First, a comment and correction.
 
Greg Ambrose writes...
>without the box, would the average fan know that BU was
>called for delay of game at the start of the second period
>because the team was late in coming out of the locker
>room?  When was the last time THAT was called, especially
>against Jack Parker?
 
I can't say as to Parker, but it was called on Michigan just
two weekends ago at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.  One
of the only "goods" calls made by the man in orange stripes
that weekend, IMO.
 
Greenie writes...
>Michigan ekes out a 3-2 overtime victory over Ferris State after trailing
>2-1 heading into the third stanza, then travels to Ewigleben Ice Arena (say
>that three times fast) and blows a 3-0 lead in in a 5-minute span of the
>second period (Ferris scores twice in 20 seconds). Marty?
 
The second game was actually at Van Andel Arena in Grand
Rapids, site of last season's West Regional.
 
Here are the scoring summaries from the FSU-UM
series, as I don't have the boxes.
 
MICHIGAN 3 Ferris State 2 OT (Yost Ice Arena) Friday
18:56 M Hayes 4 (Muckalt)
22:14 F Colborne 1 (unassisted)
33:31 F Kowalski 5 (McCullough,Colborne) 4-on-4
42:21 M Muckalt 8 (Kosick) pp
61:49 M Muckalt 9 (Hayes)
Saves: FSU Owen (10-8-6-1--25) UM Turco (6-12-10-1--29)
Attendance: 6457
 
Note that Ferris outshot Michigan.  Marty Turco was solid
in net, making several key saves in the third period to get
this game to overtime.  Also note, fwiw, all five goals were
scored at the south end of the arena.  Tilted ice?
 
As the score indicates, this was a close game.  The smaller
Bulldogs seemed to get the best of the bigger Wolverines
in the physical play.  Notably, 5-9 defenseman Brett Colborne
was knocking around UM's big wingers.  Colborne also
added 1-1--2 offensively...an outstanding all-around game.
 
I thought the officiating was fairly good, with FSU getting the
advantage of the early no calls while UM benefitted from
the swallow-the-whistle in OT practice.  In the first period,
FSU defenseman Mike Maas drilled Bobby Hayes from
behind, several seconds after the play was whistled offside.
I thought a double-minor was justified, but nothing was called.
Fast forward to OT and the whistle was put away as Turco
tripped Kowalski behind the UM net and, from my angle, it
appeared that Greg Crozier pulled down a Bulldog in the
corner of the FSU zone...who subsequently fell on the puck
to create a faceoff to the right of Owen.  UM changes lines
to get Rominski-Hayes-Muckalt out with the defensive pair
of Peach-Van Ryn.  Hayes moves in to take the draw, Peach
moves from the left point to LW, Rominski slides over to the
right side of Hayes, Muckalt moves to the left point with Van
Ryn on the right.  Hayes cleanly wins the draw back to Muckalt
who rips a shot into Owen, who smothers it.  Now, repeat.
Again, Hayes wins the faceoff, this time drawing the puck
a little more into the middle of the ice.  Hayes ties up the
FSU center, Rominski ties up his man (interference?...not
in OT) and Muckalt buries his second opportunity to finish
2-1--3 on the night.
 
Muckalt, Turco and Hayes were clearly the stars for Michigan
as Colborne and, to a lesser degree, Kowalski were for FSU.
 
FERRIS STATE 3 Michigan 3 OT (Van Andel Arena) Sunday
 6:42 M Hayes 5 (Rominski,Magnuson)
19:59 M Hayes 6 (Langfeld,Muckalt) pp
28:40 M Muckalt 10 (Van Ryn,Turco) 4-on-4
31:13 F Homer 4 (Swider,Irwin)
31:33 F Irwin 5 (Swider)
35:15 F Wishart 3 (Irwin,Dube) pp
Saves: UM Turco (6-11-8-2--27) FSU Owen (7-8-6-0--21)
Attendance: 4438
 
Note that Ferris once again outshot the Wolverines, including
the OT session.  I wasn't at the game, so I can't comment
directly on the three quick Bulldog goals...two coming on the
same shift.  But, I'm not surprised.  Michigan is a very young
team.  Coach Berenson uses nine freshmen (Kahler, Koch,
Kosick, Langfeld, Matzka and Trainor at forward...Crawford,
Huntzicker and Van Ryn on defense) on most nights.  They're
also playing without captain Matt Herr...who has missed the
last ten games and doesn't look to be returning any time soon.
At this point, if Herr doesn't return by Christmas I would consider
redshirting him and bringing him back for 1998-99.
 
Lastly, I know it's very early, but how about the goaltending
around the CCHA.  Looking at the 1996-97 overall stats, only
three starters had a goals against average under 3.00, and
there were no save percentages in the 90's:
    Turco (Michigan) 2.27 & 89.4
    Alban (Michigan State) 2.72 & 89.4
    Prior (Miami) 2.74 & 89.5
 
Turning to 1997-98, look at the eleven starters...wow!
    Alban (Michigan State) 1.44 & 92.1
    Prior (Miami) 2.21 & 91.1
    Barnes (Western Michigan) 2.23 & 91.5
    Hoey (Northern Michigan) 2.26 & 90.2
    Turco (Michigan) 2.44 & 90.2
    Eisler (Notre Dame) 2.49 & 91.8
    Aho (Ohio State) 2.63 & 89.5
    Owen (Ferris State) 3.05 & 88.5
    Galatiuk (Lake Superior) 3.08 & 89.5
    Savard (Bowling Green) 3.49 & 87.9
    Marvel (Alaska Fairbanks) 5.59 & 84.8
 
Nine of eleven under 3.10 with an 88.5 or better.  Are the
goaltenders that much better or is the loss of Michigan's
seniors along with snipers such as Randy Robitaille and
Mike Watt being felt league-wide to this degree.  Probably
a mix of both.
 
 
John Haeussler ([log in to unmask])
University of Michigan: 7-3-1 overall / 4-2-1 CCHA
 
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