Random thoughts on the 1995 College Hockey Showcase:
(Minnesota > Michigan & Michigan State > Wisconsin)
 
 -- Following another visit, I still think the Bradley Center is
the nicest non-campus venue that I've ever seen.
 
 -- Following another visit, Milwaukee is still a much better
town to kill time in than Detroit or St Paul (other Showcase
sites).  Now, if they would get a decent sportscard store...
 
 -- The games were occasionally entertaining and often
boring.  The fact that Wisconsin is having a down season
did not detract from the pleasure of seeing the Badgers
drop a pair.
 
 -- Although all published accounts concur that neither
Botterill (Mich) or Strobel (UW) threw a punch in their Friday
fracas, I think I would have DQ'ed them.  It was at the other
end of the ice from where I was sitting, but there was an awful
lot of shoving/flailing/etc.  Maybe I should brush up on the
rules because all of the coaches, including Mason and
Woog who stood to benefit, said that they didn't believe
DQ's were warranted.  Of course, Botterill's reputation is
such that if he so much as crosses his eyes he's going
to go to the box (or the showers).
 
 -- Wisconsin apparently has no backup goaltender because
they were sending people to the box for even approaching
Daubenspeck.  I've never seen such a pampered and
protected netminder.  Alban (MSU), DeBus (Minn) and Turco
(Mich) received the standard treatment, but if you sneezed
near Daubenspeck you were gone.
 
 -- Once again the two-referee system proved to be a joke.
The line calls were considerably worse that what I'm accustomed
to in the CCHA.  (And believe me, there's room for improvement
over here.)  I particularly thought that MSU was getting shafted
both nights when it came to icings and offsides.  I'm often unhappy
with the CCHA officiating, but (IMO) it is better than what I've seen
elsewhere.
 
 -- Minnesota is the best team Michigan has faced this season.
That said, the general consensus among the Michigan section
was that the Wolverines would win 7 of 10 if they played on a
regular basis.  (Take that for what it's worth.)  Michigan looked
very flat on Saturday (too content with the football team's win,
perhaps?) and Minnesota outworked them.  The nothing half
of Michigan's all-or-nothing power play showed up.  Several
people have commented on the Wolverine's speed, but I (and
those with me) thought that Michigan looked very slow versus
the Gophers.  The normal spring in their stride and cuts just
wasn't there.
 
 -- Minnesota's Brian Bonin impressed me very much.  He
helped out his bid for the Hobey for sure.  Woog matched
him up against Anson Carter on Friday and Brendan Morrison
on Saturday and Bonin's line got stronger as each game
progressed.
 
 -- Don't get one of your defensemen trapped in the Gopher
zone!!  Minnesota's most dangerous play was to hold (yes,
hold) an opposing defenseman that pinched in too far and
create an odd-man rush in their favor.  They worked it to
perfection both nights.  And, it's going to continue to work
until someone has the gumption to whistle the hold behind
the play.
 
 -- No complaints with the All-Showcase (or whatever)
team.  DeBus was the only choice in goal.  Crowley (Minn)
was typically solid and Harold Schock was strong on
defense for the Wolverines.  Bonin was great, Kraft was
the most dangerous player on the ice for last half of the
Minn-MSU game and Hilton (Mich) was the best non-
Gopher throughout the weekend.  His late, unassisted
goal on Saturday to draw Michigan within one of Minnesota
may have been the best goal of the event.  I couldn't
believe that he was able to fend of the Gopher defenseman
given that he could barely stand on his own two feet (flu)
at the hotel.
 
 -- Ron Mason made a commendable move by sitting
high profile forward Richard Keyes on Saturday.  I figured
that it would light a fire under Keyes butt for the Michigan
game.
 
MICHIGAN STATE 4 Michigan 3 (Tuesday)
It's obvious that the CCHA isn't going to roll over, play
dead and allow Michigan to waltz to another title.  This
was a tough one to lose for the blue and a good win to
have for the green.
 
Three things that decided the game:
(1) Anson Carter scoring with :15 remaining in the first
to send the teams off at 2-2.  That was sure a deflater,
given that UM outplayed the Spartans for most of the
first period.
(2) An apparent UM goal being disallowed in the
second period that would have regained the lead
for the blue.  Michigan had 2-on-1 break with the
puck on right wing and Morrison driving down the
center of the ice.  The winger flipped a hard, high
pass over the D's stick that hit Morrison in the chest/
shoulder and went in.  Tough call.  Judgment call.
I'd like to see a replay, to get a second look at it.
My beef is that a replay would allow referee Jeff
Shell to get a FIRST look at it.  Shell looked to make
the call based on fan reaction (i.e. it would have
been a goal in Ann Arbor) because he was in NO
position to see the play.  To be honest, I'm not sure
what the proper procedure is in that situation because
it was Shell's call to make and he didn't see it.
(Please don't tell me this wouldn't happen with a
second ref. :-)
(3) MSU stoning Michigan when the blue had a 5-on-3
advantage.  The crowd responded with the usual
jubilance, but it wasn't as major an achievement as
one would expect...because the UM power play has
SUCKED for the better part of this season.  (Bring back
the Nanooks, they were the perfect tonic for an otherwise
impotent power play.)
 
