WCHA experience may help Michigan

Although the Michigan hockey team has not once faced Denver this season, the two teams have seen some of the same competition.

The Wolverines got to taste WCHA-flavor hockey on two separate occasions over the holidays.

During Thanksgiving break, while many students inhaled turkey and stuffing, Michigan was on the road getting a healthy dose of the WCHA at the College Hockey Showcase. The Wolverines managed a victory over Minnesota, 3-2, and tied Wisconsin, 1-1.

Michigan winger Josh Langfeld said the Olympic-size ice surface that is commonplace in the WCHA gives rise to smaller, speedier players on the whole.

"It's a lot more wide open," Langfeld said. "The WCHA is definitely a good brand of hockey."

Michigan's other encounter with the western conference came over winter break - in the form of a 4-1 drubbing of Michigan Tech at the Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 26.

"I don't think there's a big difference," between the WCHA and CCHA, Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "The big difference is the goals scored (average per game). Maybe our league is a little more defensive, or less skilled offensively."

That said, Denver may be the most CCHA-like team in the 'W.'

The Pioneers are "big, they grind and check hard," Langfeld said.

Denver leads its league in penalty minutes per game with 19.62, but despite a WCHA goals-allowed average of 3.39, they are fifth best in the conference standings.

Michigan - also fifth in league goals allowed - averages a stingy 2.40.

"Everybody thinks they have the better league," Michigan's Mark Kosick said.

Incidentally, the CCHA topped the WCHA in the games against each other this season - 11-7-1.

The flip side: The other two CCHA teams in first-round action this Friday will face opponents from the Hockey East conference.

Northern Michigan, a No. 5 seed in the West, will face last year's NCAA runner-up, Boston College.

The Eagles are coming off a Hockey East playoff title, but won't have any kind of home-ice advantage as they will meet the Wildcats in Madison instead of Worcester, Mass., the sight of the East Regional.

Boston College will apply a large amount of offensive pressure to the Wildcats. The Eagles lead Hockey East with a league average of 4.15 goals per game.

But as Michigan fans are well aware, Northern's offense is nothing to scoff at either. Led by forward J.P. Vigier, the Wildcats averaged 3.13 goals per game in the defense-oriented CCHA.

Ohio State, who will also travel east to Worcester, is set to face No. 3 seed Maine in Friday's early game. Also members of Hockey East, the Bears are better known for their defensive ability.

With a league average of 2.65 goals allowed per game, Maine is second in its conference behind top-seeded New Hampshire.

Similarly, thanks in part to the play of goaltender Jeff Maund, the Buckeyes allow only 2.20 goals per game - good enough to be ranked second in the CCHA (behind Michigan State).

The CCHA was on the short end of a 5-7-1 overall record to Hockey East this season.

03-24-99