DETROIT - Two different Michigan hockey teams showed up in two games against Michigan State this weekend, but unfortunately for the Wolverines the results were the same in each outing.
Michigan relinquished its grasp on first place in the CCHA to the Spartans, losing to Michigan State, 4-1, on Saturday at Joe Louis Arena after falling to the Spartans, 5-1, the previous night at Munn Ice Arena.
The Wolverines had led Michigan State by three points in the conference standings going into the weekend, but with their two victories the Spartans took over first by one point.
"They're on a real roll right now, and we had trouble finding a way to beat them, obviously," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "It's a race for first place. I don't know that that's over, but certainly they're in the driver's seat now."
Although the margin of defeat was similar each night, the Wolverines were like Dr. Jekyls and Mr. Hydes in the two losses. After a week of hype, Michigan came out flat Friday and never really had a chance against a sharp Michigan State team.
 |
| JOHN KRAFT/Daily Michigan defenseman Mike Van Ryn added more offense than most of the Wolverines' forwards this weekend, with one point. |
Michigan attacked the Spartans' neutral-zone trap, peppering Michigan State goaltender Chad Alban with 10 shots in the first period. But Alban came up with save after save, and all it took was a fluke play during a Michigan State power play for the Wolverines to give up the first goal of the game and head into the second period down 1-0.
After 18:38 of the first, the puck ricocheted unexpectedly off the board behind Michigan's net, directly to the stick of Michigan State's Mike York. Michigan goalie Mary Turco had left the net to clear the puck, giving York an essentially open-net goal.
The puck "was coming around the glass," Turco said. "I was just about to stick out my hand to stop it, and it hit the partition right in front of me, the last of the zamboni ones. It bounced out, and it happened so quick, I just looked around and it was right on York's stick."
As frustrating as it was to go down on a bizarre mishap after outplaying the Spartans all period. Berenson said the Wolverines tried to maintain their composure.
"You can't overreact to that," Berenson said. "Obviously, it was a big goal ... and I thought we played pretty well in the second."
Michigan played well - but not as well as in the first. The Wolverines were outshot, 11-5, by the Spartans during the second period, and allowed another power-play goal in the opening minutes of the period.
Michigan was only down by two goals heading into the third, but Michigan State's trap managed to slow the game to a turtle's pace in the first half of the final stanza. The first shot by either team was taken five minutes into the period, and the monotony was practically enough to put the most zealous fans at the Joe to sleep.
Then, with 8:20 remaining, both teams woke up. Michigan State's Damon Whitten beat Turco top-shelf off a pass behind the goal line from Sean Berens. Less than a minute later, Michigan countered with its only goal when Bobby Hayes deflected in a shot from the point by Mike Van Ryn.
 |
| MARGARET MYERS/Daily Michigan forward Geoff Koch had a difficult time against Michigan State's rugged defense - so did the rest of Michigan's offense. |
In Friday's game, thoughts of a comeback were practically abandoned after the first period.
Backup Gregg Malicke started in net in place of Turco, who sat out for academic reasons. The first start of Malicke's career wasn't exactly a pleasant one. Sloppy Michigan play gave the Spartans the edge all night, and Michigan State outshot the Wolverines, 29-22, on the evening.
Two defensive breakdowns by the Wolverines equaled two goals for Michigan State at 3:30 and 11:07 of the first period. Alban stoned Michigan forward Bill Muckalt on a fast break with three minutes left in the first period, and the Spartans scored their third goal 2 1/2 minutes later. They never looked back.
Michigan captain Matt Herr scored Michigan's first and only goal at 3:57 of the second, but Michigan State came back with another goal just four minutes later. Berens ended the scoring with an unassisted goal off a faceoff at 6:25 in the third period, giving the center a hat trick on the evening - the first tallied against the Wolverines all season.
The two victories this weekend gave the Spartans a sweep of their conference games with Michigan. It was the first time the Wolverines were swept in a CCHA series since 1988-89, when the Spartans again took the honors.
"There's no way I feel good walking away from this rink with two losses against Michigan State my senior year," Herr said. "And I want the freshmen and everybody else on our team to feel that exact same way. I want every single guy on that team to take it personally, these two losses, because I know I do, and the rest of the seniors do."
02-23-98
| Previous Article | Next Article |
should be sent to: daily.letters@umich.edu | should be sent to: online.daily@umich.edu |