MiCHO Power Poll 02.25.09

The Michigan Wolverines split at Ohio State last weekend, but still hold onto the No. 1 spot in the MiCHO Power Poll.

The one major change in this week’s poll sees the red-hot Northern Michigan Wildcats take over the No. 2 spot from Ferris State after beating and tying Miami on the road last weekend.

NMU is now 9-3-2 since the calendar flipped to 2009.

Complete Poll

1) Michigan, 24-10-0 (split with Ohio State)
2) Northern Michigan, 12-15-5 (beat, tied Miami)
3) Ferris State, 12-15-7 (swept by Alaska)
4) Lake Superior State, 10-16-8 (split with Western Michigan)
5) Western Michigan, 10-17-7 (split with Lake Superior State)
6) Michigan State, 10-19-5 (split with Bowling Green)
7) Michigan Tech, 5-22-7 (tied, lost to Minnesota Duluth)

Each week, MichiganCollegeHockey.com editors Matt Mackinder and Tom Balog will compile the MiCHO Power Poll. The poll will comprise the seven Division I teams in the state of Michigan.

Wolverines break even with Ohio State

By Matt Mackinder/Michigan Beat Writer

The Michigan Wolverines ventured to Columbus over the weekend hoping for a sweep of Ohio State, but instead came home with just two points after winning Friday night and getting skunked Saturday evening.

In UM’s 4-1 win the first night, David Wohlberg scored 1:15 into the game and the Wolverines never looked back.

Louie Caporusso reached the 40-point mark for the season by notching his second straight three-assist game. Tim Miller had a goal and an assist, as did Wohlberg. Chad Langlais scored twice from the back end as well.

“I thought the first goal, obviously, was key to get a good start to the game, especially on the road against Ohio State,” Langlais said. “I thought the power play moved around really well tonight. I think I got lucky (on his second goal). I think the guy right next to me fell down, so I just took a shot and it went through.”

Bryan Hogan finished with 20 saves in the victory.

Saturday night was a different story as UM (24-10-0, 18-8-0-0 CCHA) blew a 2-0 lead and fell to the Buckeyes, 3-2, as OSU tallied the game-winner late in the third period.

“You don’t come in here and just take the game away from [Ohio State],” Michigan head coach Red Berenson said. “They’re a good hockey team. You look at their record on Saturdays, for example, and it’s pretty darn good. You knew they would come back with a better game. We had to try and have a better game as well and I can’t tell you we did that. But that’s the way it is in this league; anyone can beat anyone.”

Robbie Czarnik and Miller were the Wolverines’ goal scorers and Langlais chipped in two assists. Hogan made 22 saves.

C.J. Severyn was credited with the go-ahead goal with 4:20 left in regulation. Zac Dalpe’s slap shot squirted between Hogan’s legs and stopped on the goal line. Severyn crashed the net and appeared to kick the puck over the goal line, but the officials confirmed the goal for OSU.

“I don’t know about the goal that went in,” said Berenson. “We had two goals that were called back for whatever reason. I didn’t see the replays. The rule in college hockey is if you direct the puck in with your skate — you don’t have to kick it — just direct it in, then it’s no goal. It’s a very sensitive issue around the league. We have to trust that these officials know that and they must have seen it. It must have been a good goal.”

The Wolverines conclude their regular season next weekend with a home-and-home series against Ferris State. UM heads to Big Rapids for a 7:05 p.m. game on Friday night and then Saturday night is Senior Night at Yost for UM’s six seniors (Billy Sauer, Brandon Naurato, Danny Fardig, Mark Mitera, Travis Turnbull, Miller). Faceoff is set for 8:05 p.m. and CBS College Sports will broadcast the game.

MSU gains split with Bowling Green

By Matt Mackinder/Michigan State Beat Writer

After Michigan State extended their unbeaten streak to five games Friday night at home against Bowling Green, the road wasn’t as kind Saturday night as the Falcons came back with a decisive shutout versus the Spartans.

In Friday night’s 3-2 win at Munn Ice Arena, Daultan Leveille and Brock Shelgren (first NCAA goal) scored in a 26-second span six minutes into the third period to come from behind and get the win.

