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Finishing first, at last Michigan wins first NCAA title since 1964

CINCINNATI -- There were tears this time too, but for the 1995-1996 Michigan hockey team, moist eyes dripped only joy.

The years of failure and frustration, of anguish and anger, are over.

The puck finally bounced the right way for the Wolverines. Brendan Morrison finally hit the back of the net instead of the goal post. Red Berenson's team is finally the national champion.

"I'm so glad I came (to Michigan)," said forward Bill Muckalt, fighting back sobs. "I'm so proud to be a part of this program, with these guys, with this coach. It's just so special."

The Wolverines defeated Colorado College, 3-2, before13,330 fans at Riverfront Coliseum on Saturday in another overtime heart-thumper. The championship win was Michigan's eighth -- an NCAA record -- and its first since 1964.

The victory was richly ironic.

Michigan was bounced from the NCAA tournament in overtime the past three years. The Wolverines lost to Maine in 1993, Lake Superior in 1994 and Maine again in 1995. The breaks never went their way, and the goal they needed never came.

"Something about this year was different," said senior center Kevin Hilton. "I really can't say what, but something was different."

The biggest change might have been Morrison's luck. In the second overtime of last year's semifinal thriller with the Black Bears, Morrison had Michigan's best opportunity to win it.

He hit the post.

The memory stayed with him, ringing in his head all season. On Saturday, the puck squirted right to Morrison off of a rebound. He put it between the pipes to score the winning goal, and he earned a ring that will stay with him for the rest of his life.

"When you look back on this, it's incredible," said Morrison, who was so focused on Michigan's title run, he played with a broken hand for nearly two months. "It seemed like it took forever to go in the net, but it did. It's incredible."

Many players said it isn't as incredible as it seems. They had a sign above the door in their lockerroom that read, "Something to prove." All the talk of ghosts and jinxes motivated Michigan to silence the cynics and critics.

"I'm sick of hearing the rumors that we can't win the big game," Muckalt said. "I think we proved them wrong."

"The ghosts are gone," said Michigan goaltender Marty Turco.

No one is more satisfied than Berenson.

He didn't win a title in his three years as a Michigan player. After his professional career, he came back to his alma mater to rescue a floundering program. Saturday's win was his 300th and the culmination of more than a decade of rebuilding the Wolverines.

When Berenson took the Michigan job in 1984, the Wolverines finished ninth in the CCHA. Now, 12 years since his start, Michigan finished the season No. 1 in the nation.

And Berenson, a proud, stoic former Stanley Cup champion, cried.

"There is no comparison (to this)," Berenson said. "I've played on teams that have won big series, but this is much, much better. There is nothing close to it. ...

"I have a memento that sits on my desk that says, `Our day will come.' We've worked for that day, and we've earned that day, and our day has come."

The day came with good defense, timely offense and a little help from Marty Turco.

Michigan gave up only 23 shots to Colorado College, one of the most prolific scoring teams in the nation. Other than a two-minute stretch in the second period, in which Peter Geronazzo and Colin Schmidt scored, the Tigers couldn't capitalize on their chances.

Turco came up with several big stops, including a monster save of Chad Remackel's drive in the second period. He kept Michigan in the game when he had to, but the Wolverines were mostly strong on the blue line.

"(Michigan) is a much better defensive team than people give it credit for," Berenson said. "You have to play good defense when the games come down to a mistake or a break."

Michigan jumped into the lead at 11:33 of the first period, when Muckalt rifled Morrison's feed through Tiger goaltender Ryan Bach's pads. But after Geronazzo and Schmidt struck in the second, the Wolverines found themselves down, 2-1.

Michigan came out flying in the third, and Mike Legg tied the game at two on the power play at 6:54. His goal, scored off of a rebound of Steven Halko's slapshot, was the last in regulation.

Three and a half minutes into overtime, Morrison ended the game, the season and the waiting for the Wolverines.

Michigan's day had come.