DETROIT - The goal was nothing less than a sweep.
Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson stated it. The Michigan hockey team stated it. Going into this weekend's College Hockey Showcase at the Joe Louis Arena, the sentiment around the team was the same.
Two wins, nothing less.
Michigan met that goal by squeaking past Minnesota, 4-3 in overtime, on Friday afternoon and manhandling Wisconsin, 8-4, on Saturday afternoon.
"We set team goals throughout the year and (sweeping the Showcase) was one of the short-term goals we wanted to achieve," Michigan assistant captain Jason Botterill said. "It's an NCAA Tournament-type of (atmosphere)."
On Friday, captain Brendan Morrison once again played the role of hero. Morrison received a pass in front of the net from Matt Herr and quickly put the puck through Minnesota goaltender Steve DeBus' legs 51 seconds into overtime.
"I was just hanging out in the slot," Morrison said. "I think their guy thought he had me covered, but he had his back to me. Me and Herr just made some eye contact and I went to the net. He made a perfect pass, and it was just a one-timer through (the goalie's) five-hole."
The game should not have gone into the extra session. Michigan (13-1-1) was seconds away from a 3-2 victory. But, with six Gophers on the ice, Erik Rasmussen parked himself in front of Michigan goaltender Marty Turco and knocked in a rebound under Turco's pads with 6.7 seconds left in regulation.
Rasmussen's goal gave him a hat trick for the night, as he provided Minnesota with all of its offense.
Michigan forward John Madden was in front of the net and had a chance to get in the way of Rasmussen's shot. And Herr was tied up left of the goal crease.
But it was Herr who felt responsible for the goal. He had the chance to take some more time off the clock.
"That was me that was skating down the left side (inside the Minnesota blue line)," Herr said. "I tried to dump it in, but I should have gone off the boards. I wasn't thinking and the puck hit off a (Minnesota player's) chest."
Earlier in the period, a Minnesota player got in Herr's way, but on that occasion, it was to the Wolverines' advantage.
With the score tied at two, Herr streaked down the left side of the ice and was attempting to make a crossing pass. Minnesota defenseman Bill Kohn was playing Herr tightly. But Herr's pass deflected off of Kohn's stick, lying almost prone on the ice, and whizzed over DeBus' shoulder into the top-left corner of the net.
"I guess you know you are having a good day when something like that happens," Herr said.
Herr had a great couple of days, scoring two goals and assisting on six others. The junior forward increased his conescutive scoring streak to 12 games.
Friday, Turco started off not having a good day. Minnesota's first shot on goal went by Turco for Rasmussen's first goal of the night 18 seconds into the game. But Turco looked solid for most of the game, facing the most shots he has seen since the season's second game at Lake Superior. He turned away 27 of the Gophers' 30 attempts.
Saturday, Michigan trounced the Badgers 8-4 in a game that was not as close as the score indicated.
Michigan's power play overwhelmed Wisconsin as the Wolverines bolted to a 4-1 lead at the end of the first period.
Berenson reverted to the initial power-play unit and the results were evident.
The stanza ended with Michigan having converted on every power-play opportunity and killing off its lone shorthanded situation.
"We tried a lot of different combinations and mixed things up (in the past few weeks)," Michigan right wing Bill Muckalt said. "When you get put back with the guys you've been with, you start to feel comfortable."
Muckalt netted two of the scores in the period as Michigan came out firing.
Wisconsin goaltender Kirk Daubenspeck faced 18 shots in the period, and it was downhill from there for the Badgers' netminder.
The second period opened quickly as Michigan didn't let up. Assistant captain Jason Botterill's goal just seven seconds into the period gave Michigan its fourth power-play goal of the game.
Botterill scored his second goal 11:58 into the second period, on a tipped pass from Michigan center John Madden.
The goal had added significance as it vaulted the senior left wing into the Showcase lead for career goals with seven.
Exactly 30 seconds later, Muckalt recorded Michigan's first hat trick of the season when he beat Daubenspek to give Michigan a 7-2 lead.
With three goals and two assists, Muckalt was named to the All-Showcase team.
Berenson agreed that the power play was the overriding factor in the victory.
"We needed our power play to be able to be a factor and we took advantage of our chances," he said. "And that's discouraging for another team. Our power play was the difference in the game, no question."
JONATHAN LURIE/Special to the Daily
Michigan goaltender Gregg Malicke filled in for Marty Turco in the third period of Saturday's 8-4 blowout of Wisconsin. Malicke made five saves while in net.