MICHIGAN 7 Ohio State 0 (Friday)
Not much to say.  Marty Turco played very well in the UM net,
stopping 28 shots.  Turco has had several outstanding games
this season, but almost all of them have come during games
that Michigan would likely have won even if Turco wasn't sharp.
The only "big" game that Turco really dominated was the Maine
contest in October.  In the games that have been decided by
goaltending, Turco hasn't fared as well.  However, the season
is just about to get interesting.  I don't know if it's my head or my
heart talking, but I think that Turco is going to be stellar in the
stretch run.
 
MICHIGAN 2 Ohio State 2 OT (Saturday)
Great game.  Michigan was clearly the better team, IMO, but OSU
netminder Tom Askey refused to yield to the Wolverines.  He
stopped 50 of 52 shots and was an easy choice as #1 star.  Former
club (Ohio University) star Jarret Whidden scored the game's first
goal at 47:27, which sent OSU into a frenzy.  Askey did his best
Sinuhe Wallinheimo impersonation as he bounced all the way out
to the blue line and back like a whooping crane.  Michigan promptly
scored twice in the next 2:01 and the crowd, myself included, gave
it to Askey unmercifully for dancing it up following the OSU goal.
However, Askey got the last laugh by walking out of Yost with a point
that Michigan could have dearly used as the CCHA enters its stretch
drive.  Gregg Malicke made his first career start in the UM net.
He looked good to me, but I was sitting on the opposite end from
where OSU scored their two goals.  Malicke was discouraged after
the game (he's very tough on himself) and felt that he let himself get
deked on one of the two goals, but all in all it was a great effort (22
saves) in his first UM start.  He received (and, IMO, deserved) the
game's second star.  Btw...OSU almost scored in the second period
when a rebound trickled behind Malicke, but defenseman Chris Fox
was there to clear the puck before it crossed the line.
 
OSU tied the score with 3:31 remaining in regulation, and Michigan
dominated from that point on...including a 5-0 shots advantage in
overtime...but couldn't produce the game winner.  Late in the game,
Kevin Hilton and John Madden both made spirited rushes up the
right side, and both were squelched by hipchecks delivered by OSU
left defenseman Craig Paterson.  The dean of CCHA chumps, Paterson
was leading the league in minus (not plus/minus, just minus) entering
the weekend.  He really ruined his stats on Saturday, because I think
he was an uncharacteristic +1.  :-)
 
Seriously, Paterson is a hecklers dream because he's an easy
target and he takes it very well.  He played a great game on Saturday
and with his hipchecks (he also caught Warren Luhning with one on
Friday night), he's one of the last of a dying breed.  Gotta love a good
hipcheck.
 
I'll be semi-surprised if OSU doesn't make the CCHA playoffs.  They
still have several of the other bottom feeders on their schedule and
the senior netminding duo of Askey and Kurt Brown (who made 48
saves in the 4-4 tie with Michigan just over a week ago) can carry
this team if need be.  If they do get into the CCHA playoffs, they're
probably the scariest team to face among the likes of OSU, Alaska
Fairbanks, Ferris State, Illinois at Chicago and Notre Dame.  None
of the others have the combination of talent and experience in goal
that OSU has...and that can do wonders in a short series.  I'm sure
Colorado College fans still see Jamie Ram in their nightmares.
 
Obligatory officials comments:  Referee Jeff Shell took one step closer
to joining the NHL ranks, because he swallowed his whistle midway
through the third period, maybe sooner.  He let a few blatant infractions
on both teams go, including one which indirectly led to Michigan's
second goal.  And, what's with the linesmen of late?  They don't seem
to want to let go of the puck.  It's been bad all year, but it has been
worse
of late.  Both of these games might have been played in two hours if
the linesmen would've dropped the puck in a reasonable amount of
time.  One of the best heckles of the weekend came from behind me
when, following a 15-20 second stand still in the faceoff circle, someone
yelled, "C'mon, I have a baby sitter at home!"
 
As for scoring king Brendan Morrison, the report I heard was that he
had a sprained wrist and was in fact wearing a cast on it.  I didn't
check to see if it was a "playing" cast or not, but I believe the decision
to sit Morrison out this past weekend wasn't made until Friday.  My
*guess* is that he'll be back in the lineup at Notre Dame this coming
Friday.  Michigan's power play (2 for 13) reverted to their early season
lethargy without him.
 
And, I have no problem with Niagra joining the CCHA.  It would be
yet another reason to drive through Ontario.  :-)
 
 
John H ([log in to unmask]) GO BLUE!
Anal retentive statistical note of the weekend: Officially, Malicke was
credited with 65:00 played on Saturday night.  In fact, Malicke was
pulled for a sixth attacker with :01 remaining in regulation and a faceoff
to the right of Askey.  So, Malicke should get 64:59 and UM's empty
net line should get another game played and :01...but, who's really
paying attention.
 
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