G.M. Finniss writes (on Saturday)...
>By the way, to the U-M fans who were harping back to last year when UIC
took a
>game from you guys, I think last night's game (and tonight's) sort of
>dispelled the "upset" myth.  Just try not to burn out the goal judges'
lights tonight.
>Actually, go ahead.  We'd prefer to have you guys all "scored out" when you
>get to the Joe.
 
Saturday's 9-5 Michigan victory over UIC was a sloppy game.  UM head coach
Red Berenson called it "Christmas hockey"...a lot of offense and a lot of
players thinking about heading home rather than playing the game.
 
As for being "scored out", we shall see, but Michigan will definitely be
"rostered out".  Assuming Jason Botterill earns a spot on the Canadian WJC
team, UM will head to the GLI with only 12 forwards and 7 defensemen.
 
As for the Blaine Lacher incident (minor+minor+misconduct+game misconduct)
in the LSSU-MTU series...Lacher has always been a hot-head.  The Lakers
usually rally around him.  After LSSU's slow start, I questioned whether the
Lakers may have actually missed Lacher's intensity more than his goaltending
(he missed about a dozen games due to injury).
 
However, one must take the good with the bad...kind of like having Billy
Martin as your manager.  Sometimes Lacher's intensity is a rallying point,
other times he is simply out of control.
 
Michigan's Steve Shields is also a mix-it-up goaltender.  Believe me,
everyone who plays Michigan or LSSU at least makes some attempt to rile
Shields or Lacher.  In last year's UM-LSSU CCHA semifinal, Michigan's Ryan
Sittler was knocked down behind the Laker net as the play was about to head
in the opposite direction.  Nine players and three officials were skating
toward the Michigan zone when Sittler got to his feet and began to chase
after them.  However, on his way he took time to tap Lacher on the top of
the head with the blade of his stick!  Nothing hard, no intent to injure,
just an insulting little "pop" on the noggin.  This wouldn't be done to a
Craig Lisko (Ferris) or Richard Shulmistra (Miami), etc., but with the
officials looking up ice it might just be enough to entice Lacher to do
something stupid later in the period.
 
(Postscript: In this case it wasn't enough.  LSSU defeated Michigan then
Miami in the title game and Lacher was named the championship MVP.)
 
 
  John H
  U Mich