Sections

Title game mirrors recent matchup

Lightning didn't strike the Michigan hockey team twice. But in Saturday's 4-3 win over Lake Superior, the Wolverines undoubtedly heard the thunder.

It was the thunder of the Lakers' relentless attack on Michigan's net in the closing minute of a one-goal game.

In fact, the scene had an eerie resemblance to the situation the Wolverines faced no less than three weeks ago at Sault Ste. Marie, when the Lakers tied the game in the closing seconds and then shocked Michigan 5-4 in overtime.

The similarities between the two games are scary. The Wolverines relinquished two-goal leads in the first period of both games. Michigan had a 4-3 lead going into the final minute of both games. With just over a minute remaining in both games, the Lakers pulled goaltender John Grahame for an extra skater. And this led to the Lakers having complete control of the puck deep in the Wolverines' zone, usually behind the Michigan net. Laker center Brian Felsner, who scored the game-tying goal three weeks ago, was on the ice this time and missed a good chance to give the Wolverines another heartache.

Add to all of that the fact that Lake State has lost only once in the CCHA Tournament in Jeff Jackson's six years at the helm of the Laker ship, and it seem ed that fate would somehow find the Lakers a victory.

But this time the luck fell into Michigan's hands. No weird bounces off Michigan goaltender Marty Turco's pads. No Superman impersonations from Laker defenseman Keith Aldridge.

"We did not get the puck out (of our zone)," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "Our players were tired. They couldn't get off the ice. It was just pure luck and good goalkeeping."

But believe it or not, flashbacks of the Soo Disaster didn't hit the Wolverines during the game -- not even Turco, who was at the center of action in both games.

"I wasn't thinking about that at all," Turco said. "I put that in the past. I wouldn't say I suppressed it because before the game I thought about it.

"What happened a couple of weeks ago was really irrelevant for the way I played today."

It may have been so for Turco, but not for the Lakers.

"I thought it potentially could have been another overtime Lake State -- Michigan game," Jackson said.

But what kept it from being so this time was that Michigan seemed to recognize the magnitude of the game. It was evident in the little things the Wolverines did in the final minute to hold off the Lakers. Players not known for their defense suddenly rose to the occasion. Jason Botterill, who has seen little, if any, penalty killing time, was diving to block shots.

But Botterill's 209-pound frame hitting the ice shouldn't be confused with the thunder generated by the Lakers. Michigan was just lucky enough to get one and not the other.