Wolverines hold off Boston College, 3-2

The No. 7-ranked Michigan Wolverines won an early battle of top ten teams in defeating No. 5 Boston College, 3-2, in front of 6,982 at Yost Ice Arena last night

T.J. Hensick (left) and Travis Turnbull each had a goal and an assist, while Matt Hunwick added a pair of assists and goalie Billy Sauer made 22 saves. U-M never trailed, as Jack Johnson scored 1:44 into the contest, Hensick added his tally five and a half minutes later and Turnbull gave Michigan a 3-1 edge at 6:54 of the second period.

"I thought all of the young kids played well," U-M head coach Red Berenson said. "They all had good moments in their game where they really stepped up. Jack (Johnson) played strong; (Matt) Hunwick played strong; I think (Andrew) Cogliano stepped it up. Some of our kids had pretty good games back there. This is a great game to play so early."

The Wolverines host Merrimack Sunday at 3 p.m.

"We have to have the same intensity," Hensick said. "Once we figure out how this team can play like this every night, we should have a special season. I think that is something in the last two seasons we have been missing. We have had great games and come out the next night and had poor games. We have to find a way to get up for Sunday against Merrimack. It is not going to be an easy game, just like tonight was not."

Spartans earn win over Western Ontario

Bryan Lerg had a goal and an assist and Peder Skinner (left) added a pair of assists as Michigan State downed Western Ontario, 4-2, Friday night in an exhibition game at Munn Ice Arena.

"It was a hard game to play and that's what I expected it to be," MSU head coach Rick Comley said. "It was probably good for our kids because they had to play in a very physical hockey game and keep their composure. The only time they really came close to scoring on us was on the power play and it was a good game for our young players. I think it was a hard game for our older players and a good game for our younger kids."

Jim McKenzie, Colton Fretter and captain Drew Miller also scored for Michigan State. Goaltender Jeff Lerg made 11 saves for the win.

At the other end, Scott Dickie stopped 38 shots for the Mustangs, including 23 in the first period. Former Windsor Spitfires' captain Craig Kennedy scored for Western, while Kevin Richardson (goal, assist) and Chris Eade (two assists) had multi-point games in the loss.

"Going into the Michigan game, it is better to fight the battle and take the win than to win a blowout," Skinner said. "Now we know how hard we have to work every night."

The Spartans open the CCHA schedule at Michigan next Saturday.

Warriors roll, paste Guelph, 6-1

Jason Baclig (left) had two goals and an assist to lead Wayne State past the University of Guelph (Ontario), 6-1, Thursday night at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum in an exhibition game.

Steve Kovalchik, Jon Grabarek and Adam Krug all tallied power-play markers for the Warriors. Mike Forgie added a short-handed goal as well. Baclig's second goal was also with the man-advantage as WSU went 4-for-10 on the power play and registered 24 power-play shots on the night.

The Gryphons lone tally was scored by Jeff Cook and came just 22 seconds after Baclig's final goal.

Will Hooper started between the pipes for WSU and stopped all eight shots he faced in 29:52. Matt Kelly turned aside four of the five shots he saw he the final 30:08.

Guelph goalies Lance Scott and Andrew Arklie each made 17 saves.

The Warriors' next action will be an exhibition game next Wednesday versus Oakland University's club team. Face-off at the Coliseum is slated for 7:05 p.m.

STAV SIDELINED
Wayne State forward Stavros Paskaris left the game midway through the first period holding his left shoulder after a hit along the boards. He later emerged from the WSU locker room out of his gear and with his arm in a sling.

"I just went to brace myself for a hit and I don't know what happened," said Paskaris, the CHA rookie of the year last season. "Hopefully it's nothing major."

Michigan women's club team optimistic

By Matt Mackinder

The University of Michigan women’s club hockey team, after a trip to the national tournament last year, is off to a slow start this season, but is optimistic their fortunes will change in time.

Returning most of the players from last year’s team will help ease the three freshmen into game shape this year.

“We have a strong coaching staff that has big goals set for us this year,” senior goalie Jennifer Barnhart, a Kingsley native, said. “We plan to finish among the top in the CCWHA and make the ACHA National Tournament again this year (in St. Louis).”

