Michigan 4, Boston College 3

Tenth-ranked Michigan kicked off the season with a 4-3 overtime win
over #2/#3 Boston College at the Ice Breaker Cup in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Wolverines blew a two-goal third period lead, only to win it in
the extra session when Boston College forward Dan Bertram tried to
clear the puck near the Eagles net only to have it go off one of his
own players and into the net.  Freshman center Louie Caporusso got
credit for the game-winning goal.

Freshman Carl Hagelin put the Wolverines on the board 10:20 into the
first period on a feed from Caporusso.

The Wolverines extended their lead 9:39 into the second period when
Travis Turnbull beat Eagles netminder John Muse, but BC would cut the
lead in half with 4:03 left in the period when Ben Smith beat U-M
goalie Billy Sauer on a two-on-one.

Michigan would retake a two goal lead 7:13 into the third period when
Danny Fardig scored from Turnbull.

But just under two minutes later, Joe Whitney made it a 3-2 game when
left alone in front of the net.

The Eagles would tie the game with 6:17 left in regulation when
Caporusso lost the puck to Benn Ferriero, who put the puck past Sauer.

Then in overtime, the Eagles would cost themselves the game.

Sauer finished the game with 19 saves, while Muse had 24 saves for the Eagles.

A solid start for this young team, and they will face either Minnesota
or RPI tomorrow for the Ice Breaker championship.

The game time, however, will depend on the outcome of tonight's MN/RPI
game.  Regardless of the outcome, the Gophers will play in the late
game tomorrow night.  So if Minnesota wins, Michigan will face the
Gophers at 8:30 p.m. ET.  If RPI wins, Michigan will face them at 5:30
p.m. ET.  The game can be seen on Fox Sports North, and if anyone is
able to record a copy for me, that'd be much appreciated!  If you
can't watch the game, there is a "Live audio" link at
MGoBlue.com/icehockey under the game day info at the top of the page.

-------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net

CCHA MEDIA DAY

The CCHA held their annual Media Day this afternoon.

In the preseason Coaches Poll, the Miami RedHawks took the top spot
with five first place votes and 114 points.  One point behind them is
defending NCAA champion Michigan State, who took six first place votes
for 113 points.

Notre Dame, with one first place vote, was third, and the University
of Michigan followed behind in fourth.  Ohio State, Nebraska-Omaha,
LSSU, and Northern Michigan were picked in the middle of the pack, and
Ferris State, Western Michigan, Alaska, and Bowling Green make up the
bottom.

In the Media Poll, the Spartans took top honors with 25 first place
votes and 701 points, while the RedHawks were voted second with 21
first place votes.

Notre Dame received 13 first place votes and was picked to finished
third, followed by the Wolverines, who somehow received four first
place votes.

Ohio State and Nebraska-Omaha were picked the same as the Coaches
Poll, however Western Michigan and Ferris State slide up to the seven
and eight spots, while LSSU and Northern Michigan move down to the
ninth and tenth spots respectively.  Alaska and Bowling Green make up
the bottom.

Here's what U-M head coach Red Berenson had to say about the upcoming season:

"This will be a big year for Michigan in terms of a challenge. Last
year, we sat here and we knew we'd be a good team because of T.J.
Hensick and Matt Hunwick and Jack Johnson and Andrew Cogliano and our
big senior class, but all those guys are gone. We have 12 incoming
freshmen that will have to contribute to this year's team. We'll be
led by Kevin Porter who is college hockey's highest returning scorer
in his senior year, also should be led by Chad Kolarik, our only other
senior. On defense we should be led by Mark Mitera, who'll be a
junior, but we'll have four freshmen on defense. Certainly the depth
of our team should be good but the experience will be a questions
mark, so this will be the most interesting season in the recent past
for the coaching staff at Michigan and certainly for the players. I
like the incoming freshman from what I know of them and what I've
seen. We've got a long season. We have a tough schedule. We start off
against Boston College in the Ice Breaker in Minnesota and that'll
give us a bit of a wake-up call as to the level of hockey we'll have
to play. I'm looking forward to my 24th year, glad to be back. I don't
think these players should leave early, I'm glad to see Kevin Porter
come back for his senior year. Nothing has changed at Michigan."

ALL-CONFERENCE: Senior captain Kevin Porter was named to the CCHA
Preseason All-Conference First Team.  Porter received eight first team
votes and 49 points (third highest).  He is joined by Miami forwards
Nathan Davis and Ryan Jones, RedHawks defenseman Alec Martinez, Notre
Dame defenseman Kyle Lawson, and Michigan State netminder Jeff Lerg.

The Wolverines other senior forward Chad Kolarik was selected to the
Second Team, while junior defenseman Mark Mitera was an Honorable
Mention.

TV SCHEDULE: Michigan will hit the airwaves 24 times this season.
Rather than post the games, here's a link to the Adobe Acrobat file
that you can download and view:

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ccha/genrel/auto_pdf/ccha-media-tv-07.pdf

---------------
CHECKING IN...
---------------

MGoBlue.com has started back up their "Checking In..." interviews with
the freshmen.  So far they've chatted with Louie Caporusso, Carl
Hagelin, Bryan Hogan, and Shawn Hunwick.  As always, it's a good read,
and you can check'em out at MGoBlue.com.

--------------------
SINGLE-GAME TICKETS
--------------------

Single-game tickets for Michigan hockey home and away games went on
sale today.  The ticket office can be reached by calling (734)
764-0247 or (866) 296-MTIX (6849).

Ticket orders for games at Yost Ice Arena also may be placed online at
MGoBlue.com/tickets and for the first time ice hockey tickets
purchased online can be printed from home.

Groups of 10 or more people can purchase blocks of tickets in the end
zones at a discounted price ($15 per ticket instead of $19). Group
orders must be placed over the phone or in person.

------------------
BLACKBURN RETURNS
------------------

Former Michigan goaltender Josh Blackburn has returned to the team as
a volunteer assistant coach.

Blackburn will be working with U-M goalies Billy Sauer, Bryan Hogan,
and Shawn Hunwick.

Blackburn retired from professional hockey in 2005 and has been
operating a goaltending school in southeast Michigan for the past year.

--------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

Just a quick note that the annual U-M hockey alumni games will take
place tomorrow (Friday) at Yost Ice Arena.  Doors open at 4 p.m. and
the first game starts at 4:30 p.m.  There will be an Over-50/Celebrity
game, the 35-50 game, and the Under-35 game.  The 1976-77 Wolverines
will be celebrating their 30 year reunion.  They were the NCAA
runner-up.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.  All
proceeds will benefit the Michigan Hockey Scholarship Endowment Fund.

