And now: Icers' focus shifts to No. 1 State

By Joe Smith

Daily Sports Writer

"I stopped enjoying it with five minutes left in the game," said Mike Cammalleri about notching his first career hat trick in Michigan's 9-0 drubbing of Notre Dame last night.

The Wolverines unleashed the fury on a last-place Notre Dame team with their highest scoring output of the season, a game that included hat tricks by Cammalleri and Mark Kosick.

But there was only one thing on the players' minds after the game - No. 1 Michigan State.

The much-anticipated showdown is just three days away, and with momentum having so much weight in college hockey, the Wolverines hope to carry it into Joe Louis Arena come Saturday night.

"It's especially important for a team like State, seeing that they play such great defense," said Kosick, who remembers the Spartans knocking off then-No.1 Michigan, 1-0 on November 4 of this season. "If we can go out there and lay everything on the line the first ten minutes of the game and hopefully try get a couple goals, it'll be a different game."

The Wolverines will be trying to keep pace with the red-hot Spartans, who are unbeaten in their last 23 games (20-0-3) and have shut out their last three opponents.

Michigan State holds a five-point lead on the Wolverines in the race for the coveted CCHA title, with only 15 league games remaining.

"Every game with State is a battle," defenseman Andy Burnes said. "No matter who we play before, no matter who they play before. It's going to be a war going in there Saturday night."

With the Spartans holding the top defense and goaltender in the nation, the Wolverines know they'll have their hands full - and probably wish that they could have saved some of last night's offensive firepower for Saturday.

"Both teams are going to be flying," Burnes said. "We've got to be ready as a team. This game (against Notre Dame) will be a good stepping stone for Saturday night.

Unlucky Irish: After last night's victory, Notre Dame is now 1-3-33 in its last 37 games against Michigan, and 0-15-0 in its last 15 regular season games at Yost Ice Arena.

"It's offense, it's defense, I mean you name the aspect of hockey and we didn't execute it tonight," said Notre Dame coach Dave Poulin after the loss.

Rotating heads: Inconsistency between the pipes has hampered the Irish all season, with three netminders switching spots on a game-to-game-to game basis. Notre Dame has given up four goals or more on 14 different occasions this year, including nine games with over five goals allowed.

"I sat them down in December and told them, if you win - you play," Poulin said. "End of conversation."

Bullseye: It seemed like Michigan was at a shooting gallery on the offensive end, posting a season-high 51 shots while holding the Irish to only 21. The last time the Wolverines tallied nine goals in a game was this past February 12th in a 9-3 victory over Western Michigan at Yost.

Back on track: While last night marked the first time Cammalleri lit the lamp for three goals, Kosick recorded the second hat trick of his career on his way to a four-point game - something that can only help the confidence of a senior who has struggled the past few months.

"I just like to thank God for helping me get through this last month," said Kosick about his previous nine-game goal-scoring drought, not including the three games for which he was benched. "I haven't been playing up to my top potential this past couple months and I have to start doing that to help this team."

Kosick has five points in the last two games, including the game-tying goal against Western Michigan this past Saturday.

Streaking: With four assists against Notre Dame, sophomore Andy Hilbert extended his scoring streak to a career-high 15 games.

Also, after Cammalleri's nine-game scoring streak ended in a 3-1 loss to Ohio State on January 12, he's started a new four-game binge. In those games, he's notched 10 points, including three goals and an assist last night.

Down but not out: Michigan forwards Jed Ortmeyer and Scott Matzka each left last night's game early due to nagging injuries. Ortmeyer's knee cap "kind of popped out and back in" in the first period according to Michigan coach Red Berenson, and Matzka sat out the third period after bruising his hand. Berenson said he hopes they will both be ready for the weekend.

BRANDON SEDLOFF/Daily

Mark Kosick finishes his second career-hat trick via Jeremiah Kimento's five-hole. The center returned to form last night with a four-point performance.