“I think I was coming in from a line change and they tried chipping it out and it was just right there for me,” said Shelgren of his goal, also the game-winner. “I just wound up and tried to put it on net and it went in for me. I watched it go in, but I was still surprised, it being my first college goal and everything.”

Matt Schepke scored MSU’s first goal and Jeff Lerg made 35 saves.

Saturday night, BGSU took a 4-0 win.

Lerg made 32 saves to extend his streak of games with 29 or more saves to 16 games. He needs just 18 more saves to pass Glenn Healy (Western Michigan) for the all-time CCHA record.

Junior forward Jacob Schering, who joined the team less than two weeks ago, dressed in his first collegiate game for the Spartans. The Trenton native drew a penalty in the second period.

Michigan State (10-19-5, 7-15-4-3 CCHA) wraps up the regular season with a home-and-home series with Notre Dame next weekend. The teams face off Friday in South Bend and then on Saturday in East Lansing.

Bulldogs stymied in series with Alaska

By Tom Morelli/Ferris State Beat Writer

As if Alaska didn’t cause enough pain for Ferris State the first time around, the Nanooks were at it again last weekend, winning both games to take a 4-0 sweep in the season series.

The Bulldogs (12-15-7 overall, 9-12-5-2 CCHA) began Friday night’s game on a positive note, thanks to a goal by Justin Menke with five minutes remaining in the opening period. Helping out on the goal were defenseman Zach Redmond and center Brendan Connolly.

Ferris State remained on top until about midway through the third period, when Alaska scored a pair of goals within a three-minute span. Kevin Petovello evened-up the score at 10:51 with his shot on goaltender Pat Nagle, which came while the Nanooks were shorthanded. With their team back at full-strength, Alaska completed their come-from behind victory off a goal by Ron Myers with 13:21 elapsed.

In his 19th start of the season, Nagle collected 30 saves. At the other end of the ice, Chad Johnson put a stop to 28 shots.

Saturday was a bit of déjà-vu for the Bulldogs, as they once again relinquished an early lead that resulted in defeat.

Ferris State’s offense awakened in the early going of the second period, as Menke set-up Connolly for his ninth goal of the season with 26 seconds gone by. At about the five minute mark, the Bulldogs added to their lead on a marker by Mike Embach, which came courtesy of Justin Lewandowski and Aaron Lewicki.

The Nanooks made it clear that they would not go down easy, as Brandon Knelsen passed the puck to younger brother Dion to beat Taylor Nelson at 9:34.

In the third period, Derek Klassen and Rob Meyers were responsible for giving Petovello his second goal in as many nights with seven minutes remaining, which gave Alaska an opportunity to force overtime.

The Nanooks wasted little time in the extra session, winning at the 1:16 mark on an Adam Naglich goal from Brendan Knelsen and Bryant Molle.

Johnson was the winning goaltender once again, racking-up 23 stops to Nelson’s 27.

Ferris State closes out the regular season with a home-and-home series this Friday and Saturday night against the University of Michigan.

Wildcats grab three points in Miami

By Susannah Nichols/ Northern Michigan Beat Writer

The Northern Michigan Wildcats made the most of their opportunities last weekend and, despite being significantly outshot in both their games against Miami, the team managed a 2-1 win on Friday and a 1-1 tie on Saturday.

Brian Stewart (pictured) was outstanding in goal for the ‘Cats and was named first star on both nights.

Stewart had his work cut out for him from the first period of Friday’s game, when Miami outshot NMU 15-5 (and 44-20 over the course of the game).

However, Justin Florek got the only goal that mattered when he scored at 15:46 of the period to get the Wildcats on the board. Phil Fox and Mark Olver were credited with assists. Midway through the second period, Jared Brown picked up a pass from Billy Smith to light the lamp and put the ‘Cats up, 2-0.

Miami scored at 12:44 of the third to deny Stewart the shutout, but Stewart still finished with 43 saves and the win.