A complete list of participants as of August 2 can be found at:

http://www.mgoblue.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=25040

-----------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net

SEVEN WOLVERINES SELECTED IN NHL ENTRY DRAFT

Incoming freshman forward Max Pacioretty (PATCH-a-ready) was the
latest Wolverine to be selected in the first round as he went 22nd
overall to the Montreal Canadiens.

The USHL Rookie of the Year recorded 63 points during the regular
season and added another 10 points in the USHL playoffs.

Sporting a maize 'n blue tie, Patch said in a TV interview after being
drafted, "My grandma was from Montreal, so when I was younger I went
to a couple games.  It just seems like a great atmosphere where
everybody loves hockey, so it's a great place to play.

"I'm a two-way player who gets all the little things done, such as
blocking shots. I think I offer more at the table than just all
offense."

Incoming freshman forward Aaron Palushaj was selected in the second
round (44th overall) by the St. Louis Blues.

Another top forward out of the USHL, Palushaj recorded 22 goals and 67
points in 56 games during the regular season, and he added another 11
points in eight playoff games.

Ontario recruit Louie Caporusso went in the third round (90th overall)
to the Ottawa Senators.

Caporusso led the St. Michael's Buzzers with 50 points in 37 games
during the regular season and another 20 points in 11 playoff games.
The Buzzers are the same junior team former Wolverine Andrew Cogliano
hailed from.

Sophomore defenseman Steven Kampfer was selected three picks later
(4th round, 93rd overall) by the Anaheim Ducks.

Kampfer had a goal and three assists in 35 games during his freshman
season with the Wolverines.  with four blue liners gone, he will see
an increased role this season.

U.S. National Team Development Program center Matt Rust was taken in
the 4th round, 101st overall by the Florida Panthers.

Three picks later Salmon Arm recruit Ben Winnett was selected by the
Toronto Maple Leafs.

In the 6th round (168th overall), the New York Rangers selected Carl
Hagelin of Sweden.  He plays for the Södertälje SK in the J20
SuperElit Södra.

All six incoming forward recruits have been drafted.

Defensive recruit Tristin Llewellyn and goaltender Bryan Hogan were
not drafted.

-------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

For anyone who visits the Dekers Blue Line Club website through
www.dekers.org, you may notice that it redirects you to a generic site
now for a web company.  They are hoping to get it back soon, but if
not, you can still visit the site at its permanent home at:

http://www.umich.edu/~dekers

Or their new redirect at:

http://www.dekersclub.org

--------------

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

MGoBlue.com has released the 2007-08 ice hockey schedule. You can view it at:

http://www.mgoblue.com/schedule.cfm?section_id=286&top=2&level=3&season_id=1009

The Wolverines open the season on the road at the Ice Breaker Cup in
Minneapolis, MN, where they\'ll face Boston College in the opener and
either Minnesota or RPI the next day.

U-M will then open the CCHA regular season at Northern Michigan, then
return to Yost Ice Arena to host Boston University for a weekend
series. The rest of the nonconference schedule includes hosting
Minnesota and Wisconsin for the annual College Hockey Showcase, and
facing Providence in the opener of the Great Lakes Invitational.

The four road games at the start of the season will be Michigan\'s
longest stretch away from Yost all year. After that they play at least
one home game every other series.

------------

That\'s all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

You know the rest of the phrase.

Just a quick note to let you all know that Andrew Cogliano has signed
with the Edmonton Oilers and will forgo his final two years at Michigan

-----------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

1996 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON DVD

The 1996 NCAA National Championship game between Colorado College and
Michigan is available through Amazon.com for $24.99.  The Wolverines
won a thriller 3-2 in overtime when Brendan Morrison knocked in a
rebound off Bill Muckalt's shot.  Please help support MHNet and click
on the link below before ordering or use the direct link on the MHNet
website.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NOKMA6?ie=UTF8&tag=michiganhocke-20&linkCod\
e=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000NOKMA6

---------------------------
LANGLAIS SIGNED WITH U-M
---------------------------
  From MGoBlue.com

The University of Michigan ice hockey team received a National Letter
of Intent from defenseman Chad Langlais (Spokane, Wash.), head coach
Red Berenson announced on Wednesday (April 25). Langlais is the 10th
member of the freshman class for the 2007-08 season.

"Chad Langlais is an offensive defenseman who has been a point
producer in the USHL for two years," said assistant coach Billy
Powers. "He is a local Michigan high school product from Cranbrook
Kingwood -- he played and graduated from there. After that he spent
two years in the USHL with Lincoln. He will be the veteran among our
freshman group next season. Chad should be able to step in and
contribute right away based on his quality of play and his experience."

Langlais (5-8, 170) spent the 2006-07 season with the Lincoln Stars of
the United States Hockey League. The 20-year-old had a 6-40-46 line in
51 games this season to finish fifth on the Stars in points. Langlais
was +3 and earned 118 penalty minutes. The blueliner tallied four
goals and 26 assists on the power play. He was also picked to skate in
the USHL's midseason all-star game. In the playoffs, Langlais had one
assist and eight PIM as the Stars were swept in four games.

---------------------------
FINAL CSB RANKINGS
---------------------------

The final NHL Central Scouting Bureau rankings have been released.
Keep in mind these rankings are only the opinion of one scouting
organization.

Topping the list of North American skaters is Wisconsin-bound forward
Kyle Turris out of the BCHL.

The highest ranked Wolverine recruit is Sioux City forward Max
Pacioretty.  He is also the highest rated player out of the USHL.

Forwards Ben Winnett, Aaron Palushaj, and Louie Caporusso are ranked
#90, #101, and #121 respectively.

Defenseman Tristin Llewellyn is #134.  To show you how much his stock
has fallen, a few years ago he was considered a first round draft pick
and one of the top defensemen in his class.  The CSB isn't the only
organization to rank Llewellyn low, either.

U.S National Team Development Program forward Matt Rust checks in at #167.

And goaltender Bryan Hogan is ranked #18 among North American goalies.
   Hogan is expected to challenge Billy Sauer for the starting role,
however he, too, has had a subpar season (good record, ho-hum stats)
and a dreadful playoff.  Out of the 14 goalies to play in the USHL
playoffs, Hogan ranks dead last.  He saw action in four playoff games
with Lincoln and went 0-3 with a 5.06 GAA and .832 save percentage as
the Stars were eliminated.

