 | Barry Sollenberger Sollenberger in Paradise |
The Michigan hockey team has quite a problem. Of course, there's nothing wrong with the team itself. The Wolverines' weekend sweep of Notre Dame is proof. In fact, winning hasn't been a problem for the Wolverines at all this season. With a record of 28-2-3, Michigan is on pace to break the school record for victories in a season (34).
But the Wolverines still have a problem.
It's called expectations.
If Michigan doesn't win the national title, people will consider the season a failure. People will say the Wolverines underachieved.
This isn't fair, but it's the truth. And you know what? The Wolverines aren't likely to repeat as NCAA champions. Sure, they are the favorites, but it's awfully, awfully hard to repeat.
"Winning the title is a special thing," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "But it's not going to happen very often."
Many fans don't believe it. They watch Michigan destroy opponents week after week after week. They expect another title to come easily.
It won't.
There's no guarantee that the Wolverines will even reach the final four.
"Just to get to the final four," Berenson said, "you're going to have to beat a really good team."
He's referring to the NCAA quarterfinals March 23 in Grand Rapids. A matchup that won't be easy no matter how good the Wolverines are.
In the past five years, the Wolverines are 4-1 in the quarterfinals, but they easily could have been 0-5.
"That's a tough game," Berenson said. "You have to live with it. You have to live with the consequences. You go into it like it's your last game of the year."
Consider the past five years:
In the 1992 quarterfinals, Michigan came from three goals down to beat Northern Michigan, 7-6. The next year, the Wolverines needed overtime to dispatch Wisconsin, 4-3.
Their one loss came the following season to Lake Superior, 5-4, in overtime. Two years ago, they knocked off Wisconsin, 4-3 - at Wisconsin. Then last year, they nipped Minnesota by the same score en route to the national title.
Five games, each decided by one goal. Two in overtime.
"It's always so close," Berenson said. "You need to be ready to put everything on the line that night, because that could be the last game of the year."
Last season, it almost was.
Michigan needed Mike Legg's lacrosse-style goal to squeak by the Golden Gophers. Without it, the Wolverines might have perished, and everyone would still be moaning about how Michigan can't win The Big One.
"Don't think that Minnesota wasn't heartbroken," Berenson said. "They thought they were as good as we were."
No one is as good as the Wolverines are this season. But the best team doesn't always win. There have been previous Michigan teams whose records were almost as good that didn't win the title. The 1990-91 team holds the school record with 34 victories. The 1993-94 team won 33. Neither team won the national title.
Still, Michigan has already had a fabulous season, regardless of what happens in the playoffs.
"I think that most people who know our team understand that we're having a great season," Berenson said, "and that we've accomplished some things already."
The Wolverines have set the school record for fewest losses through 30 games (one), and they have the Hobey Baker frontrunner in center Brendan Morrison, the school's all-time leading scorer.
They are about to clinch their fourth straight CCHA regular-season title, and this season's seniors will likely leave Michigan as part of the winningest class in school history.
But to many, the accolades won't mean a thing if the Wolverines don't win the NCAA title again.
"I don't think those are good fans," Berenson said. "I just think those are fickle people who just want to associate themselves with winners, period."
He's right. This year, Michigan has one of the best (if not very best) teams in school history.
Of course, this increases the pressure. The Wolverines are expected to do what last season's team did.
But Michigan has already had a remarkable season. This won't change.
Even if the Wolverines don't win the NCAA championship.
- Barry Sollenberger can be reached over e-mail at jsol@umich.edu