Barnhart, last season’s playoffs MVP, should see most of the time in net, but sophomore Katie Caskey and freshman Maggie Wagner (Troy) are capable netminders as well.

Last year at nationals, the 11th-ranked Wolverines lost their first two games to second-ranked Lindenwood and seventh-ranked Massachusetts before dropping an overtime heartbreaker to 10th-ranked Northern Michigan.

Michigan is looking for a reversal of fortune this season and feels it starts with the regular season.

“We need to get into our game very quickly as we are playing some very difficult teams right away, but I am very positive and excited about the possibilities this season,” senior defenseman Mary Catherine Finney (Grand Rapids) said. “After our showing at nationals in the spring, many other ACHA teams have taken notice of us and are traveling to Ann Arbor to play us this season including powerhouses like Lindenwood and U-Mass Amherst, so getting extra games against such talented teams will really challenge us and only raise our game.”

Junior defender Kristin Delong agrees with Finney.

“The outlook for this season is a very optimistic one,” said Delong, from Kalamazoo. “So far, we have nothing but a good team atmosphere, a great group of athletes, and a disciplined work ethic. Getting along on the ice has an immense amount to do with how we get along off the ice. For our team this year, this aspect is a very positive one. Right now, I live with four other girls from the team and they are my best friends. The bond we all have off the ice is what helps us succeed on the ice. We hang out all the time and it is always a lot of fun.”

Adam Winters and Andrea Shear share head coaching duties for the Wolverines. Winters noted that from year to year, the roster changes and he never really knows who’s going to be on the team.

“Because of the academic requirements to attend U of M and the fact that we are a club sport, we really don't know who were going to get until the first day of tryouts,” explained Winters. “We lost only two players, granted both will be missed (one was in the top three or four in points last season and the other was one of our top defensemen), but we had a great group of freshmen last year who will be counted on to contribute a bit more this season.

“Last year's No. 1 goalie (Jen) is back, along with two of three captains. What does all this mean? Well, we certainly will raise the bar on the expectations of the team. We finished second in the CCWHA tournament last year and we'd like to get back to the championship game and give that another shot. We also entered nationals in the 11th spot and left in the 11th spot. We definitely want to improve on that. I'm very excited for this season, and really do expect us to reach both of these long-term goals.”

Up front, lone freshman Caity Clarke joins graduate captain Darcy Utter, juniors Cheryl Mervich (Port Huron), Kelly Bowes (Schoolcraft) and Laine Schmid (Bloomfield Hills) and sophomores Hillary Eagen (Marysville), Emily Shefferly (Grosse Pointe), Megan Lobeck and Lauren Lobert (Walled Lake).

Along with Finney and Delong, juniors Kathryn McMillan (Grosse Pointe Park) and Trisha Drewry (Lake Orion) and freshman Amy Cauzillo (Northville) make up the U-M defense.

And as with any Michigan sport, a rivalry with Michigan State is inevitable. The Wolverines gear up for MSU days ahead of time and revel in the on-ice intensity. The Spartans have two women’s teams, an ‘A’ team and a ‘B’ team. The ‘A’ team finished as national runners-up a year ago while the ‘B’ team was handled easily by the Wolverines in their five meetings last season.

“MSU and U-M have always been rivalry schools and whenever our teams play each other the games are very competitive,” Mervich said. “We also have a great crowd turnout when our schools play each other.”

“There is a rivalry with MSU no matter what U of M team you are,” added Delong. “It is in a Wolverine's blood to want to win against MSU whether they are 100 times better or 100 times worse than you. When it comes to playing a rival school, stats don't seem to matter; it's always going to be a good, heart-on-the-line game.”

Finney concurred with her teammates.

“The rivalry used to be more intense than it is now,” said Finney. “But any time you have Spartans at Yost or we play in their house, energy and tempers are always high. There is always something extra at stake when playing MSU – a certain pride you can take with you.”

Not being a Division I team doesn’t mean the Wolverines aren’t competitive. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. Wayne State has the state’s only women’s D-I team and U-M may or may not join the Warriors in time. But before that happens, obstacles need to be cleared.

”Having a varsity program here would be a great leap for both women's hockey and the university,” Barnhart said. “The only option women have to play competitive hockey here is for the club team. Granted, if a varsity program was established, that team would recruit from all over the nation and it is a very slim chance that any current club members would play on that team.”