------------------
ULTIMATE TEAM
------------------

Had a link to an article on former Wolverine tough man Bob Gassoff
sent to me today.  It was written by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch a few
weeks ago and is an excellent read about how Gassoff hung up the
hockey skates and joined the Navy SEALs and was getting set to deploy
to Iraq.

You can read the article at:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/blues/story/E54DA86172926305\
862572BE00009D7A?OpenDocument

My favorite quote of his in the article is one I hope the Wolverines
post in their lockerroom next season.  Bobby was comparing the SEALs
to hockey and remembered a lesson he learned when he won the national
championship with Michigan in 1998... "The best talent doesn't win.
The best team wins."

-------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net

SPARTANS CAPTURE THIRD NCAA TITLE

If you didn't catch the NCAA title game, Michigan State upset Boston
College, 3-1, to capture their third NCAA championship.

Boston College took a 1-0 lead in the second period and held on to it
until 9:53 into the third period when the Spartans Tim Kennedy scored
six seconds into a power play.

The Spartans Justin Abdelkadar scored with 18.9 seconds left in the
third period to take a 2-1 lead, then MSU iced the game with 1.2
seconds left with an empty net goal.

Much like the 1998 Wolverines which surprised everyone with 10
freshmen making a run to the NCAA title, this is a Spartan team that
after being ripped apart by U-M in the CCHA Semifinal then barely
squeaking by LSSU in the consolation game 7-6, no one expected to make
the run to the championship.  Much credit goes out to them for never
giving up.  They earned it.

Congrats to the Spartans and coach Rick Comley for bringing the title
back to the CCHA!

--------------------
U-M TRIO NAMED ALL-AMERICANS

The American Hockey Coaches Association has named senior forward T.J.
Hensick and sophomore defenseman Jack Johnson to the West All-American
First Team, while senior defensive captain Matt Hunwick was named to
the West All-American Second Team.

Hensick and Johnson were joined on the First Team by Notre Dame goalie
David Brown, Minnesota defenseman Alex Goligoski, and North Dakota
forwards Jonathan Toews and Hobey Baker award winner Ryan Duncan.

The Second Team was comprised of St. Cloud goalie Bobby Goepfert,
North Dakota defenseman Taylor Chorney, U-M's Matt Hunwick, and CCHA
forwards Nathan Davis (Miami), Scott Parse (Nebraska-Omaha), and Mike
Santorelli (Northern Michigan)

---------------------
ORTMEYER WINS SECOND EXTRA EFFORT AWARD
  From NYRangers.com

For the second time in three seasons, Rangers fans have voted Jed
Ortmeyer as the winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award,
presented by HIP Health Plan of New York. Ortmeyer was honored before
the Rangers' final regular season home game, against the Montreal
Canadiens, for going "above and beyond the call of duty."

Officer Steven McDonald, his wife Patty, and son Conor, presented
Ortmeyer with the award in a special pre-game ceremony. The three took
the ice, and Officer McDonald started out thanking the Dolan family,
the Rangers and the "greatest fans in hockey."

McDonald described how the Rangers came to his hospital room and gave
him a challenge so many years ago – a challenge to "live" through the
gunshot wounds that threatened his life. After describing that moment,
McDonald left the current Rangers with his own challenge, summed up in
one word: "Win."

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Conor then announced the winner. A
"Let's Go Rangers" chant dominated the Garden as Ortmeyer collected
his award and posed for pictures with the McDonald family.

Tom Scandaliato from HIP also presented Ortmeyer with a $25,000 check
for the Steve McDonald Foundation.

Ortmeyer played in 40 games this season for the Blueshirts. He missed
the first half of the season after being diagnosed with a pulmonary
embolism in August 2006.

-------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

HOCKEY AUCTION

The annual Michigan hockey silent auction has begun.  Game-worn
jerseys, a huge 60 x 36 autographed team photo, lockerroom lockers,
and players' lounge lockers are all available to be bid on.

You can bid online or download an auction form at:

http://auctions.michigan-hockey.org

Also a reminder the annual Michigan hockey garage sale will be held
Saturday, April 14 beginning at 8 a.m. at Yost Ice Arena.  If there's
something you really want, get there early!

------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net

JOHNSON DEPARTS MICHIGAN

If you're one of the few who haven't heard by now, sophomore
defenseman Jack Johnson has signed with the Los Angeles Kings and will
forego his final two years of eligibility.

Johnson stayed behind in Colorado as the team flew back to Ann Arbor
as a deal was being finalized.  As a result, there was one deal he
couldn't cash in on...head coach Red Berenson saying when Jack is
ready to leave, he'd drive him to the airport.

Johnson will make his NHL debut Thursday night in Los Angeles and will
partner with future Hall of Famers Rob Blake on the blueline.

"It will be something else playing with him," Johnson told the L.A.
Times. "He's one of the best defensemen in the world.  Growing up, he
was one of the players who I tried to play like.  Sitting here in the
locker room with him will be quite an honor."

That game can be seen on Fox Sports West and Sportsnet Pacific.

If you can't catch him then, this Sunday's Kings vs. Sharks game is
suppose to be broadcast nationally on NBC starting at 6 p.m. ET
according to the NHL's website, though a quick check of TV Guide and
Yahoo online doesn't show it here in Marquette and a few other places
I checked, so ya got me!

------------------

HOBEY-LESS HENSICK

The Hobey Baker Foundation just released their Hobey Hat Trick
finalists and senior forward T.J. Hensick, the nation's leading
scorer, is NOT among them.

The award will go to either goaltender David Brown of Notre Dame,
forward Ryan Duncan of North Dakota, or forward Eric Ehn of Air Force.

------------------

Speaking of Hensick, he said on last night's Red Berenson Show (the
final one of the season) that he was close to signing with the
Colorado Avalanche.  Other seniors--Matt Hunwick, David Rohlfs, Jason
Dest, and Tim Cook--all said they plan on trying minor hockey next
fall.  Hunwick and Rohlfs were draft picks of Boston and Edmonton
respectively, while Cook was taken by Ottawa.  I believe if they are
not signed by August 1, they become free agents and are free to sign
anywhere.

As for other potential early departures, Kevin Porter said he has
spoken with Phoenix but will remain at Michigan for now.  He is likely
to be team captain if he returns.

And looking ahead to the future, the Wolverines will have a bit of a
job next fall replacing all the seniors (and other departees), but
possibly even a returnee, too.  U-M goalie Billy Sauer, who had a
stellar second half of the season until the NCAA tournament, will have
a long summer ahead after giving up seven goals against North Dakota
and his job could be in jeopardy.

