LAKE SUPERIOR-BOWLING GREEN
===========================
> A beautiful "send a message" game.
 
Lake Superior dominated this game start to finish and looked like they
could beat anyone.  They will WIN the National Championship with four
games like this.  Their game really does in my opinion make oppositions
look horrible (Ditto LSSU-Michigan at Abel 3 weeks ago Saturday).
 
> I thought that both would-be Laker goals that referee Matt Shegos waved
> off were good calls.
 
Two not just good but outstanding calls.  Another reason to recall
LSSU-Michigan.  Two goals taken away prevented that game from being 9-2;
and two goals preventing this game from being 9-0.  Lake State's fans boo
much louder at the Joe than Michigan fans boo at Yost.
 
> Mike Savard
 
Made some great saves but let four or five goals in also.  Lake State
made this game look so easy because of him but I think he will bounce back.
 
> Bates Battaglia
 
Solid two-way player but did not seem to have a good game let alone
weekend.  Taking too many penalties for a player with that talent.  Kevin
Hilton still is the best two-way player in the CCHA.  Just more of a pure
hockey player.
 
> Matt Eldred & Brett Punchard
 
Eldred just is not the physical player that Punchard is.  Interesting how
Eldred has more penalty minutes and how Punchard hardly ever gets
penaltized.  Punchard has the better stats which might explain something.
 
> Kelly Perrault
 
For BG to be good, Kelly Perrault has to be the guy; however, what did he
do?  Nothing.  Kelly for a defenseman is having the season Anson Carter
is having for a forward.  Not stepping up in the big games.  What I mean
is 2 or more points in crunch time.
 
> BG Conclusion
 
Bowling Green clearly looked like a team not interested in making the
NCAA and didn't Friday.  This is a better team than their record indicates
but the inconsistency on this team next season must translate into
consistency for BG to challenge next season.  I seriously thought they
would finish ahead of Michigan State this season and I will also put them
ahead of Michigan State in the fall.  Bowling Green is right behind
Michigan and Lake Superior at their best.
 
MICHIGAN-MICHIGAN STATE
=======================
> Chad Alban-Mike Brusseau
 
Each goalie got picked apart but when?  Alban right away and Brusseau
eventually.  Look a major goaltending controversy to come up in the future.
Will be crucial in the Spartans' success.  Too bad we may have heard the
last of GM to get an opinion but I seriously wonder if MSU fans are
starting to feel the same way.  Alban still should be #1 but is Ron
trying to develop Brusseau to take over Alban when he does not produce or
what?  Something strange here.
 
> It was Madden's ninth shorthander of the season and it put one big
> nail in the MSU coffin.
 
The perfect game winning goal and the exchange between Hayes and Madden
starting at center ice was totally classic but I believe Hayes got Keyes
off the puck with a great play.  Appetizer #1.  Three or four speedy (I mean
SPEEDY) passes between Hayes and Madden. (Two players that must be out on
that ice permanently for shorthanded situations otherwise Michigan's
shorthanded play is less than average.  Extremely important in the NCAA's
especially against a team like Minnesota.)  Appetizer #2.  Then the main
course as Madden took a classic shot and BOOM!!  The puck is in the net.
The most exciting 15 seconds of the game!  You could sum up this game on
just that play.  This was the BEST GOAL BARNONE of the evening possibly
the weekend.  The momentum shifted permanently the rest of the play and
Michigan held on and won convincingly.  But not before . . .
 
> UM's Bubba Berenzweig pops Anson Carter going into the corner.  Anson
> pops him back.  Bubba again.  Anson again.  You get the picture.  What
> happens?  Bubba goes for four and Anson goes for two.  Yeah, right.
> Quite a way to get the first two penalties of your college career
> though, mixing it up with Anson Carter.
 
Very sad to see Bubba get penaltized for the first time in his collegiate
career (so important that I mentioned it in my box on Info).  I seriously
wanted to cry LOUDLY.  I gave them a standing ovation for 2-3 minutes but
I am happy he attempted to knock some sense into Anson's head.  Will
this be the beginning of Bubba trying to be another Chris Tamer or is
he concentrating more on being another Pat Neaton?  Michigan's fans
prefer the later (I hope).  Where has Anson Carter been against Michigan
or anyone else lately especially at Joe Louis Arena?  No points and 1
2-minute penalty.  (Surprisingly, Tony Tuzzolino (MSU's most penaltized
player), had a very quiet game.  One assist and no penalties.)
 
> UM added a late goal for a 6-2 win.  Other than for obvious reasons,
> I was happy to see MSU eliminated because they haven't worn
> a CCHA patch on their jerseys for at least two years running, so
> why should they be allowed a shot at the CCHA title...regular or
> post-season.
 
If any Spartan could explain this (Glen?), please do.  Isn't there
supposed to be a rule requiring teams to wear the CCHA patch in whatever
games they play.
 
MSU CONCLUSION
==============
This by the way is the second year in a row that Michigan has defeated
Michigan State four times in one season.  This had not been done since
Michigan last won the national title in 1964.  Michigan State really
needs to make Munn a devastating place to play like it used 10 years ago
to make the Final Four as they have to go toward a good Lowell team with
ex-Kent player David Dartsch one of its standouts.  This looks to be a
better team than the one that beat MSU two years ago at Munn.  Colorado
College will be extremely difficult but REMEMBER THIS!!  This will be
CC's first game in 16 days and this along with MSU's home ice could give
the Spartans a chance.  Do not count out the Spartans yet.  They had a
bad finish but with Ron Mason bringing the team together and firing them
up for home NCAA Tournament games; they are still a force to wrecken with.
 
OFFICIATING FRIDAY
==================
Very surprising that Matt Shegos called 19 penalties.  Did not take too
much from the players.  Two excellent goals with the no-goals.  Mark
Shegos had a typical performance with 21 penalties.  No surprise he was
the one to call Bubba with the first penalties.  Why does Dave Kronenberg
always seem to officiate just Michigan Hockey games?  Michigan hockey
fans see him as much as they do the Michigan team itself.
 
 
==========================
Kenneth M. Baker
University of Michigan '96
RECORD: 30- 7- 2
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
==========================
 
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