Michigan 5 LAKE SUPERIOR 2 at JLA (Detroit)
LSSU dominated the first period, but only came away
with a 1-0 lead.  Michigan dominated the second period,
and went to the lockeroom with a 5-2 lead.  No scoring
in the third.  Scoring by periods this one might be 1-1-1,
but scoring by goals it was 5-2.  And, strange as it may
seem, I think defenseman Ted Laviolette was one of
(if not the) best Laker on the ice.
 
MICHIGAN STATE 2 Michigan 1 at JLA (Detroit)
MSU played like their playoff fortunes depended on this
game.  (To some extent they do.)  UM looked more like
a team that has everything in the bag.  (Which they more-
or-less do, CCHA-wise.)  Motivation, motivation, motivation.
It was a scoreless tie after two periods.  (As for the
disallowed MSU goal, I heard the whistle several seconds
before the puck went in.  I thought there might be a penalty
on MSU for continuing the play.)  In the third period, Mike
York dribbled one past Marty Turco that Marty had a glove
on before it crossed the line but couldn't quite gather it in.
Probably one he wishes he had back.  Shortly thereafter,
Tony Tuzzolino was parked down low on the PP and he
tipped in a Chris Bogas shot from the point to give MSU
a 2-0 lead.  It was a good goal, one that Turco didn't have
a chance on because it changed direction a few feet from
the net.  The Spartan defense shut the door from there.
Blake Sloan scored for UM in the final five minutes to make
it 2-1.  The shot wasn't going to score, but it hit defenseman
Tyler Harlton's skate and changed direction on Chad Alban.
Alban played very well in the MSU goal, as did Turco at
UM's end.  Michigan can usually expect a sweep when they
only allow four goals over a weekend series.  Other
Wolverines that had moments of brilliance were defenseman
Chris Frescoln (who blocked three shots on one shift)
and forward Greg Crozier (who is looking more and more
comfortable at this level).  UM falls to 25-2-3 with both losses
to MSU while the Spartans are in much better position now
to make the NCAA dozen.
 
STAT NOTE: UM's John Madden scored his 6th shorthanded
goal of the season (21st of his career) on Friday to tie Miami's
Randy Robitaille for the CCHA/NCAA lead.  UM's Matt Herr
and Warren Luhning both have five each.
 
HOBEY NOTE: No disrespect to any of the Eastern stars
(Drury, Perrin, St Louis, Thomas, White, et al), but if I had a
Hobey vote it would say Brendan Morrison.  He's the best
player on the best team.  (Someone recently pointed out
to me how he gets less ice time because of that...resting
during the third period of games that are easily won.)  I'm
not going to get on a soapbox and give you 100 reasons
why Morrison should win, but I will say this...remember Scott
Pellerin in 1992?  I'm willing to bet that everything used to
describe Pellerin can be used to describe Morrison...and
Morrison is a more talented player on the ice.
 
 
John Haeussler ([log in to unmask])
 
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