Random thoughts for mid-March: * Michigan didn't look overly impressive in Saturday's 3-0 win over Miami, but goaltender Marty Turco did. Turco's sophomore season has been somewhat of a disappointment ...he's still winning but the primary reason for that is arguably the strength of the team in front of him. However, Turco's press clippings laud him as a playoff performer. He was outstanding versus Wisconsin and Maine in the NCAA last year. He began the CCHA post-season with a superb weekend versus Miami. This could bode well for the boys in blue. Overall, Turco's numbers are 29-7-1, 2.19, 89.3 and improving. Only a sophomore, he's looking for his 57th career win on Friday. * Brendan Morrison. IMO, I don't rave about Morrison very much (you may think otherwise) because he is Michigan's big name and everyone else talks about him. I'd rather point out that Steven Halko and Kevin Hilton have had great senior seasons, or Bubba Berenzweig and Bobby Hayes are freshmen to be excited about...but I have to get some raving in. RAVE! RAVE! RAVE! There, I feel better. Morrison (4-2--6) was dynamite in the sweep of Miami. He now has 26-37--63 in 30 games. Not Bonin-like numbers, but Morrison has played 10 games with a cast on his wrist and he didn't begin his season at 100% following a knee injury which caused him to miss UM's first six games. With 69-118--187 in 107 career games, he has an outside shot at getting his 200th career point as a junior. * Of course, a plug for the UM defense. Although they gave Miami a lot of shots in the CCHA first round, they've only allowed 20.7 shots on goal per game over 38 games. (Some credit to the forwards as well, who've played solid team defense.) Add that the blueliners have shipped in 20-87--107 offensively...again, not Mike Crowley numbers, but more than what is expected at Michigan...and you have one of the finest defenses in the land. * Miami's Kevyn Adams. I won't miss his fading star in the CCHA next season, but Adams did do something that impressed me on Saturday. He left the game in the second period due to severe back spasms. He returned to the bench midway through the third period. He never took a shift. However, he was there to hug his goaltender and teammates and shake hands with the Wolverines. Nice touch. The most captain-like thing I've seen Adams do while wearing an "A" or "C". Michigan Tech: Jason Roy writes: >Michigan Tech is hot!!!!!! Red Hot!!!!!!!!! >--the Gophers cooled them off, but things would have been different if it >wasn't Tech 3rd game in 3 nights. Jeez, maybe that's why they play all those games from October to February. The fact is, Tech didn't position themselves to avoid playing three games in three nights. I can think of a lot of things to blame the NCAA for, but this isn't one of them. >---Lets look at Record over the last few weeks...... >Win and Tie ---vs Denver >Win and Loss ---vs UND >WIN and WIN ---vs UMD-----1st round of the Playoffs >Win ---Quarter- Final --- vs SCSU >Win ---Semi-Final---- vs CC >Loss ----Final--- vs Minn > >Record over last 9 games 6 - 2 - 1 >---that 6-2-1 record is against the cream of the crop in the WCHA Wow! 1-1-0 versus teams going to the NCAA tournament. Don't forget the 2-1-1 record versus Wisconsin that Coach Mancini was quick to mention on the Huskies' behalf. How often does one sub-.500 team have a .625 winning percentage against another sub-.500 team? >----Wether they get in or Not-----Lets get one thing clear------ > >MICHIGAN TECH DESERVES A BID TO the NCAA........... OK...who do you take out? Pull someone from the top 12 in favor of MTU. Who? "We're number 20! We're number 20!" >---If its not in the rules----Tech ---does have a shot!!!!!!! >-------Unwritten rules are ---NOT---- Rules This is either the most hopeless or most poignant thing I've heard all season. This is the NCAA we're talking about, where *written* rules are not always rules. RE: UIC to the WCHA I've been trying to trade UIC to the WCHA for years. :-) As for Ted Halm's (Ferris) comments about keeping UIC in the CCHA because Chicago is the only taste of civilization during the winter, I can only say that I'd rather go to Marquette or Houghton than Chicago...damn near any day of the year. No ill will intended, but I think that UIC is closer to joining Kent than they are the WCHA. John H ([log in to unmask]) bringing you Hockey-L controversy all season long... ...and hoping for another LSSU-UM CCHA final HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.