Michigan has holiday blues after falling to Bucks, Michigan State

Maybe the holidays aren't the best time of the year after all.

The Michigan hockey team may attest to that after its 10-game unbeaten streak came to a close in a 3-1 loss to Michigan State in the Great Lakes Invitational championship. It was Michigan's second straight loss to the Spartans in the GLI, after Michigan had won the previous nine tournaments.

Even the New Year blew in on the wrong note for Michigan with a 1-0 loss to Ohio State in the inaugural game of the Buckeyes' Value City Arena on Jan. 2.

"We're concerned because we've been playing with a short lineup," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "We were in both games, we had enough chances, but I still don't think we played that well. At least I didn't go away from these two games knowing th

AP PHOTO The Spartans, led by backup goaltender Mike Gresl, hoisted the GLI trophy at Joe Louis Arena for the second straight year.

at we can't play, because we can."

The Buckeyes' new home wasn't friendly to either team for two periods of rough, penalty-ridden hockey. Ohio State's Chris Richards finally broke the scoreless tie on a power-play goal with 6:09 remaining in the contest.

Josh Blackburn recovered nicely after giving up three goals to the Spartans in the GLI title game, stifling the Buckeyes with 29 saves. The defense, in the absence of Mike Van Ryn and Jeff Jillson, kept the Buckeyes at bay for much of the contest. But the Michigan offense struggled for the second straight game, and was outshot, 30-21.

Berenson pulled Blackburn with a minute remaining, but like the power play all night, the extra icer did nothing to spark Michigan's offense. The Wolverines left Columbus with nothing more to look forward to but a long and snowy ride home.

Mother Nature had not wreaked her havoc upon the Midwest on Dec. 27, but for the Wolverines, a different type of cold climate hung over them at Joe Louis Arena.

For the second straight year, Michigan State hoisted the GLI trophy after beating the Wolverines.

The Spartans showed desire straight out of the lockerroom, scoring 69 seconds into the game on Jeff Kozakowski's second goal of the season.

"I think we have to be better prepared before the game," freshman Mike Comrie said. "We won (the day before) and maybe we should have focused on (Michigan State) a little more."

Michigan State's Damon Whitten added a power play goal 11 minutes later, and Bryan Adams slashed deeper into the Wolverines' GLI hopes with a shorthanded tally early in the second.

Michigan's offense struck only once, a lone goal from Comrie in the third period, after a brilliant behind-the-back pass from Mark Kosick

"We haven't wanted it as much as we used to," senior captain Bubba Berenzweig said. "Those teams back (in 1995 and 1996), they were above and beyond everyone else. This team has to work a lot harder, and we're not working hard enough."

The Wolverines were able to muster a victory in the first game, a 4-1 thrashing of Michigan Tech.

Sean Peach and Andrew Merrick each tallied their first goals of the season and Josh Langfeld and Sean Ritchlin added scores of their own to help the Wolverines to victory.

01-06-99