"We'll have a long look at whether we'll be a one-goalie team, or who
that goalie will be," Berenson said in The Ann Arbor News. "There was
definitely a point in that game, had I had another goalie that was
experienced and had played, we would have made a change."

The Wolverines are bringing in Highland, Mich. native Bryan Hogan, who
currently plays for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL.  Berenson thinks
Hogan could be a special goalie, though time will tell.  Hogan
currently sports a 25-10-3 record with Lincoln, however his numbers
haven't been mind blowing this season--3.10 GAA (10th in the league)
and .887 save percentage (16th in the league).

------------------
HOCKEY GARAGE SALE

The annual Michigan hockey garage sale will be held April 14 beginning
at 8 a.m. at Yost Ice Arena.  If you want something good, get there
very early!

------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

JOHNSON DEPARTS MICHIGAN

If you're one of the few who haven't heard by now, sophomore
defenseman Jack Johnson has signed with the Los Angeles Kings and will
forego his final two years of eligibility.

Johnson stayed behind in Colorado as the team flew back to Ann Arbor
as a deal was being finalized.  As a result, there was one deal he
couldn't cash in on...head coach Red Berenson saying when Jack is
ready to leave, he'd drive him to the airport.

Johnson will make his NHL debut Thursday night in Los Angeles and will
partner with future Hall of Famers Rob Blake on the blueline.

"It will be something else playing with him," Johnson told the L.A.
Times. "He's one of the best defensemen in the world.  Growing up, he
was one of the players who I tried to play like.  Sitting here in the
locker room with him will be quite an honor."

That game can be seen on Fox Sports West and Sportsnet Pacific.

If you can't catch him then, this Sunday's Kings vs. Sharks game is
suppose to be broadcast nationally on NBC starting at 6 p.m. ET
according to the NHL's website, though a quick check of TV Guide and
Yahoo online doesn't show it here in Marquette and a few other places
I checked, so ya got me!

------------------

HOBEY-LESS HENSICK

The Hobey Baker Foundation just released their Hobey Hat Trick
finalists and senior forward T.J. Hensick, the nation's leading
scorer, is NOT among them.

The award will go to either goaltender David Brown of Notre Dame,
forward Ryan Duncan of North Dakota, or forward Eric Ehn of Air Force.

------------------

Speaking of Hensick, he said on last night's Red Berenson Show (the
final one of the season) that he was close to signing with the
Colorado Avalanche.  Other seniors--Matt Hunwick, David Rohlfs, Jason
Dest, and Tim Cook--all said they plan on trying minor hockey next
fall.  Hunwick and Rohlfs were draft picks of Boston and Edmonton
respectively, while Cook was taken by Ottawa.  I believe if they are
not signed by August 1, they become free agents and are free to sign
anywhere.

As for other potential early departures, Kevin Porter said he has
spoken with Phoenix but will remain at Michigan for now.  He is likely
to be team captain if he returns.

And looking ahead to the future, the Wolverines will have a bit of a
job next fall replacing all the seniors (and other departees), but
possibly even a returnee, too.  U-M goalie Billy Sauer, who had a
stellar second half of the season until the NCAA tournament, will have
a long summer ahead after giving up seven goals against North Dakota
and his job could be in jeopardy.

"We'll have a long look at whether we'll be a one-goalie team, or who
that goalie will be," Berenson said in The Ann Arbor News. "There was
definitely a point in that game, had I had another goalie that was
experienced and had played, we would have made a change."

The Wolverines are bringing in Highland, Mich. native Bryan Hogan, who
currently plays for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL.  Berenson thinks
Hogan could be a special goalie, though time will tell.  Hogan
currently sports a 25-10-3 record with Lincoln, however his numbers
haven't been mind blowing this season--3.10 GAA (10th in the league)
and .887 save percentage (16th in the league).

------------------
HOCKEY GARAGE SALE

The annual Michigan hockey garage sale will be held April 14 beginning
at 8 a.m. at Yost Ice Arena.  If you want something good, get there
very early!

------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

JOHNSON DEPARTS MICHIGAN

If you're one of the few who haven't heard by now, sophomore
defenseman Jack Johnson has signed with the Los Angeles Kings and will
forego his final two years of eligibility.

Johnson stayed behind in Colorado as the team flew back to Ann Arbor
as a deal was being finalized.  As a result, there was one deal he
couldn't cash in on...head coach Red Berenson saying when Jack is
ready to leave, he'd drive him to the airport.

Johnson will make his NHL debut Thursday night in Los Angeles and will
partner with future Hall of Famers Rob Blake on the blueline.

"It will be something else playing with him," Johnson told the L.A.
Times. "He's one of the best defensemen in the world.  Growing up, he
was one of the players who I tried to play like.  Sitting here in the
locker room with him will be quite an honor."

That game can be seen on Fox Sports West and Sportsnet Pacific.

If you can't catch him then, this Sunday's Kings vs. Sharks game is
suppose to be broadcast nationally on NBC starting at 6 p.m. ET
according to the NHL's website, though a quick check of TV Guide and
Yahoo online doesn't show it here in Marquette and a few other places
I checked, so ya got me!

------------------

HOBEY-LESS HENSICK

The Hobey Baker Foundation just released their Hobey Hat Trick
finalists and senior forward T.J. Hensick, the nation's leading
scorer, is NOT among them.

The award will go to either goaltender David Brown of Notre Dame,
forward Ryan Duncan of North Dakota, or forward Eric Ehn of Air Force.

------------------

Speaking of Hensick, he said on last night's Red Berenson Show (the
final one of the season) that he was close to signing with the
Colorado Avalanche.  Other seniors--Matt Hunwick, David Rohlfs, Jason
Dest, and Tim Cook--all said they plan on trying minor hockey next
fall.  Hunwick and Rohlfs were draft picks of Boston and Edmonton
respectively, while Cook was taken by Ottawa.  I believe if they are
not signed by August 1, they become free agents and are free to sign
anywhere.

As for other potential early departures, Kevin Porter said he has
spoken with Phoenix but will remain at Michigan for now.  He is likely
to be team captain if he returns.

And looking ahead to the future, the Wolverines will have a bit of a
job next fall replacing all the seniors (and other departees), but
possibly even a returnee, too.  U-M goalie Billy Sauer, who had a
stellar second half of the season until the NCAA tournament, will have
a long summer ahead after giving up seven goals against North Dakota
and his job could be in jeopardy.