Saturday’s game was another test of endurance for Stewart as the RedHawks outshot the Wildcats, 47-7. And once again, it was Northern who found the net first. Nick Sirota picked up his fifth goal of the season (assists by Andrew Cherniwchan and Tyler Gron) in the first period.

Miami’s Carter Camper capitalized on a Fox penalty to tie up the game, but the RedHawks couldn’t get another shot past Stewart for the rest of the game, including overtime.

The Wildcats (12-15-5, 9-12-5-3 CCHA) earned a point for the tie, but lost 2-1 in the shootout.

Northern Michigan returns home for their last regular season series to face off against UP rival Lake Superior State at 7:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights.

MTU settles for single point vs. UMD

By Matt Mackinder/MiCHO Managing Editor

Michigan Tech earned just a point on the weekend, but in the process tied a WCHA record.

The Huskies’ 2-2 tie Saturday night at home against Minnesota Duluth was their seventh of the year and improved on its own record of six set in 1995-1996.

Michigan Tech is now 5-22-7 overall and 1-18-7 in WCHA play.

Jordan Baker and Derek Kitti scored for MTU and Josh Robinson made 28 saves in net.

“I thought we played well tonight. I was happy with our performance,” said Huskies head coach Jamie Russell. “I really challenged the team after the second period. We challenged individuals in the room before the third and we asked who wanted to step up, who wanted to be a leader, who wants to be put in that situation to be successful and get the tap on the shoulder to get the job done.”

In Friday night’s 4-1 loss, freshman Brett Olson scored his team-best sixth power-play goal of the season to go along with a 19-save outing from Robinson.

“You have to bury your bounces,” said Russell. “We had a number of wonderful opportunities in the first period, but (Duluth goalie Alex) Stalock made the saves. I think we had great opportunities after we were up 1-0 to go up 2-0, 3-0, but we didn’t capitalize. In the third period, we need someone who is going to step up. We are down 2-1 and we had two power-play opportunities and we didn’t convert in those situations. In fact, I thought we lost battles. You need to rise to the occasion and we didn’t do that.”

Michigan Tech will take next weekend off before hosting Minnesota in the final series of the regular season March 6-7.

WMU and LSSU do the splits

By Michael David/Lake Superior State Beat Writer

The Lake Superior State Lakers failed to sweep the Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday night, losing 4-1, and playing possibly their worst game of the season on Senior Night.

It was a stark contrast to Friday night, however, as the pucks were flying in the net and LSSU topped WMU, 7-4.

Friday night, the Lakers took a 6-0 lead in the game after the first two periods.

First-period goals were scored by Nathan Perkovich, Dan Barczuk, and Josh Sim.

Kyle Haines, Zac MacVoy and Carter Lee all found the back of the net for the Lakers in the second stanza.

LSSU seemed to go to sleep in the third, as WMU scored four unanswered goals by Kyle O’Kane, Ian Slater, Greg Squires and Patrick Galivan.

The Lakers woke up late, and scored a goal by Chad Nehring to give them selves a little breathing room.

In net for the Broncos, Riley Gill made 13 saves in the loss before being relieved by Jerry Kuhn, who made 17 saves.

For the Lakers, Pat Inglis secured the win with 16 saves, but his third-period collapse forced his replacement by Brian Mahoney-Wilson, who stopped five shots.

Saturday night, the Broncos (10-17-7, 7-13-6-2 CCHA) scored two quick goals and the Lakers had two goals called off in the loss.

Inglis gave up two bad goals to Chris Clackson and Galivan on only seven shots. Mahoney-Wilson would again take the net for the Lakers in relief, making 14 saves on the night.

The Lakers had a goal called off in the first because MacVoy was in the crease after it appeared he was cross-checked into it. There was no penalty on the play.

In the third period, WMU would get a power-play goal by Clackson to go up, 3-1.

MacVoy would score a meaningless goal for the Lakers to cut the lead to two. LSSU had another goal called off in the third and again, with no explanation.

Galivan would score an empty-net goal for the Broncos.

Gill made 37 saves in goal for Western, who host Bowling Green next weekend.

