the Wolverines before a 11-year
career in the NHL, expressed
a similar sentiment, noting the
future is bright for not only
Hyman, but for Michigan.
More
notably,
Komisarek
emphasized that a team can
rebound
from
such
a
gut-
wrenching blow.
“Very
few
teams
and
individuals get to finish their
season on a winning note,” he
said. “I think you never forget
the
feeling
coming
off
the
ice, watching the other team
celebrate, or hearing them from
the locker room through the
walls. It’s something you use for
fuel and motivation.”
Werenski, who is arguably
Michigan’s
best
defenseman,
knows he will hear about this
game for some time, adding to
any motivation he already has for
next season.
The 17-year-old has multiple
friends that play for Minnesota.
Defenseman Ryan Collins was
one of them. He and Werenski
played for Team USA together,
most recently at the World Junior
Championships in late December.
Werenski
and
Collins
coincidentally exited the Joe
Louis Arena at the same time
through the same door. That
meeting could’ve been tough for
Werenski, knowing a close friend
ended his impressive freshman
campaign.
But Werenski and Collins
hugged, and no hatred was
spewed. Werenski knows he’ll
have another chance to get the
last laugh, even though it will
take some time to crack a smile.
ICE HOCKEY
Michigan wins Big Ten title
Second-highest
score in program
history earns
championship
By CINDY YU
Daily Sports Writer
At the Big Ten Championships,
the No. 6 Michigan women’s
gymnastics team embodied the
quartz-themed leotards senior
Sachi Sugiyama designed.
As the most recognized type
of crystal, quartz symbolizes
power, energy and clarity.
“The
stone
epitomizes
teamwork
and
transforms
negative energy into positive
energy, and that we were going
to be strong and have clarity,”
Sugiyama said.
Indeed,
the
Wolverines
lived up to their expectations,
resembling the powerful stone.
Michigan (18-0 Big Ten, 21-2
overall) dominated the Big Ten
Championships with a season-
best team total of 197.825, the
second-highest score in program
history. Already the winningest
program
in
the
conference,
this
achievement
Saturday
inside Crisler Center marks the
Wolverines’ 23rd Big Ten title.
“It’s just such a chilling
experience,”
said
sophomore
Nicole Artz. “We were brought
to tears at the end.”
Artz
won
the
all-around
title with a career-best score
of 39.650, and Sugiyama and
freshman
Brianna
Brown
matched
their
career-high
scores of 39.550 to tie for fourth.
Brown was named Big Ten
Co-Freshman of the Year, and
Plocki was named Big Ten Coach
of the Year. And to top it off,
Artz, Sugiyama, Brown, junior
Briley Casanova and sophomore
Talia Chiarelli were named to
the All-Big Ten Championships
team.
“This was by far the best meet
in all four events that we’ve had
so far this season,” Plocki said.
“Hopefully, we’re just hitting our
stride right now, and we can carry
this into regionals and nationals.”
Beginning
with
a
bye,
Michigan
listened
to
Bo
Schembechler’s
“The
Team,
The Team, The Team” speech
during the first rotation. As the
team emerged from the tunnel
to march to its first event of the
evening, the gymnasts walked
out to a standing ovation from
the fans.
Fired up, the Wolverines set
the tone on the floor exercise,
delivering the top floor rotation
of the day.
Sugiyama
and
Chiarelli
led the team with their 9.925
performances, tying Minnesota
gymnast Lindsay Mable for first
place on the event. Sugiyama
matched her career best for the
fourth consecutive week, while
Chiarelli rebounded from an
uncharacteristically low 9.675
routine the previous meet.
“This
was
kind
of
redemption,” Chiarelli said. “To
be able to do a good floor routine
in front of a big crowd is really
fun and exciting.”
Artz
was
also
a
major
contributor to the floor lineup,
earning a score of 9.900 to share a
fourth-place finish with Nebraska
gymnast Hollie Blanske.
After the completion of one
event, Michigan narrowly led
No. 16 Illinois, 49.450-49.400.
“Our goal was to come out of
the gate really strong, and I think
we did that on floor,” Plocki said.
Moving
to
vault,
the
Wolverines
gained
upward
momentum, as all six gymnasts
in the lineup scored at least
9.850. It was evident that their
focus on sticking in practice this
week translated to competition.
“I think this was our best
vaulting of the season,” Plocki
said.
As she did on floor, Chiarelli
led the team on vault. Her
powerful Yurchenko full with
just a small hop back on the
landing earned a 9.900, enough
to tie her career best from the
first meet of the season.
At the halfway point, Michigan
and Illinois were neck and neck,
with the Wolverines carrying a
slim 98.850-98.825 lead.
After another bye, Michigan
had its best rotation of the season
on bars, scoring 49.525. Artz tied
her career best of 9.950 to win
a share of the Big Ten title with
Nebraska’s Jennie Laeng.
When Artz stuck her double
layout
dismount,
cheering
erupted from all around Crisler.
She even earned a second round
of applause when a judge flashed
a perfect 10.
Brown, ranked in the top five
in the nation on bars, earned a
9.925 to tie for third.
Leading by just 0.275 points
going into the final rotation,
Casanova set the standard in the
leadoff position on beam. In her
wobble-free routine, she tied her
season-best score of 9.900 and
finished second on the event,
even despite illness.
“Briley was sick as a dog,”
Plocki said. “But she was a
superstar.”
Brown was also able to match
Casanova’s score for a spot on
the podium.
The highlight of the night
came from Artz, who tied
another career best and scored
her second 9.950 point total to
win the event outright. When
she stuck her one-and-a-half
twisting dismount, both her
teammates and the fans held up
10 fingers to show approval.