"We'll have a long look at whether we'll be a one-goalie team, or who
that goalie will be," Berenson said in The Ann Arbor News. "There was
definitely a point in that game, had I had another goalie that was
experienced and had played, we would have made a change."

The Wolverines are bringing in Highland, Mich. native Bryan Hogan, who
currently plays for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL.  Berenson thinks
Hogan could be a special goalie, though time will tell.  Hogan
currently sports a 25-10-3 record with Lincoln, however his numbers
haven't been mind blowing this season--3.10 GAA (10th in the league)
and .887 save percentage (16th in the league).

------------------
HOCKEY GARAGE SALE

The annual Michigan hockey garage sale will be held April 14 beginning
at 8 a.m. at Yost Ice Arena.  If you want something good, get there
very early!

------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

JOHNSON DEPARTS MICHIGAN

If you're one of the few who haven't heard by now, sophomore
defenseman Jack Johnson has signed with the Los Angeles Kings and will
forego his final two years of eligibility.

Johnson stayed behind in Colorado as the team flew back to Ann Arbor
as a deal was being finalized.  As a result, there was one deal he
couldn't cash in on...head coach Red Berenson saying when Jack is
ready to leave, he'd drive him to the airport.

Johnson will make his NHL debut Thursday night in Los Angeles and will
partner with future Hall of Famers Rob Blake on the blueline.

"It will be something else playing with him," Johnson told the L.A.
Times. "He's one of the best defensemen in the world.  Growing up, he
was one of the players who I tried to play like.  Sitting here in the
locker room with him will be quite an honor."

That game can be seen on Fox Sports West and Sportsnet Pacific.

If you can't catch him then, this Sunday's Kings vs. Sharks game is
suppose to be broadcast nationally on NBC starting at 6 p.m. ET
according to the NHL's website, though a quick check of TV Guide and
Yahoo online doesn't show it here in Marquette and a few other places
I checked, so ya got me!

------------------

HOBEY-LESS HENSICK

The Hobey Baker Foundation just released their Hobey Hat Trick
finalists and senior forward T.J. Hensick, the nation's leading
scorer, is NOT among them.

The award will go to either goaltender David Brown of Notre Dame,
forward Ryan Duncan of North Dakota, or forward Eric Ehn of Air Force.

------------------

Speaking of Hensick, he said on last night's Red Berenson Show (the
final one of the season) that he was close to signing with the
Colorado Avalanche.  Other seniors--Matt Hunwick, David Rohlfs, Jason
Dest, and Tim Cook--all said they plan on trying minor hockey next
fall.  Hunwick and Rohlfs were draft picks of Boston and Edmonton
respectively, while Cook was taken by Ottawa.  I believe if they are
not signed by August 1, they become free agents and are free to sign
anywhere.

As for other potential early departures, Kevin Porter said he has
spoken with Phoenix but will remain at Michigan for now.  He is likely
to be team captain if he returns.

And looking ahead to the future, the Wolverines will have a bit of a
job next fall replacing all the seniors (and other departees), but
possibly even a returnee, too.  U-M goalie Billy Sauer, who had a
stellar second half of the season until the NCAA tournament, will have
a long summer ahead after giving up seven goals against North Dakota
and his job could be in jeopardy.

"We'll have a long look at whether we'll be a one-goalie team, or who
that goalie will be," Berenson said in The Ann Arbor News. "There was
definitely a point in that game, had I had another goalie that was
experienced and had played, we would have made a change."

The Wolverines are bringing in Highland, Mich. native Bryan Hogan, who
currently plays for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL.  Berenson thinks
Hogan could be a special goalie, though time will tell.  Hogan
currently sports a 25-10-3 record with Lincoln, however his numbers
haven't been mind blowing this season--3.10 GAA (10th in the league)
and .887 save percentage (16th in the league).

------------------
HOCKEY GARAGE SALE

The annual Michigan hockey garage sale will be held April 14 beginning
at 8 a.m. at Yost Ice Arena.  If you want something good, get there
very early!

------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

Jack Johnson has confirmed with The Michigan Daily what has been
speculated for some time--that he will be turning pro.

"I thought I was ready for a new challenge," Johnson told The Michigan
Daily. "With all my close friends, the seniors, gone now and
everything, I thought it was time for me to pretty much go for a new
challenge."

Johnson said he is currently in negotiations with the Los Angeles
Kings--with the only remaining issue being contract bonuses--and
expects to be in the lineup Tuesday night in San Jose.

---------------

Best of luck to Jack!  It was fun while it lasted, and I'm glad he's
taking care of this now rather than mid-August.

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

NORTH DAKOTA 8, MICHIGAN 5

North Dakota once again ended Michigan's season in the first round of
the NCAA tournament, this time by an 8-5 margin.

It was a wild game as the teams combined for 12 goals in the first 32
minutes of the contest, trading the lead along the way, before the
Fighting Sioux pulled ahead and their goalie woke up, while U-M
continued to take bad penalties and Sauer struggled.

Michigan started the game strong scoring two goals in the first minute
of play.

The Sioux would get one back a few minutes later, but T.J. Hensick
quickly responded to make it 3-1.

But the rest of the first period belonged to the Sioux as they scored
three unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead heading into intermission.

The second period would begin the same as the first--with Michigan
scoring two goals in the opening minute to take a 5-4 lead.

But over the next 11 minutes, the Sioux would again respond with three
unanswered goals to take a 7-5 lead.

North Dakota, at that point, was something like 5-for-7 on the power
play.  They shredded the already poor U-M penalty kill unit.

Billy Sauer had perhaps his worse game of the season.  He couldn't
stop anything and let in some very bad goals.  But as the game kept
going back and forth with neither goalie stopping anything, and
Michigan's penalty kill playing awful, it was clear U-M had to stay
out of the penalty box and that's something they couldn't do.  They
took some flat out stupid penalties and paid the price each time, yet
didn't learn from it until it was too late.

The Wolverines had several good chances in the final 30 minutes,
including Hensick and Kevin Porter each breaking in alone, but North
Dakota's goalie finally woke up and stoned them.

Another bad break for Michigan with about 13 minute left in the third
period, Hensick was sent to the box for a 10 minute misconduct.  He
didn't take a penalty, just got a misconduct, and the announcers had
no clue why (and we never got any explanation).  That basically
crippled the Wolverines until the closing minutes, when they received
a power play.

With Hensick out of the box and a faceoff in the North Dakota zone,
they pulled Sauer for a 6-on-4 advantage, but seconds into the power
play, the puck flipped to Matt Hunwick at the blue line.  He caught
it, dropped it, and had it immediately taken away for an empty net goal.