The Lakers (10-16-8, 7-13-6-1 CCHA) play thier final series in Marquette next weekend against Northern Michigan.

Warriors falter at Robert Morris

By Tom Balog/Wayne State Beat Writer

For the second straight year, the Robert Morris Colonials dealt Wayne State (20-6-2, 11-3-0 CHA) a deadly blow in their quest for the CHA title.

Last season, the Green and Gold were keeping pace with Mercyhurst down the stretch until the Colonials snapped the Warriors’ 11-game unbeaten streak with a 2-1 upset on Wayne State’s home ice at the City Sports Center. The unexpected loss could be argued as what cost WSU an outright title as they ended up tied with Mercyhurst in the final standings.

This season, it was another unexpected stumble as WSU split with RMU over the weekend at the Island Sports Center in Pittsburgh.

WSU started strong on Friday night by clipping the Colonials, 4-2, to run their winning streak to three games.

Senior Sam Poyton (pictured) continued her climb up the record books with a pair of goals including the game-winner at 4:33 of the third period. The two goals give Poyton 22 on the year and the game-winner was the 27th of her career, tying her with Harvard’s Nicole Corriero for the all-time NCAA lead in game-winners.

Katrina Protopapas and Lindsay DiPietro also scored for WSU, both on the power play, and Melissa Boal added two assists, giving her 100 for her career.

Delayne Brian was also strong in net again for Wayne State, stopping 30 shots to push her record to 14-3-0.

Brianne McLaughlin turned away an identical 30 shots for RMU.

Kathryn Stack and Megan Picinic added the markers for the Colonials.

Robert Morris sent its seniors out in style on Saturday night with a 1-0 shutout win over the Warriors.

Despite being outshot by a huge 51-20 margin, RMU’s goal by senior Kristen Miles at 12:41 of the second period proved to be the difference.

McLaughlin earned first star honors with a mammoth 51-save performance for her second career shutout.

The Warriors had not been held off the scoreboard in 59 games, dating back to a 7-0 loss on Oct. 6, 2007 at Clarkson.

Lindsey Park stopped 19 of 20 for WSU.

Wayne State will close the book on the regular season with a pair of games against third-ranked Mercyhurst back at the City Sports next weekend. Mercyhurst swept WSU by a pair of 4-2 scores in Erie, Pa., back on January 30-31 and lead the Warriors by an insurmountable six points in the CHA.

WSU’s DiPietro receives scholastic honor

Wayne State University senior Lindsay DiPietro has been selected to receive the Financial Executives International Award, an accolade given to the top accounting or finance student who is nearing graduation.

One undergraduate student is selected from each business school in southeastern Michigan.

DiPietro will receive her award at the Academic Awards Night dinner which will be held on Monday, March 30 at the Detroit Athletic Club. Dr. David Williams, Dean of the School of Business, will attend this event with DiPietro.

A two-year captain of the Warrior women’s hockey squad, DiPietro has been named to the WSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (term GPA 3.50+) every semester of her career.

MiCHO Power Poll 02.18.09

The Michigan Wolverines swept Nebraska-Omaha last weekend and maintain their stranglehold on the top spot in the MiCHO Power Poll.

Michigan has been No. 1 in the poll all season long, save for the Oct. 29, 2008 poll when Michigan State held the top ranking.

The rest of the poll remains the same as last week, with Ferris State hanging onto the No. 2 spot and Northern Michigan at No. 3.

Complete Poll

1) Michigan, 23-9-0 (swept Nebraska-Omaha)
2) Ferris State, 12-13-7 (split with Bowling Green)
3) Northern Michigan, 11-15-4 (swept by Notre Dame)
4) Lake Superior State, 9-15-8 (swept by Miami)
5) Western Michigan, 9-16-7 (split with Alaska)
6) Michigan State, 9-18-5 (tied, beat Ohio State)
7) Michigan Tech, 5-21-6 (swept by St. Cloud State)

Each week, MichiganCollegeHockey.com editors Matt Mackinder and Tom Balog will compile the MiCHO Power Poll. The poll will comprise the seven Division I teams in the state of Michigan.