“Right now it's not a necessity because there are so few D-I teams in our area,” said Finney. “I think the level of play and the competition within the CCWHA is incredible and certainly rivals many D-III teams. However, D-I would give many girls an opportunity to play that couldn't afford to cough up the $1500 that it costs us to play. A varsity program would mean more respect from the university, more recognition, and a great move for women's hockey. My guess is that when Michigan State moves to varsity we will be soon to follow because you know how we hate to be upstaged by the Spartans.”

Mervich added that, “D-I hockey at Michigan would be an amazing accomplishment for women’s hockey. The men’s program is one of the best in the country and I feel that a women’s program would have to follow in its footsteps. I hope that one day we do have a varsity program here at the university, but in the mean time I am thrilled that we have a club program that I am able to be a part of.”

”The majority of schools that have a D-I men's program in the northeast also have a women's program, as do Ohio State, Minnesota and Wisconsin,” observed Winters. “There's really no excuse for MSU and U of M to not have a team. It just has not been a priority for either athletic department. If it was, it would have happened by now. If OSU and Wayne State can do it, certainly U of M and MSU could. It's sad that the better players in the state have only one option if they want to stay in the Michigan and play D-I hockey and I think there is enough talent in Michigan to support more than one program.”

Speaking of Ohio State, Michigan beat them, 2-1, in their season opener on Sept. 30, but lost a 1-0 contest two days later to the same Buckeyes. Michigan then fought valiantly, but fell to the Michigan State ‘A’ team, 3-0, on Oct. 7. Next up is a two-game series at Yost Ice Arena with Western Michigan on Oct. 28-29. Game times are 9:30 p.m. (Oct. 28) and 5:00 p.m. (Oct. 29).

Check out the U-M women's hockey team here.

Spartans hire new assistant

Michigan State has hired Keith McKittrick as the new assistant to head coach Rick Comley.

McKittrick comes to East Lansing by way of the NHL's Minnesota Wild. As the Assistant to Video and Scouting Coach with the Wild, McKittrick was responsible for creating video scouting reports, breaking down game film and assisting with U.S. and European-born player research.

"We are very excited about the hiring of Keith," said Comley. "He brings a lot of energy and experience to the position and is a welcome addition to our staff."

Prior to joining the Wild, McKittrick was the head coach of the club hockey program at the University of Minnesota. While at Minnesota, he was solely responsible for scouting his team's opponents and preparing practice and game plans. McKittrick developed team- and player-specific mission statements, objectives and seasonal goals, analyzing and evaluating progress throughout each season.

McKittrick has also been an instructor at the Northern Edge Hockey School since 2003. As the head on-ice instructor, he is responsible for the design of on-ice curriculum. McKittrick also handles new business development throughout the Midwest and assists with elite U.S. and international hockey schools.

McKittrick was a four-year member of the Golden Gophers club hockey program as both a player and coach. He was appointed to the University's Dean's List in 2001 and received a general college scholarship in 2002. McKittrick is currently a member of USA Hockey.

"It's exciting to be here," McKittrick said. "There is a great family atmosphere here at Michigan State. It's nice to be back in an academic setting and I have really enjoyed everything about East Lansing."

McKittrick's hiring is effective immediately. He will be responsible for the coordination of the program's video efforts and other duties as assigned.

ACHA Round-Up

Mike Johnson leads the Lakers with 10 points in six games

Lakers cruise through weekend
By Chris Moore

The Grand Valley State University Lakers Hockey team opened their home season this weekend against Central Michigan University on Friday and Ferris State University on Saturday.

GVSU came out strong Friday in front of a near capacity crowd, scoring four goals in the first period. CMU fought back and made it a 4-2 game halfway through the second, but GVSU sealed the game by scoring the final two goals, winning by a score of 6-2. Robb Higgins and Jeff Tejchma each scored two goals and Chris Moore had 31 saves in the victory.

On Saturday GVSU faced off against Ferris State, who had played the University of Michigan to a 4-4 tie the night before. GVSU and Ferris each added one goal in the first. Rick Lehman came alive in the second scoring two slapshot goals and giving GVSU a lead they would not relinquish. Mike Johnson assisted on both goals as GVSU cruised to a 4-1 victory. Phil Murray added another goal to continue his goal per game rate, while Chris Moore made 23 saves, making him 5-0 on the season with a 1.00 GAA and 96% save percentage.

