I thought some of you might be interested in the following article, which
appeared in the Lansing State Journal today.
 
--Mark McCullen
 
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"Bizarre Happenings", by Neil Koepke, Lansing State Journal, 1/27/94
(reprinted without permission)
 
There must have been a full moon last weekend, based on the strange incidents
that occurred in the CCHA.
 
On Friday, Lake Superior State forward Kurt Miller was upset as the game
ended and apparently fired the puck at linesman Larry Lulich.  The Lakers
lost to BGSU, 5-4.  Miller was given a game disqualification penalty, which
carries with it an automatic one-game suspension, for abuse of an official.
He sat out Saturday's game.
 
In Columbus on Friday, Illinois-Chicago coach Larry Pedrie was hit with a
game-misconduct penalty for comments made to an official after his team had
defeated Ohio State, 5-1.  At first, it was thought that Pedrie was given a
game disqualification and that he wouldn't be able to coach the next night at
Kent.  But a game misconduct penalty assessed to a coach doesn't carry a
suspension.  Only the CCHA commissioner, with the executive committee's
approval, can suspend a coach.
 
On Saturday at Munn Arena, U-M trainer Rick Bancroft was given a bench
penalty in the first period for comments made to Referee Steve Piotrowski.
It came just after MSU's Anson Carter sent U-M's Jason Botterill flying with
a heavy check in front of the Wolverine bench.  Coach Red Berenson and his
players immediately jumped up and complained that a penalty should be called
on Carter.  After Botterill wobbled woozily into the U-M bench and was met by
Bancroft, the Wolverine trainer made his opinion known loudly and clearly and
Piotrowski immediately pointed at Bancroft and made the call.
 
A few minutes later Michigan assistant coach Mel Pearson lost control in the
pressbox while complaining about the officiating to CCHA director of
officials Dave Fisher.  MSU sports information director Ken Hoffman had to
restrain Pearson and heated words were exchanged before calm was restored.