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Recent success not the only similarity between area hockey clubs

Maize and blue are nice, but the hockey team deserves to wear red and white. If the Wolverines' uniforms matched those of the Detroit Red Wings, it would be even harder to tell the two teams apart.

The NHL's best team has a lot in common with Michigan, one of the top teams in college hockey. Of course, if the two met head-to-head, one squad would be decapitated. But you can't ignore the similarities:

Both have head coaches with cool names: The Wolverines have "Red." The Red Wings have "Scotty." Gordon and Scott are OK names to begin with, but these two coaches are better than average.

Both Michigan coach Red Berenson and Detroit coach Scotty Bowman are among the most respected in their leagues.

"Red and Scotty are a lot alike," says Ken Kal, who worked as Michigan's radio play-by-play announcer last season and serves as Detroit's this season. "They are both serious about their hockey. They want to win, and they know how to do it."

They should be similar. Berenson played for Bowman with the St. Louis Blues and was his assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres. The two are still friends, and both have been out to watch each other's team in action.

Both love Joe Louis Arena: The Red Wings have only lost at their home rink three times this season. The Wolverines are undefeated at the Joe in 1995-96.

Michigan won the Great Lakes Invitational there in December, defeating Northern Michigan and Michigan State. The Wolverines beat the Spartans again in Detroit in February, and then they toppled Lake Superior, 4-3, this month to with the CCHA playoff title.

Sounds a lot like the Wings.

"I was with the New York Islanders when they won four straight Stanley Cups, but I've never been around a team like this that, approaching the end of March, had just lost three home games," Jimmy Devellano, Red Wings senior vice president, told the Detroit Free Press. "And two of those games were by one goal."

Both are star-studded: The Red Wings have NHL stars Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Paul Coffey and Dino Ciccarelli. Michigan had the top four scorers in the CCHA this season -- Brendan Morrison, Kevin Hilton (who was drafted by Detroit), Jason Botterill and John Madden.

Both have good, young goaltenders too. Detroit has baby-faced Chris Osgood, and the Wolverines have sophomore Marty Turco.

Both, despite having powerful offenses, have a commitment to defense: The fun and gun Red Wings have been known for their ability to put the puck in the net for years. So have the Wolverines. But both have been criticized for not being tough enough on the blue line.

Not this season.

"Maybe we've been too offensive in the past," Berenson says. "But I like our team now. We're playing good team defense."

Michigan tied with Western Michigan for the lowest goals against in CCHA games this season. Detroit has the lowest goals against in the NHL.

"Both Scotty and Red are big on keeping the goals against down," Kal says. "They like offense, but they preach good defense."

Both can expect rough play in the postseason: Last season's Stanley Cup finals were tough on Detroit. After cruising through the playoffs, they were swept by the New Jersey Devils.

Why? The Devils clutched and grabbed and held the speedy Wings, not allowing them a chance to fly and show their skating talent.

The same could happen to Michigan.

"Just like with Detroit, I can see a lot of teams doing that to (the Wolverines)," Kal says. "That's the only way you slow down teams like this."

Both have captains named Steve: Michigan captain Steven Halko prefers the "n" on the end of his name. Grown men call Detroit captain Steve Yzerman "Stevie" to his face.

Yzerman is a center. Halko is a defenseman.

But they are much alike. Both have had distinguished careers with their teams. Yzerman scored his 500th goal this season. Halko played in his 150th straight game last month.

And they are both missing one crucial line on their resumes.

Both haven't achieved their highest goal in decades: Detroit has not won the Stanley Cup since 1955. Michigan has not won a national title since 1964. Both teams were dominant in the 1950s, but they haven't been since.

Last season, Detroit made it to the Stanley Cup finals and didn't win. Last season, Michigan made it to the final four and fell to Maine in triple overtime.

Both teams are expected to play for their most coveted prizes this season. Late March for Michigan. Late May for Detroit. With all of the frustration that has built up all these years, look for both squads to go all out.

So if the Wolverines win the national title March 30 in Cincinnati, don't be surprised if the Red Wings hoist the Stanley Cup in May -- in new maize and blue uniforms.

-- Nicholas J. Cotsonika can be reached over e-mail at cotsonik@umich.edu.