Carter's opening goal was unique.  He made a nice
play to deflect a pass near the UM blueline, chipping
it high into the air.  He then outpositioned the UM
defenseman and drilled the puck off a bounce past
Turco.  I don't know about you, but if I toss a puck
8-9 feet in the air and try to play it off the bounce I'm
just happy to make contact.  Carter made contact and
placed it just where it needed to go to beat Turco.
 
Michigan took a 2-1 lead on a pair of goals by freshman
forwards Sean Ritchlin (his 2nd) and Dale Rominski (his
1st).  That lead looked safe until Carter literally blew by
Steven Halko on the left side and broke in on Turco.
Marty got a piece of the shot, but it trickled in behind him.
I honestly don't believe Halko saw Carter streaking up the
side (without the puck).  By the time Halko saw him coming
it was too late.  Carter had the speed and the angle to the
puck to create a breakaway.
 
State took a 3-2 lead with a power play goal by Taylor
Clarke, camped down low.  The UM defense (Peter Bourke
and Harold Schock) didn't clear anyone out in front of
Turco.  Michigan struggled (and struggled and...) to even
the score, and Brendan Morrison finally tallied with under
7:00 remaining.  They had climbed the mountain.  About
90 seconds later, Steve Ferranti pushed them off the
mountain.  There was a brief scramble in front of the UM
net and it appeared that Turco had dropped a glove on
the puck but he obviously hadn't secured it because it only
took Ferranti one poke to put it in the back of the net.  Of
course, Ferranti shouldn't have been allowed even one
poke, but the UM defensemen (Bourke and Schock again)
were taking a non-participatory role in the crease.
 
Overall, I think Michigan received a *slight* advantage
as far as the penalty calls (and non-calls).  It certainly
evens out with the Morrison non-goal, so let's call the
officiating a wash and give the Spartans the W.
 
Kenneth Baker posted the three stars (presumably from
WTKA radio in Ann Arbor) as Carter, Alban and Turco.
The three stars announced at the game were Ferranti,
Carter and Alban.  From were I was sitting, the three stars
were:
 
(1) Anson Carter/MSU.  Carter was a presence.  He notched
the first two Spartan goals and did a good job of creating
scoring chances and drawing penalties throughout the game.
It wasn't his best game but it was his best game against
Michigan, who had contained him fairly well for three years.
(2) Taylor Clarke/MSU.  Clarke is a goober who seems to
find himself in the right place at the right time.
(3) Chad Alban/MSU.  Alban stopped enough rubber to earn
the win.  (I believe the final shots on goal were 30-19 in favor
of Michigan.)
 
As for Richard Keyes, the fire lit under hit butt did nothing
but land him in the penalty box.  Probably not the reaction
Mason was looking for.
 
This was also the first game that Berenson sat freshman
defenseman Bubba Berenzweig.  Bubba zombied his way
through Saturday's game and right out of the lineup.
However, as disappointing as Bubba's play was versus
Minnesota, it wasn't unexpected or unexplainable.
(1) There is a serious illness in his family, which has to
be a distraction.
(2) Most of the other Wolverines zombied their way through
the Minnesota game, too.
(3) I expect freshmen defenseman to look silly ever now and
then.
Hopefully a one-game hiatus is the tonic.  Michigan needs
Berenzweig to gradually strengthen his play throughout
December and the season's second half.
 
What I can't explain is why Michigan couldn't seem to get
up for playing Michigan State.  Another question mark (for
me) is why Coach Berenson juggled the line-up, notably
the defensive pairs, as much as he did versus Minnesota
and MSU.  I know that November is a good time to experiment,
but the defense *seemed* to be cruising along...and it was
close to falling apart in the two recent losses.  Hopefully
these November woes will pay dividends in March.
 
Miscellaneous (INFO-)HOCKEY-L notes:
(1) I met the newest member of the Finniss clan...much cuter
than Dad. :-)
(2) I may not be making my customary posts of the CCHA
standings, special teams and individual leaders in the future.
The university is discontinuing the modem service that I use
to get this info.  I'm trying to locate a solution that will keep the
statis quo, but as yet I haven't.
 
 
John H ([log in to unmask]) 10-3-0 / 7-2-0 CCHA
 
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