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Focus is key in Blue title drive

As the Michigan hockey team rolls into the playoffs, it seems to be clicking on all cylinders. Brendan Morrison and Kevin Hilton are leading an offense that has been scoring at will; Marty Turco is playing brilliantly in net; and Michigan coach Red Berenson is directing a team that is poised to go the extra step this year and take the national title.

The Wolverines' overall play has been simply fabulous right from the get-go and ...

We interrupt this rah-rah championship cheer to bring you an announcement concerning the Michigan hockey team's schedule.

It ain't over yet.

The playoffs are still almost two months down the road.

In fact, the tough part of the regular season slate hasn't even come.

True, the Wolverines have looked like the Montreal Canadiens of the late 70's recently, with their superior skating and passing that has resulted in them outscoring their opponents, 58-8 over the last six games.

But let's not get too carried away. Although those numbers are truly awesome, they have come against the dregs of the CCHA -- five of the six worst teams in the conference. The combined mark of the five teams that Michigan has played over this span is 38-87-13 for the record.

But seriously, games, or even streaks, like these could generate a negative effect on a team. It's been said that you never want to play down to the level of your competition. Although Michigan hasn't done so yet, can some of its opponents' poor habits rub off on the Wolverines after games like these?

Does a team develop a cocky attitude and play lackadaisically in every game come the third period?

Can blowout after blowout make a team lose it focus?

"In past years, (maintaining focus) has been difficult," Hilton said. "But this year it seems different. It seems we're all together.

"If someone goes out there and has a bad shift or misses a good opportunity, in the past we would have let him sit down on the bench, but this year we're patting guys on the back a lot more."

And those pats on the back, the fact that the Wolverines realize they still have to come out every night and play strong two-way hockey no matter the opposition, and maintaining their focus, will be vital when the last five games of the season -- Michigan State (twice), Lake Superior (twice), Bowling Green -- roll around.

"Games like those obviously aren't going to be blowouts," Hilton said. "They're going to be one-goal, two-goal games, or we might even be down in the third period. It's a lot easier to go out there when you have the confidence of the guys on the bench to go out there and do your job."

That's the attitude a championship team needs.

"Down the road, we're not going to be playing 11-1 games," Berenson said. "The games are going to be closer and we want to remember that.

"But right now, we're winning the games we should win."