Sealed with a kiss.
Michigan's nine seniors ended their regular season careers at Yost Ice Arena by planting their lips on the 'M' at center ice Saturday, just 24 hours after hoisting their fourth straight CCHA trophy toward Yost's rafters.
Michigan (20-2-3 CCHA, 29-2-4 overall) dominated Lake Superior on Friday, 8-0, in possibly Michigan's best start-to-finish game of the season, clinching the conference crown. But the Wolverines had to come from behind in the third period Saturday in a back-and-forth, penalty-marred, 4-4 draw with the Lakers (15-8-4, 19-12-5) on senior night.
"(Saturday) was a game of momentum, and it kept shifting back and forth," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "But I think that's typical of what we have to expect in the playoffs."
Fittingly, John Madden closed his regular-season career at Yost in typical fashion - scoring a shorthanded goal late in the game when his team needed it.
Madden brought the puck into the right side of the zone, cut across to the left side past two defenders and beat goaltender John Grahame from the faceoff circle with 4:09 left to tie the game at four.
"That's the type of effort we need," left wing Jason Botterill said. "When we're down and out we need to try to find a way to win it, or at least, tie the game."
Terry Marchant gave the Lakers their first lead of the game 1:40 earlier from the right circle during 4-on-4 play.
The teams entered the third period tied at two, and right wing Sean Ritchlin put the Wolverines ahead at 5:38 when his shot from the slot just trickled inside the right post.
Usually, a lead in the third period for the Wolverines is as secure as Fort Knox, but right wing Mitch Lane tied the game at three for the Lakers with 9:19 left.
"When you beat a team 8-0, it's hard to come back and play as well the next night," Berenson said. "And you knew (Lake Superior was) going to play better."
Michigan's seniors know they will be back at Yost for the first round of the CCHA playoffs, March 7-9, but Saturday was still an emotional night.
"We respect the fact that this place is very special," Botterill said. "And no matter where we go in our hockey careers after this, there's probably never going to be a place like Yost Ice Arena."
For players like Madden, who hasn't been drafted by an NHL team, the end of a collegiate career means a lot of uncertainty.
"In the last four years, and playing junior hockey, I've always known where I was going to be this time next year," Madden said. "(Now), I don't have a clue where I'm going to be.
"I'm going to be sitting in a dressing room, and I'm not going to be sitting next to Brendan and Botts anymore. I'm going to be sitting beside somebody else, but I have no idea where I'm going to be or who's going to be my friends."
Berenson said this senior class is probably the best class he's seen at Michigan.
"It terms of what they have accomplished - what the team has accomplished since they've been with the team - it's hard to put anyone else ahead of them," he said.
On Friday, it was junior Matt Herr who sparked the Wolverines in the conference clincher.
Herr got the Wolverines on the board at 5:14 of the first after right wing Bill Muckalt stole the puck and fed Herr, who stuck his own rebound inside the right post.
Botterill received a five-minute major and a game misconduct at 15:28 for checking from behind, giving the Lakers a prime opportunity to take command before the first intermission.
But Michigan's aggressive penalty-killers and the solid play of goaltender Marty Turco kept the Lakers off the score sheet.
Herr had two assists and a goal on Michigan's first three tallies in the second period and added another goal halfway through the third period for his hat trick.
Turco stopped all 15 shots he faced for his sixth regular season CCHA shutout - a new record.
"It was nice to clinch (the CCHA title) against them," senior center Brendan Morrison said. "They've sort of been our nemesis at times throughout our four years here.
"I think this was probably one of our best games all year."
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Senior Mike Legg hugs his father, Chuck, during a ceremony celebrating Michigan's senior class after Saturday's game. Legg and his mates are the winningest class in school history.
WARREN ZINN/Daily
The Wolverines became the first team in history to be a part of four consecutive CCHA regular-season championships.