The 5-1 Lakers travel down to Indiana University to play the Hoosiers next weekend. The Hoosiers were ranked #1 in the Southeast region last year and should be a fierce competitor for GVSU.

Oakland puts up 21 on Robert Morris
By Matt Mackinder

The Oakland University offense exploded this past weekend in getting 21 goals in two games versus the Robert Morris College Eagles.

Friday night, OU garnered 14 goals on 42 shots to beat the visiting Eagles, 14-3. Brent Cooper notched his first hat trick as a Grizzly with four goals and an assist. Will McMahon also added three goals and a helper and Ryan Webb finished the night with four points (goal, three assists). Chase Cosens started in net for the Grizzlies and turned aside 17 shots.

Saturday was more of the same for the Grizzlies as they finished off the weekend series with a 7-1 win. OU was lead by Jordan Ingram who netted three points (two goals, assist) and Jon Paul Ferrari (goal, two assists) who also tallied three points. Chris Joswiak started Saturday's game in goal for OU facing 26 shots and turning aside 25.

"It was good to get a couple of big wins this weekend," OU head coach Sean Hogan said. "We played two tough games in a row versus St. Clair and Wayne State last week. It's great to get back on track."

News and Notes:
--McMahon is leading the Grizzlies with 23 points in 6 games (12 goals, 11 assists)
--Jeff Einheuser had his first multi-point night as a Grizzly Friday when he notched three points on a goal and two assists
--OU's Kyle McCarthy scored his first goal as a Grizzly versus Robert Morris this past weekend. Others notching their first points of the season were Jonah Rogowski, Tom Schaeffler, Adam Chornoby and Steve Schaeffler.
--OU's power play jumped back on track versus Robert Morris going a combined 4-for-13, bringing their season total to 8-for-41 and 19.5 percent.

Next up:
Oakland will travel south to face the University of Kentucky Icecats Friday and Saturday night. Both games are slated to start at midnight as part of the UK hockey tradition.

"UK is a very tough place to play for opposing teams," noted Hogan. "They have a large rowdy crowd and a midnight start makes it a rough go on the visiting team."

ACHA ROUND-UP
D-1
#10 MICHIGAN-DEARBORN 6, #6 Robert Morris (IL) 4 (Empty Net Goal)
#10 MICHIGAN-DEARBORN 10, #6 Robert Morris (IL) 3
#7 IOWA STATE 6, #11 Eastern Michigan 4
#7 IOWA STATE 3, #11 Eastern Michigan 1
Western Michigan 4, JOHN CARROLL 0
Western Michigan 9, JOHN CARROLL 2

D-2
Minnesota 5, Northern Michigan 0

D-3
Calvin College 10 - Oakland University 1
Calvin College 7 - Northwood University 3
Hope College 5 - Oakland University 2

Women
Ohio State 3, MSU-White 2
Ohio State 6, MSU-White 2

Nystrom to make NHL debut tonight

Former Michigan captain Eric Nystrom has been recalled by the Calgary Flames and will make his NHL debut tonight at Colorado.

Nystrom, 22, made his professional debut this season playing in two games with the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights. In seven NHL pre-season games with Calgary, he notched one goal and two assists and collected 10 penalty minutes.

Nystrom graduated from Michigan last spring and was Calgary's first-round pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

Read the Flames' press release here.

MTU splits with Mercyhurst

MTU's Taggart Desmet, Friday night's first star

Michigan Tech was 1-0 for the first time in four years, but they were unable to stay undefeated too long as Mercyhurst evened the score the next night. It was the first series of the year for both teams, and both started with a Division I opponent. Mercyhurst (predicted the winner of the AHA) started the scoring both nights, but were only able to hold on for one of those games.

Friday

MTU was lead by senior forwards Taggart Desmet and Chris Conner Friday as they prevailed 4-3 over the visiting Lakers. Conner scored the second goal of the game, the first for MTU, when he flaunted his speed and came in alone on the Laker goalie. He was assisted by Desmet and freshman Justin St. Louis. The Lakers struck back before the end of the first and took a 2-1 advantage into the second.

