Hockey tries to stretch lead

High-intensity games have been somewhat forgotten around the Michigan hockey team as of late. After five wins in five games over the worst of the CCHA (Ohio State twice and Bowling Green, Western Michigan and Alaska-Fairbanks each once), the fourth-ranked Wolverines (14-2-1 CCHA, 20-4-1 overall) are finally looking at a fair fight.

The Wolverines travel to Oxford, Ohio, this weekend for a two-game series against No. 7 Miami (10-5-2, 15-5-2). They will face the RedHawks tonight and tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Goggin Ice Arena.

"We have to play as well as we can in big games - and these are big games," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "I can't tell you that the last five games have been big games, but these are big games against a team that we could be facing in a playoff

JOHN KRAFT/Daily Dave Huntzicker and the first-place Michigan hockey team will try to extend their lead in the CCHA this weekend as they take on third-place Miami (Ohio).

environment."

Players alike are well aware of the importance of this weekend's games, especially because of Michigan's recently weak schedule.

"This is like the turning point in the season, whether we go forward or we go backward," Michigan center Bobby Hayes said. "These two games are probably the most important games this season for us right now."

Berenson has reason to be concerned about his own team's game. Michigan has seemed to play to its level of its competition recently - poorly - yet still has pulled out victories. But this weekend, Berenson knows the Wolverines cannot make the same mistakes against the RedHawks.

"We have not been playing the top teams, so we've got to break some habits that we have gotten into," Berenson said. "I'm hoping that our team can come up and play at a better level than we have played at in recent games."

Specifically, Michigan will have to hone its special teams, which have faltered the past three weeks. Michigan's power-play unit was a non-factor against Alaska and Western Michigan, Berenson said. But even more important for the Wolverines this weekend will be the play of their penalty killers, who will face one of the best power-play teams in the CCHA.

Miami also has one of the top offensive-defenders in college hockey in senior Dan Boyle. Boyle, a Hobey Baker candidate, is pacing the RedHawks with 34 points and is third in the CCHA in overall scoring.

In addition to the defense's offensive game, Berenson expects to see yet another physical game from a team trying to bang up his squad.

"I think they'll be as physical and stronger than Western - I don't know if they're going to be as undisciplined," Berenson said. "It seems like every team we play, we get their best physical game. They think that if they play physical, they can beat Michigan.

"Our players are going to have to show up and expect to be hit, and get some hits in themselves," Berenson said.

Helping to bolster Michigan's lineup will be freshman defenseman Mike VanRyn, who returns from a groin injury, and senior forward Matt Herr, who returns from a one-game suspension.

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