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. HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.