Wolverines swept away by RedHawks

By Bob Miller/Michigan Beat Writer

Michigan tumbled in the CCHA standings and on the ice this past weekend, suffering a pair of costly losses to Miami.

The two losses put the Wolverines on the three-game losing skid after last weekend's defeat by Michigan State.

Even though both games were closely contested, the Wolverines on-again, off-again struggle to generate potent offense cost them dearly.

Leading by a goal entering the final ten minutes of the opening game Friday night, Michigan allowed three unanswered Miami tallies to suffer the weekend's first loss. A.J. Treais bagged both Michigan goals in the 4-2 loss.

Despite matching the RedHawks in shots on goal, the Wolverines couldn't solve Miami netminder Cody Reichard in the Saturday rematch, losing 3-0.

The two losses to a rival in the race for the CCHA's top spot cost the Wolverines in standing positions.

Michigan tumbled to third place in the conference run-down, now trailing league-leading Miami by two points and second place Notre Dame by one point. Having played an equal number of games as the Fighting Irish, Michigan maintains two games in hand on the RedHawks.

"Be positive, but we need to be more humble,” was Michigan head coach Red Berenson's response to the solution to the Wolverine's recent malaise. “We have to make sure that everyone is doing the right thing in practice -- defense first. I do think we focused a bit more on defense this weekend than, for example, Alaska. But then we found a way to score in those games (vs. Alaska). Make sure on all the small things and all the details to play simple hockey. That's what we do when we play our best. Everyone has to chip in."

Michigan's next two weekend series are back home at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor against Ohio State and Western Michigan.