Emotion helps 'M' outmuscle Lakers

In a physical CCHA opener last night, the Michigan hockey team defeated Lake Superior, 2-0, at Yost Ice Arena.

Pregame emotion gave rise to a penalty-ridden first period, as six Lakers and two Wolverines were sent to the box. Michigan capitalized early on a four-on-three power play when senior assistant captain Dale Rominski took a feed from Scott Crozier to dump in the 1-0 goal.

"Either Crozier was going to score, or it was gong to deflect my way," Rominski said. "So I just backed off the net and I basically had the whole net - I actually caught the top of (the goalie's) pad."

Rough play continued to dominate the period, allowing for just 7:06 of five-on-five action from the drop of the puck to the first intermission. A total of 52 penalty minutes were handed out by the end of the game.

WARREN ZINN/Daily Michigan forward Dale Rominski scored the first goal of the game at 3:26 in the first period, putting the puck past Lake Superior goaltender Rob Galatiuk. Rominski's score, the first of the season, turned out to be the winning goal in Michigan's 2-0 victory.

"This team (Lake Superior) is so dirty and so physical that it was a little bit expected," Michigan captain Bubba Berenzweig said.

The roughing eventually resulted in a frightening stop in the action late in the third period.

With the puck deep in the Laker zone, Lake Superior center Blaine McCauley threw Michigan sophomore Scott Matzka back-first into the boards. Matzka bore most of the impact with his head, and collapsed onto the ice in a bloody, motionless heap.

The Yost crowd fell silent as Matzka slowly regained consciousness. His movement drew cheers of relief, but Matzka could not skate off the ice without assistance.

He was later diagnosed with a minor concussion and required stitches.

"He's fine now, but there's no question he didn't know where he was for a few minutes," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "It was a clean hit, it wasn't a dirty hit. He just got his head hit pretty hard."

Before coming out of the game, Matzka set up freshman Mike Comrie for a second-period goal that all but put the Lakers away.

The goal was the first of Comrie's NCAA career, but second in the eyes of the Michigan faithful, who also saw him score against Guelph Oct. 3.

"When (Comrie) has the puck, he's like a veteran already," Berenson said of his talented freshman.

Although no points were officially recorded on power plays, Lake Superior goalie Rob Galatiuk felt the punishment of his team's 32 penalty minutes.

The Wolverines pummeled Galatiuk with 40 shots on goal, and he turned away all but two, including several stiff one-timers to the glove side.

Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn, on the other hand, enjoyed a nearly impenetrable defense much of the game. Blackburn faced just 14 shots, but still had the opportunity to make some smart and impressive plays.

"You've got to stay focused," Blackburn said after the slow night, "Watch what's going on at the other end, and be ready for anything."

Overall, Berenson was content with the outcome of the battle.

"We generated, maybe, more shots than we did good scoring chances ... but we didn't give up much, and when we did, I thought Blackburn was sharp."

10-12-98