'M' icers bake Alaska, 5-1

In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward bought the entire territory of Alaska from the Russians for a little more than $7 million. Americans, thinking Alaska to be nothing but a frozen wasteland, named the deal "Seward's Folly."

After Saturday's game against the Wolverines (14-2-1 CCHA, 20-4-1 overall), the Alaska-Fairbanks hockey team was probably cursing the sale for another reason.

The combination of a grueling flight from Alaska, a Friday match against Michigan State, and a well-rested Michigan hockey team made the Nanooks (6-16-1, 7-18-2) prime targets for the Wolverines. Michigan easily knocked off Alaska, 5-1, in front of 6,477 at Yost Ice Arena on Saturday.

"That's a tough trip for Alaska, too," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "For them to have to come down and play Michigan State one night and play us, as a rested team, the next night - that's weak scheduling."

JOHN KRAFT/Daily The Michigan hockey team defeated Alaska-Fairbanks, 5-1, this weekend. The Wolverines sit atop the CCHA standings.

The Wolverines took advantage of the weak scheduling to pour in one of their most impressive offensive performances of the season - and this despite receiving no goals from star forward Bill Muckalt for the second straight game.

Picking up the offensive slack were names that have been conspicuously absent from the scoring column recently - left wing Greg Crozier, who scored his fourth goal of the season, and right wing Justin Clark, who tallied his second.

"You can't keep playing without scoring," Berenson said. "You're not contributing enough to the team. You have to be a threat to score, unless you're a real limited-role player. But a guy like Crozier should be a goal-scorer."

Crozier stepped up on Saturday when it seemed a tentative Michigan offense would be too cautious against the Nanooks' defense. During the first five minutes of the game, the home crowd became impatient with the Wolverines as they continuously passed the puck along the point, having trouble penetrating Alaska's defense.

As soon as Michigan became more assertive, good things started to happen for the Wolverines. At 10:33 in the first, a Muckalt shot from the right slot bounced off Alaska goaltender Ian Perkins. Crozier was waiting for the puck and snuck it by Perkins for Michigan's first goal of the evening.

The game was rife with ticky-tack penalties, with Alaska racking up 15 and Michigan earning 16. The Wolverines took advantage of the scrappy style of play, capitalizing on a power play for their second goal of the period at 19:06.

Freshman center Mark Kosick managed to stick in the puck off the rebound of another deflected shot. Muckalt earned another assist on the play for their second goal of the period at 19:06. Center Mark Kosick stuck in the puck off the rebound of another deflected shot. Muckalt earned another assist on the play, giving him two assists for the game, despite being held without a goal.

JOHN KRAFT/Daily Michigan freshman Dave Huntzicker helped back up a solid defensive effort for the Wolverines on Saturday night. Michigan only allowed the Nanooks 17 shots.

Michigan increased the margin of the lead to 3-0 in the second period. At 4:22, Clark took a nice feed from Bill Trainor, skated behind the Alaska net and scored on a wraparound from the right.

For a while, it seemed as if Michigan might pull off the shutout. The Wolverines outshot the Nanooks, 45-17, on the night.

But a goal from Alaska center Jeff Trembecky pulled the Nanooks within two just 27 seconds into the third period.

If there were any doubts that Michigan would pull out a victory, junior center Bobby Hayes quickly erased them. Hayes scored his first goal of the night at 10:25 in the third, giving Michigan a 4-1 lead.

Hayes finished off the scoring with just eight minutes remaining in the game. Muckalt - frustrated all night by cheap penalties - had been tossed from the game a minute earlier, after receiving a 10-minute game misconduct.

But Hayes answered back, scoring a shorthanded goal on a breakaway shot.

Hayes said it's important for Michigan to win without goals from Muckalt, but said Muckalt's two-game "slump" is partly the fault of the Wolverines.

"I still don't think our line played up to our ability," Hayes said. "If our line's going 110 percent, then Billy Muckalt's going to score a couple of goals. I got a couple breaks, made a couple moves, was able to put the puck in the net.

"We're going to need Billy, but it's good to see some other guys scoring."

01-20-98