So let the offseason begin, and what a long one it could be.  Besides
losing Hensick--the nation's leading scorer--and the rest of the
seniors, there's a long list of potential early defections including
Jack Johnson (who most expect to leave in the coming days), Mark
Mitera, Andrew Cogliano (who the Oilers are reportedly going to try
signing), and Kevin Porter.  To a lesser extent, you could add in Chad
Kolarik and Chris Summers, though they don't seem as likely to be
leaving.

------------------

As for the rest of the NCAA action today, Michigan State is currently
leading Notre Dame, 1-0, in the third period.  I'm sure there's still
plenty of bitter U-M fans out there over not being placed in the
Midwest Regional, especially if the Spartans pull it out.

#4 Miami upset #1 New Hampshire and will face Boston College tomorrow
in the Northeast Regional final.

#1 Minnesota escaped #4 Air Force, 4-3.  Air Force actually lead 3-1,
but gave up three goals in the final 8 minutes of regulation.  They'll
meet North Dakota tomorrow.

And #3 Maine defeated #4 UMass to punch their ticket to the Frozen Four.

------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

Was just informed that this game is being broadcast online for free.  Go to:

http://www.channelsurfing.net/watch-ncaa-hockey.html

Currently it is late in the first period with Michigan ahead 3-2 over
North Dakota.

The first games are in the books and so far the CCHA is guaranteed at
least one Frozen Four participant.

Notre Dame will face Michigan State in the Midwest Regional final
today after the #1 seed Irish slipped past #4 Alabama-Huntsville 3-2
in late double-overtime.  The night game saw Michigan State crush
Boston University, 5-1.

Out in the East Regional, #4 seed UMass knocked out #1 Clarkson, 1-0,
in overtime.  Honestly, not as many people are surprised about this as
you would think.  And in the game that busted my bracket, #3 Maine
defeated #2 St. Cloud State, 4-1.  UMass and Maine will battle for a
spot in the Frozen Four.

Today's game feature Minnesota and Air Force followed by Michigan and
North Dakota in the West Regional, and New Hampshire against Miami
followed by Boston College against St. Lawrence in the Northeast
Regional.

-----------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

Here is a list of all the TV broadcasts of the Michigan vs. North Dakota game:

LIVE = 7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday

Comcast Local (Ann Arbor) - LIVE
Altitude (Denver, CO) - Tape Delayed - 2:30 a.m. Mountain Time
Cox Tulsa (Tulsa, OK) - LIVE
Comcast Sportsnet Sacramento (Sacramento, CA) - Tape Delayed - To Be
Announced (Check local listings)
Cox Rhode Island (Providence, RI) - LIVE
Fox Sports North - TBA (NCAA page says Live/Tape Delayed, so check
your local listings)
Metro Sports (Kansas City, MO) - Tape Delayed - March 28, 2:30 p.m.

For a complete listing of all the games being shown, visit:

http://www.ncaasports.com/broadcast/schedule/d1_mhockey_2007

-------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

For anyone interested in attending the West Regional, here is the
ticket information from MGoBlue.com:

The Michigan Athletics Ticket Office will only have tickets for the
West Regional from 8:30 a.m. Monday (March 19) until noon Tuesday
(March 20). The all-session tickets are $94. There is no limit to how
many tickets can be ordered. Purchases can be made in person at the
U-M ticket office or by phone by calling (734) 764-0247 or toll-free
(866) 296-MTIX (6849). Tickets will have to be picked up at the Pepsi
Center in Denver. Also, tickets are available through Pepsi Center
(303-830-8497 or 719-520-9090) or through TicketMaster
(www.ticketmaster.com).

-------------

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

GO WEST, YOUNG MEN

For the West Regional #2 seed Wolverines to advance to the NCAA Frozen
Four, they will have to possibly go through their two toughest WCHA
foes--#3 North Dakota and the winner of #1 Minnesota vs. #4 Air Force.

The Fighting Sioux have been one of the hottest teams in the nation
since winter break with a 15-3-4 record, losing to Minnesota in the
WCHA championship game, 3-2 in overtime.

The Wolverines and Fighting Sioux will square off Saturday, March 24
at 7:30 p.m. ET, while Minnesota and Air Force meet at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Those games will be held in Denver, Colorado.

As for the rest of the field, the Midwest Regional in Grand Rapids
pits #1 Notre Dame vs. #4 Alabama-Huntsville and #2 Boston University
vs. #3 Michigan State.

The East Regional in Rochester, New York will host #1 Clarkson vs. #4
Massachusetts and #2 St. Cloud vs. #3 Maine.

And the Northeast Regional in Manchester, New Hampshire will see #1
New Hampshire vs. #4 Miami and #2 Boston College vs. #3 St. Lawrence.

The Midwest and East Regionals begin Friday, March 23, while the West
and Northeast start on March 24.

------------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

The CCHA Championship is set and it will be a battle of the nation's
top offense versus the nation's top defense as Michigan will face
Notre Dame following a 5-2 victory over Michigan State.

It's the Wolverines first win at Joe Louis Arena against the Spartans
in their last eight tries.

A scoreless first period did not go without controversy.  The Spartans
had two goals waived off.  The first one ringing off the right post,
which was originally ruled a goal.

The second review was a shorthanded breakaway for Justin Abdelkadar,
in which he was chopped down by Jack Johnson.  The puck appeared to
cross the goal line before Abdelkadar crashed into Sauer and net,
knocking it off.  Fox Sports Detroit didn't show the overhead view on
replay, and the side angle was tough to say whether or not it crossed
the line when watching it frame-by-frame, but it appeared Sauer might
have had the puck under his glove then it came loose after the net was
dislodged.

CCHA Director of Officials Brian Hart said the puck hit off the post
and bounced outward a bit and did not cross the line before the net
was knocked off.  He also cited some rule that the way the puck
entered the net with Abdelkadar tumbling in, it entered illegally.

Therefore, a penalty shot was awarded to Abdelkadar.  He tried to go
five hole, but U-M goalie Billy Sauer shut the doors to keep the game
scoreless.

The Wolverines broke open the game early in the second period with a
pair of goals by Chris Summers and Kevin Porter 1:04 apart.

Porter would add his second of the game with 4:13 left in the period
on a beautiful effort in which he did a spin-o-rama while cutting in
front of the net and managed to hold on to the puck and send a
backhander past MSU goalie Jeff Lerg.

