Despite size, Kosick continues to impress

You have to wonder about Michigan's second-leading scorer when coach Red Berenson thinks he belongs on the team's equipment staff.

Center Mark "Kosick has improved a lot as a young player," Berenson said. "He is a true freshman - he's fresh out of high school.

"There are times I look at him and think he should be our stick boy."

While his 5-foot-7, 187-pound listing in the Michigan media guide seems a bit generous, Kosick has raised eyebrows this season - despite not being a physical presence.

With a three-point performance this past weekend, Kosick tied junior Bobby Hayes with 37 points on the season - second only to Bill Muckalt's 53.

PAUL TALANIAN/Daily Center Mark Kosick is proving he's more than just a 'stick boy' this season. The freshman tied Bobby Hayes as Michigan's second-leading scorer, with 37 points. Bill Muckalt leads the team with 53 points.

"He is a young player and he has come a long way in terms of his development this season," Berenson said. "We've given him a lot of defensive responsibility and he's learned, he's improved. I think that's helped him in the offensive goal."

Friday night against Miami (Ohio), Kosick's equalizing power-play goal in the second period was not your typical freshman play.

"Kosick made a great play on the goalie by hanging on," Berenson said. "He looked like a veteran player when he faked him. That was a very poised play by a freshman."

It wasn't the first time that Berenson has lauded the freshman for showing experience beyond his years. Kosick broke out in an Oct. 31 game at Alaska-Fairbanks, where the Victoria, B.C. native torched the Nanooks with a hat-trick.

Since then, Kosick and Hayes have been Michigan's most prolific playmakers, providing a spark for scorers like Muckalt and Matt Herr.

And Kosick has emerged from behind the shadows of fellow freshmen Josh Langfeld and Mike Van Ryn, who grabbed most of the headlines from Michigan's deep recruiting class.

Berenson said Kosick's determination night-in and night-out has provided the benchmark for an ideal freshman player - as well as setting him apart from the rest of the pack.

"He shows up every night," Berenson said. "There are some kids that might go into a tough, physical road game and all of a sudden they start taking the long way to the puck or maybe don't want to take a hit.

"It doesn't bother him, he really wants to play."

While Berenson continues to heap praise on the promising young player, Kosick realizes the importance of his quick adjustment to the college game - especially to a team in the middle of a tight conference-title chase. With that in mind, Kosick has assumed responsibility for the output of his line - a line that normally features Herr and Langfeld.

"We definitely need more than just one line scoring goals," Kosick said. "Come playoff time, there are guys whose primary concern is going to be shutting down Muckalt and Hayes."

As of late, Kosick's line has responded. In a game against Lake Superior on Feb. 7, all three linemates added a goal in a 4-1 victory - an achievement duly noted by nearly every Wolverine.

In fact, it could be argued that no one enjoys the notion of an added scoring punch more than Muckalt, whose scoring has tailed off lately.

The senior has been targeted by teams in the past few weeks, resulting in an even more urgent need for a balanced scoring attack. According to Muckalt, the cry has been answered - not only by Kosick, but by all the freshmen.

"We don't necessarily have 10 freshmen on the ice, everybody's an upperclassman," Muckalt said.

Of course Muckalt, ever the joker, wasn't satisfied leaving his statement at that.

"A couple of guys maybe still got a bit of growing up to do off the ice," Muckalt quipped.

02-16-98