The second was dominated by MTU, in fact all three goals of the period were scored by the Huskies. The first two by Desmet and the third and final one from Nick Anderson.

In the third the Lakers were able to get one goal, but that was it. Michael Teslak, one of MTU's freshman goalies, looked very good on his way to his first win with 41 saves.

Saturday

MTU started slow and allowed Mercyhurst to get out to an early 2-0 lead. It was late in the period before Brandon Schwartz tipped home a shot by Geoff Kinrade. This was the only offense that MTU could create in the first period.

The fans saw a better MTU team in the second but Tech could only get one goal in the second, it was a shorthanded goal and it was Mike Botavanja that buried it.

Tech entered the third down 3-2 and could not get anything going. Mercyhurst was able to capitalize on a few miscues and ended the game with a 5-2 score.

Rob Nolan, the other of the two freshmen goalies, got the start and looked good at times, but had a few lapses and let a couple soft goals in.

MTU now heads to the Nye Classic in Anchorage and will face two teams from out east, Vermont Friday and RPI Saturday.

WSU women tie, lose at Bemidji State

WSU sophomore goalie Val Turcotte

The Wayne State women's team opened the season with a 1-1 tie at Bemidji State on Friday night, but fell, 2-1, Saturday afternoon.

Senior Jessica Haydahl scored the lone goal for the Warriors the first night as her goal came with just seven seconds left in what proved to be a busy first period as the two teams combined for 28 shots on goal.

Sophomore goalie Val Turcotte made 35 saves for WSU.

Saturday, freshman Lindsay DiPietro scored Wayne State's only goal and Turcotte finished with 20 saves.

The Warriors will return to Detroit for four consecutive home games beginning with the home opener against St. Lawrence at City Sports Center Arena on Friday.

Photo courtesy of Mark Hicks/WestSide Photo.

Spartans beat WSU, Sioux at Lefty

MSU goalie Dominic Vicari wins both games in Dayton

The Michigan State Spartans scored all of their goals in a span of 6:36 in the second period and received 25 saves from junior goalie Dominic Vicari to blank North Dakota, 3-0, at the Lefty McFadden Invitational last night in Dayton, Ohio.

Sophomore forward Chris Mueller opening the scoring at the 2:25 mark of the middle period, senior forward David Booth notched a shorthanded marker at 6:59 and Mueller added a power-play marker exactly two minutes later.

It was the first two-goal game of Mueller's career and the output matched the goal total from his rookie season. Vicari registered his 13th career shutout to move into sole possession of second place of that category in the Spartans record book.

Saturday night, the Spartans beat Wayne State, 5-1, with five unanswered goals after WSU's Jason Baclig scored nine seconds into the game. Justin Abdelkader, Jim McKenzie, Bryan Lerg, Colton Fretter and captain Drew Miller scored for MSU and Vicari made just 15 saves for the win. Matt Kelly stopped 29 shots for the Warriors, who were shutout, 4-0, against Miami on Sunday. Lerg also added a pair of assists for Michigan State.

The next test for the 2-0-0 Spartans is an exhibition game on Friday against the University of Western Ontario.

Wolverines sweep Quinnipiac

Junior defenseman Matt Hunwick

Michigan opened their regular season in style last weekend with two wins at home over Quinnipiac.

Friday night, Kevin Porter notched two goals and Billy Sauer made 25 saves in his debut to help U-M defeat the Bobcats, 3-1. Travis Turnbull and T.J. Hensick each had two assists and Danny Fardig also scored.

"From a coaching perspective, just because you win a game doesn't mean you had a great game," Michigan head coach Red Berenson said. "We have a lot of things to do better. But you have to start somewhere, and I like where we started."

Matt Hunwick tallied a hat trick and added two assists to figure on all five Michigan goals Saturday night in the Wolverines' 5-3 victory. Sauer stopped 24 shots for his second straight win while captain Andrew Ebbett and Jack Johnson (three assists) each contributed a goal apiece.

"We have so many freshmen, but at the same time, our upperclassmen are our leaders," said Hunwick. "We have to set an example. We have to set the pace of the game and the freshmen will follow our lead. We're a huge part of this team still."

The Wolverines host Boston College Friday night and Merrimack Sunday afternoon. Both games will be on Comcast Local.