Michigan would carry that lead until 6:37 left in the third period
when Jim McKenzie broke the shutout to make it 3-1.

But 50 seconds later, Chad Kolarik would get the goal back for the Wolverines.

It would prove to be an important goal because Tim Kennedy would score
with 3:56 remaining to make it 4-2.

That's as close as the Spartans would get as T.J. Hensick would add an
empty net goal from center ice to cap off a three point night and 5-2
Wolverines win.

Michigan will face the Fighting Irish tomorrow night for the CCHA
Championship.  Notre Dame defeated Lake Superior State, 3-0, in the
early game.  The Lakers and Spartans meet in the consolation game.

--------------------

Website video note... the Michigan vs. Northern Michigan January 12
game should be online tomorrow for download.

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

HENSICK LEADS WOLVERINES TO THE JOE

"How do you stop the Michigan offense?" Fox Sports reporter Shireen
Saski asked NMU head coach Walt Kyle during the second intermission.

Kyle's response: "End the game."

T.J. Hensick capped off his final game at Yost Ice Arena with his
second career hat trick--and his first at home--to lead Michigan past
Northern Michigan, 8-3.

Michigan will face rival Michigan State in the CCHA semifinal, while
top seed Notre Dame will battle Lake Superior State, who completed an
upset sweep of Miami in Oxford tonight.

The Wolverines got off to another strong start.  Hensick scored his
first of the night just 3:12 into the game off a defensive turnover in
the Wildcat zone.

Andrew Cogliano found Jack Johnson during a 3-on-2 rush and he beat
NMU goalie Bill Zaniboni with a one-timer to make it 2-0 at 8:21.

The Wilcats would cut the lead in half with 7:21 left in the opening
stanza on the power play when Darin Olver fed the puck to Pat Bateman
all alone in front of Billy Sauer and he beat the U-M netminder.

But the Wolverines would respond 1:20 later when Cogliano circled out
of the left corner back into the slot and threw a backhander past
Zaniboni to give U-M a 3-1 lead.

Late in the period, Johnson would carry the puck coast-to-coast and
put a beautiful move around the NMU defender in which he dropped the
puck between his own legs and swung around him towards the net, only
to have Zaniboni poke the puck up into the air and it landed on top of
the net.

However, on the ensuing faceoff, Hensick won it back to Porter, who
blasted it past Zaniboni in a play reminiscent of Bill Muckalt's slap
shot goals off the faceoff.

The Wolverines would carry the 4-1 lead over to the second period, but
just 2:33 in on the power play the Wildcats caught U-M in a line
change allowing Tim Hartung to find Mike Santorelli, and the CCHA's
leading goal scorer placed the puck past Sauer in the far corner of
the net to make it a two goal game.

But the Wolverines would respond with yet another onslaught.  Hensick
would net his second of the night at 8:05 off a Matt Hunwick rebound,
which ended the night and NMU career for Zaniboni.  Freshman Brian
Stewart, who played Friday night, replaced him.

And it made no difference.  With 4:50 remaining in the second period,
Cogliano setup Chad Kolarik with one second left on a 5-on-3 power
play to make it 6-2.

Then with 23 seconds left in the period, Cogliano netted his second
goal of the night to make it 7-2.

Just how bad was it going for the Wildcats?  At the end of the second
period, Michigan had more goals than Northern Michigan had shots on
goal.  The Wolverines had seven goals while the Wildcats had only six
shots on net.  Yikes!

NMU would get one more goal 4:15 into the third period, yet another
power play goal.  Ray Kaunisto put the puck past a screen Sauer.

With 5:27 left in regulation, Hensick would complete the hat trick
with a wrist shot past Stewart.

Sauer would leave the game following the goal and finish the night
with 14 saves.  Senior goalie Mike Mayhew would come on in relief and
make two saves over the final 5:27.

So next Friday, March 16 will be another classic Showdown at the Joe
between Michigan and Michigan State.  The Wolverines are winless in
their last seven games against the Spartans at Joe Louis Arena, going
0-4-3 over the span.  The game can be seen on Fox Sports Detroit.

----------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

Quick update...

Matt Hunwick, Chris Summers, and David Rohlfs helped give Michigan a
3-0 first period boost and they cruised to a 4-1 victory over Northern
Michigan in the opening game of the CCHA Quarterfinal round.  Andrew
Cogliano had an empty net goal and assist, while T.J. Hensick added a
pair of helpers.  Billy Sauer stopped 17 shots for the win.

Game 2 is tomorrow night at 7:35 p.m. and can be seen on Fox Sports Detroit.

----------------
JANUARY SERIES ONLINE
----------------

I posted on MHNet the edited full game video w/ NMU radio feed of
Michigan's 2-1 loss against NMU back in January.  This is a 2 gigabyte
file in MPG format.  If you have DVD burning capabilities, you can
download the file and burn it to a DVD.

I am working on editing the 5-2 win over NMU and hope to have that
online shortly.

----------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

Quick update...

Michigan's regular season ended on a sour note as they blew a 4-2 lead
and lost 6-5 to Ohio State.

The Wolverines controlled play for the first 37 minutes of the game.
They dominated the first period, despite coming out of it tie 1-1, and
pulled away in the second period.

But defensive breakdowns allowed Ohio State to score two goals in 20
seconds in the closing minutes to tie the game heading into the third
period.

The Buckeyes would take the lead on a power play goal early in the
third.  They would hold that until 5:06 left when Tim Miller scored a
power play goal to knot the game back up.  Miller, from behind the
net, banked a shot off the inside of OSU goalie Joe Palmer's stick
that redirected through his legs.

But Ohio State would score with 1:30 left in regulation off another
turnover to take a 6-5 lead.

Michigan would pull the goalie and go on the power play for the final
37 seconds, but couldn't control the puck in the Ohio State zone.

Ugly loss.  It's unbelieveable how many turnovers-to-goals our defense
has given up in their own zone the past few years, and it cost us once
again tonight.

Michigan, however, claims second place in the CCHA after Northern
Michigan defeated Miami, 4-1.  The RedHawks take third place, and
Michigan State, who lost to Bowling Green tonight, claim fourth place.
   The three teams plus league leader Notre Dame will receive first
round byes next weekend.