At the conclusion of the meet,
Michigan had widened its gap
over Illinois to 0.575.
“I was just incredibly proud
of all of these young ladies to
handle that pressure the way
they did, and to not just hit beam
but rock beam,” Plocki said. “All
season long, I’ve known these
are tough competitors, but this is
a different level.
“This is the level that’s going
to take us into the national
championship and get on the
podium.”
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Freshman Brianna Brown matched a career-high score of 39.550 to tie for fourth in the all-around competition.
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Red Berenson’s season ended without an NCAA Tournament berth again.
off a Band-Aid, the puck bounced
right out of the empty net, but
the damage had been done.
With 34 seconds left in the Big
Ten championship game, the
Wolverines (12-8 Big Ten, 22-15
overall) got the dagger they have
grown all too familiar with.
Minnesota netted its fourth goal
of the night en route to a 4-2 win.
“From our perspective, it was a
great college hockey game,” said
Michigan coach Red Berenson. “I
was proud of our team. I thought
they played hard and that they
played well, just not well enough.”
When the Wolverines cruised
through the Big Ten Tournament,
outscoring
Wisconsin
and
Michigan State, 9-1, en route to
the final, it seemed that Michigan
would play well enough, and
a triumphant return to the
postseason was simply destiny.
The team had stumbled to
its worst start since 1986, but
rebounded in incredible fashion.
Led by breakout senior forward
Zach Hyman and his linemate,
freshman upstart Dylan Larkin,
the
Wolverines
became
the
nation’s
top
offense,
posting
blowout scores while masking
an inexperienced and developing
defense in the process.
But with its back to the wall
at Joe Louis Arena, it looked like
things would click for Michigan, it
really did. Against Wisconsin and
Michigan State, the Wolverines
came out swinging, outshooting
and outscoring both teams by
comical margins.
Saturday,
it
became
clear
it wouldn’t be as easy. The
experienced and deep Minnesota
team
dominated
possession,
outshooting the Wolverines, 20-7,
in the first period and testing the
defense like never before this
season.
But Racine and the defense
were
there
for
every
shot,
quieting the doubters, and, more
importantly, setting the tone
for the game when the offense
couldn’t.
Things changed quite quickly
in the second, however. After
earning a power play, Minnesota’s
Travis Boyd parked by the right
post. After about a minute, the
puck found him, and the senior
buried it to give the Gophers an
early lead.
But as he has countless times
throughout the season, Hyman
responded by putting the team on
his shoulders. Skating from the
boards deep in Minnesota’s zone
less than 90 seconds later during
a power play, the Big Ten scoring
champion threaded across the
ice,
skirting
through
three
Gopher defenders before firing a
highlight-reel
shot so baffling
that netminder
Adam Wilcox
had to sit in
disbelief while
Hyman
woke
up
fans
and
teammates
alike
in
celebration.
“He just powered through the
trap to the front of the net and
then beat the goalie like he single-
handedly tried to take the team
on his back,” Berenson said. “He’s
been doing that all year, and it’s
been a pleasure for me to coach
him and watch him emerge as the
player he’s become.”
As the only members of the
Michigan
hockey
team
who
have ever played in the NCAA
Tournament, Hyman and his
fellow seniors knew what was
at stake Saturday, and wouldn’t
imagine anything less than the
biggest effort of their careers.
“It’s definitely the biggest game
of my career here, one game to
win a championship, it couldn’t
be better than this,” Hyman said
Friday. “If you win a Big Ten
Championship, you have a chance
at a national championship, it
doesn’t get bigger than that.”
They refused to go down easily.
Two and a half minutes later,
sophomore forward Alex Kile
found twine as the final leg in a
tic-tac-toe goal. Though Wilcox
followed the development of the
play, the 2014 Big Ten Player of the
Year was unable to track the work
of the sharpshooting sophomore.
With a 2-1 lead and a largely
favorable crowd in the stands
above it, Michigan looked to be
clicking in all areas of the game.
Even Racine — who took turns
with sophomore netminder Zach
Nagelvoort
at
thriving,
then
struggling all season — continued
to look as good as ever, making
a highlight-reel save on a 2-on-1
Minnesota breakaway, one of 30
saves on the night.
Minnesota found more luck
just past the halfway point of the
second period however, when
forward Kyle Rau, fresh out of
a visit to the penalty box, broke
through
Racine
on
another
dazzling one-
timer,
giving
Minnesota
a
new sense of
purpose.
Eventually,
one
of
Michigan’s
less-than-
desirable
staples
—
a defensive miscue — led to
the team’s demise. With two
defensemen preoccupied on a hit
during a Minnesota power play
early in the third period, Gopher
forward
Justin
Kloos
found
himself open, or open enough, to
score the go-ahead goal.
“We
had
our
chances,”
Berenson said. “We needed to
capitalize on one of those chances
to get the go-ahead goal, and we
couldn’t get it, and sure enough,
they did.”
A flurry of attacks by the
feared
and
revered
offense
came at Wilcox, but to no avail.
Eventually Racine was pulled,
but it didn’t take long for the
puck to travel the length of
the ice, extending Michigan’s
tournament drought, cutting the
Wolverines’ season short and
robbing Hyman of destiny in the
process.
“We showed up,” said junior
forward Andrew Copp. “We had
the right attitude and mentality.
Thursday and Friday were pretty
good days for us, and we were
pretty confident going into today
just to keep the momentum
rolling. The bounces just didn’t go
our way. We didn’t play our best,
but we felt like we played good
enough to win.”
MICHIGAN
From Page 1B
“It’s definitely
the biggest game
of my career.”
SUMMITT
From Page 1B