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Lakers hurt `M' postseason hopes with win

SAULT STE. MARIE -- This weekend, inside Taffy Abel Arena, away from the six-foot snow drifts and icy rain, Lake Superior State and Michigan played two hockey games.

Both teams played exceptionally well Friday night. It was the type of game that keeps fans at the brink of jumping out of their skin and reminds coaches of the reasons they decided to coach in the first place.

It was also the type of game that can, literally, take the air out of a team.

Maybe that is what happened to the Wolverines Saturday, but one thing is for certain -- things did not turn out the way they were supposed to.

This column was supposed to be about how Michigan moved past first-place Michigan State in the conference standings and how the Wolverines were going to be in serious contention to finish the regular season in first place. It was supposed to be about how next Friday's game against the Spartans at Yost Ice Arena was going to determine which team finished first.

Instead, this column is about how things seemed to start out so well before they went from bad to worse for the Wolverines this weekend. Michigan had 42 points going into the series, and ended the series with the same 42 points. This column is about how the two losses propelled Lake State into a tie for second with the Wolverines -- second place, at least for now.

By this coming Saturday, when the other CCHA teams will have finished their regular-season schedules, Michigan may potentially fall to fourth place.

This column was supposed to be about the little things, the things the good teams do game in and game out -- the same things the Wolverines have done to win 25 games.

The little things.

Like John Arnold keeping the puck alive in the neutral zone, making Michigan's first goal Friday night possible. Or like Bobby Hayes and Chris Frescoln dropping to the ice and using their bodies to stop slapshots and passes while killing penalties. Or about proper forechecking and using the boards to keep plays alive.

Instead, this column is about how all of that was overshadowed by the Lakers. Overshadowed by the way Lake State forechecked and used the boards and did the little things that Michigan has done all season.

"Their best players outplayed our best players," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "We played less than our best."

This column was supposed to be about Michigan's top-rated power play and its second-ranked penalty killing unit in the CCHA. It was supposed to be about how Michigan has not allowed a single shorthanded goal in its past six games before this weekend (0 of 36 total chances) and how the Wolverines converted two-thirds of their man advantages last Saturday against the Spartans.

But this column is about how a slew of penalties allowed Michigan to be outplayed on special teams. It's about how Lake State converted two of five Friday, and five of eight man advantages Saturday and it's about how the Lakers limited the Wolverines to just two of nine total power play conversions.

"We took unnecessary penalties," Michigan right wing Bill Muckalt said. "We had a defensive let down and they capitalized."

This column was supposed to be about John Madden, the CCHA leader in shorthanded goals with eight, scoring the one and only shorthanded goal this weekend in game two.

But he didn't score the shorthanded goal, or an even-strength goal for that matter.

Instead, this column is about Lake State's Jason Trzcinski scoring that shorthanded goal, his first shorthanded of the season.

This column should be about Michigan goalie Marty Turco returning to his hometown, putting on a show, and being the hero in front of his family and friends in Abel arena, the way he did last season.

But he wasn't the hero.

Instead, this column is about how he was pulled in the second period of game two, in front of his family and friends, after giving up four goals.

And this column should be about the upcoming NCAA Tournament Finals in Cincinnati, and how there is absolutely no doubt that the Wolverines will be there.

But, it's about how that doubt, regardless of how slight it is, now exists. If the Wolverines do not finish first in the CCHA, which is very possible, they need to win the CCHA Tournament to receive an automatic bid to the NCAAs. If they do not win the tournament, they better cross their fingers for one of the four at-large bids for the tournament.

This column should be about how the Wolverines have nothing to worry about except which hotel to stay in while in Cincinnati.

But, they do need to worry.

This column is about how Michigan must regroup, stay focused on each of its remaining games, and concentrate on the upcoming CCHA Tournament -- its ticket to the NCAAs.