Effort and emotion fuel Wolverines in 'heart-attack hockey'

Describing what the 'little things' are in sports isn't easy. Coaches and players alike talk about them endlessly, but the question remains - why are they so important?

In hockey, little things such as crisp skating, bounces of the puck and timely hits make the difference in close games - maybe more so than in any other sport.

And this season more than ever, they have been playing a vital role for the Michigan hockey team. Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson has called his team's style of play "heart-attack hockey," and he couldn't be more correct.

Fifteen games into this season, the Wolverines are 6-2 in one-goal games. Not bad for a team that played in only five such games in last year's 43-game slate.

For last year's team, little things were an afterthought. With stars such as Brendan Morrison, Mike Legg and Jason Botterill suiting up every night, mental lapses and even sub-par efforts were offset by sheer talent.

But the same cannot be said this year. This bunch of Wolverines has its lion's share of talent. It's just that their talent is raw and needs refining.

Therefore, effort and emotion have to carry this team until solid execution becomes routine, rather than a distant goal.

"We're working hard, but we're not executing as well," Berenson said. "We're a pretty good team, but we're not a real good team."

With the pressure of a loss present every night, Michigan has responded well this season to the parody involved in its games - relying heavily on the play of assistant captains Bill Muckalt and Marty Turco, as well as center Bobby Hayes.

In fact, Michigan's success as a team has been so dependent on the three that it prompted Wisconsin coach Jeff Sauer to comment on the depth of the Wolverines

"They've only got three players, and that's about it," Sauer said. "They've got Muckalt, that center Hayes and their goaltender - they play all the time."

While it may be true that Michigan has only three stars, to say that the Wolverines have nothing else is dead wrong. And though Michigan's supporting cast may not capture the headlines, it is their effort that has put the Wolverines over the top the past few weeks. Their effort has provided the little things.

Little things such as forward Dale Rominski taking a slapshot in the knee and deflecting it away from the Michigan net, while falling to the ice in pain.

Little things such as freshmen defensemen Dave Huntzicker and Mike Van Ryn clearing the puck from their zone on a penalty kill.

Or little things such as freshman forward Mark Kosick tallying four assists in the College Hockey Showcase.

So despite the lack of numbers, Michigan as a whole has been playing effectively - well enough to pull out a series of close games.

And according to its players, the tight games now will pay dividends towards the end of the season, when the team expects to begin clicking.

"It's good for the team - it shows a lot of character on our part," Turco said.

Freshman forward Josh Langfeld echoed his teammate's statement, and added his take on the future of the Wolverines.

"These games are close, and hopefully it will help us down the stretch," he said.

So until the stretch run comes around for Michigan, at least it knows it can count on one thing - the little things.

12-01-97