More output needed from all icers to catch CCHA leaders

Entering the season, the Michigan hockey team knew that if it were going to be successful, it would need its best players to play like stars.

The Wolverines also knew that no matter how well players like Bill Muckalt and Marty Turco might perform, to compete for the CCHA title the Wolverines would need contributions from the entire team.

Thus far, the Wolverines' stars are playing like stars, but they're still waiting for consistent contributions from the rest of the team.

Against Ferris State this weekend, the Wolverines managed to take three points largely because of the efforts of just three players - Turco, Muckalt and Bobby Hayes.

In the two games, Muckalt and Hayes scored all six of the Wolverines' goals and accounted for the majority of their scoring chances.

JOHN KRAFT/Daily Freshman Mark Kosick has been one of the few underclassmen contributing offensively for the Wolverines so far this season. Michigan has received poor offensive outputs recently from upperclassmen with the exception of Bill Muckalt and Bobby Hayes.

Going back to Michigan's two-game set against Northern Michigan, Muckalt and Hayes have scored the Wolverines' last eight goals.

Certainly, part of the reason for the Wolverines' lack of balance is the absence of captain Matt Herr, who has not played since injuring his groin in Michigan's season opener.

Moreover, on a team with 10 freshmen, it will probably take some time before players settle into their roles.

But the freshmen aren't the ones who are struggling to score.

In fact, three freshmen - Mark Kosick, Mike Van Ryn and Josh Langfeld - are in the top five on the team in scoring.

Instead, it has been upperclassmen who have had the most trouble finding their scoring touch.

Players like Greg Crozier, Sean Ritchlin and Justin Clark were expected to contribute offensively.

Eleven games into the season, however, they have only five goals between them.

Defensively, as well, Michigan is not getting the kind of consistent play it needs to be successful.

The Wolverines are still giving up far too many excellent scoring chances and expecting Turco to bail them out - and so far he has.

In this weekend's series against Ferris, Turco was up to the challenge, stopping all but five of the Bulldogs 61 shots, including a two-on-none Sunday that would have given Ferris a 4-3 lead.

Without such a performance by Turco, the Wolverines could easily have lost both games.

While three players may be able to carry Michigan against the likes of Ferris State, if the Wolverines are going to be competitive against the elite teams in the conference like as Michigan State and Miami, they will need contributions from more than just their stars.

As Michigan coach Red Berenson commented after Sunday's victory over the Bulldogs, "We've got a lot of guys who need to try to contribute to this team more offensively and defensively."

If they don't get that contribution, it might be a long season for the Wolverines.

After all, there's only so much that three players can do.

11-18-97