-----------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net

If you're one of the many without CSTV, fear not.  There's a free
stream of the broadcast available online, and I put up a direct link
to it on MHNet under "Headlines."  All you need is a fast connection
and Windows Media Player.  Tonight's broadcast between Michigan and
Ohio State begins at 8 p.m. ET.  Enjoy!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net

For the many of us without CSTV, fear not.  There is a free stream of
the channel online and I have put a direct link to it on the main page
of MHNet under "Headlines."  All you need is a fast connection and
Windows Media Player.  The broadcast starts at 8 p.m. tonight.  Enjoy!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

Michigan 4, Ohio State 3

Brandon Naurato scored with 1:08 left in regulation to cap off a 4-3
comeback victory over Ohio State.  The goal came when Tim Miller
circled the net and found Naurato out in front.

After a relatively even first period, the Buckeyes would scored a pair
of goals late to take a 2-0 lead.  But the Wolverines would get a huge
goal from Miller as time expired (which was upheld upon review) to cut
the lead to 2-1 heading into intermission.

Jack Johnson tied the game early in the second period, but just a few
minutes later the Buckeyes retook the lead with a shot that hit under
the crossbar and was also upheld after review.

With 9:13 left in the second period, Johnson sprung T.J. Hensick with
a tape-to-tape pass for a breakaway goal to knot it back up 3-3.

Then Naurato would give U-M their first lead of the game with just
over a minute left in the third period to win it.

Billy Sauer was strong in net with 35 saves for the Wolverines and was
the "difference maker" according to WTKA color analyst Jim Hunt.

The regular season wraps up tomorrow night at 8 p.m. and the game can
be seen on CSTV.  Michigan holds a one point lead over Miami for
second place in the CCHA standings and I believe they need at least a
tie to keep it.

CCHA SCORES
Michigan State 5, at Bowling Green 3
Ferris State 5, at Notre Dame 2
Miami 4, at Northern Michigan 1
Western Michigan 3, at Lake Superior State 1

Not a good night for home teams!

---------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

WOLVERINES SWEEP BULLDOGS, 6-2

They say the best offense is a good defense.  That's exactly what the
Michigan hockey team got Saturday night as they swept Ferris State by
a 6-2 score.

Defenseman Jack Johnson scored two goals and two assists to push his
weekend total to eight points, while Matt Hunwick added a goal and
assist to give him a five point weekend.  Sophomore forward Andrew
Cogliano also chipped in a goal and two assists and created several
opportunities throughout the game.

Despite laying a 9-4 smackdown on the Bulldogs the night before, the
Wolverines were still disappointed in their defensive effort over the
final 40 minutes when they allowed four goals on 32 shots.

Saturday night in the series finale, the Wolverines didn't let off the
gas pedal and played a strong 60 minutes of hockey.

"I think our team played better defensively," U-M head coach Red
Berenson said.  "We know we'll get our goals if we're patient and we
play well without the puck."

Unlike Friday night when the Wolverines jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead
in the opening minutes, U-M did have to be a bit more patient Saturday
to get their first goal.

They had a great opportunity five minutes into the game when Chad
Kolarik took a dish from Andrew Cogliano at the blueline and went in
all alone.  He tried to go high glove side, only to be denied by
Bulldogs goalie Mitch O'Keefe.

Near the halfway mark, Cogliano came flying in on the right side and
fired a wrist shot just over the shortside top corner of the net.

Michigan would finally open the scoring with 6:49 remaining the
opening stanza.  Just after a penalty to Ferris State expired, Brandon
Naurato muscled a centering pass from near the endboards that found a
trailing Matt Hunwick all alone for the easy slam dunk.

Minutes later, Cogliano zipped into the FSU zone, put a move on the
defenseman, and just missed a backhander wide.

But Cogliano would get rewarded for his efforts with 34.6 seconds left
in the opening period when he connected with the exact same shot he
tried midway through the period.  Coming in on the right side, he
fired a wrist shot into the shortside top corner of the net, a play
very reminiscent of many Jeff Tambellini goals.

"I thought Chad Kolarik and Andrew Cogliano could have had three goals
each in the first period," Berenson said.

The Bulldogs would cut the lead in half just 36 seconds into the
second period when Matt Verdone sent a pass in front and Mark
Bomersback got by the Michigan defenseman, grabbed the puck, and slid
a backhander though the legs of U-M goalie Billy Sauer.

But the Wolverines would respond 1:30 later.  A scramble in front of
the FSU net saw the puck pop out between the circles.  With the goalie
already down, Jack Johnson stepped up and blasted a shot into the top
corner of the net to make it 3-1.

Michigan would extend their lead at 9:16 on a goal by Brian Lebler.
The play started out as a two-on-one for Cogliano and Kolarik, with
Cogliano carrying the puck down the right side.  He sent a centering
pass to Kolarik that hit off the Ferris defenseman and redirected to a
Lebler, who was trailing the play.  Lebler got the puck alone in front
and easily banged it past O'Keefe.

On the power play with 6:37 left in the second period, Naurato would
sent a bullet from deep in the right corner that hit off the skate of
Travis Turnbull at the far post and into the net to make it 5-1.

The Bulldogs would get one back 7:36 into the third period when Zac
Pearson slid a shot from between the circles through two U-M players
and beat Sauer.  The Wolverine goalie never appeared to see it coming.

The Wolverines would put the final nail in the coffin with 1:32
remaining in regulation during a five-on-three power play.  Cogliano
setup Johnson, who ripped a one-timer past O'Keefe.

"The past 10 games or so, they were not going in for me, but I had the
mentality to keep shooting, and eventually one of them is going to go
in," Johnson said.  "I started getting the bounces going my way."

Sauer finished the game with 22 saves, while O'Keefe had 28 for the Bulldogs.

The Wolverines play a home-and-home with Western Michigan next
weekend.  Friday night is in Kalamazoo, and the Saturday night game is
the final regular season home game for the Wolverines and will also be
Senior Night.  That game can be seen on Fox Sports Detroit.

---------------

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/

Quick update from Yost...

As I said last night, a few bounces the other way and the game could
have changed.  Tonight, the Northern Michigan hockey team tightened up
their play and came out of Yost Ice Arena with a 2-1 win.

Michigan wasn't as sharp tonight and a bit sloppy with their play.
They still had plenty of chances, including seven power play
opportunities, but couldn't convert.

Northern Michigan junior forward Mike Santorelli scored both goals,
while senior goalie Bill Zaniboni was strong in net turning aside 36
shots.  He had his shutout ruined by Andrew Cogliano with 6.5 seconds
left in regulation.

U-M goalie Billy Sauer was solid on the other end making 28 saves for
the Wolverines.

The Wolverines travel to Alaska next weekend for a weekend series with
the Nanooks.

-------------------

More later on MHNet...

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/