Wolverines’ remarkable run continues, but it’s not done yet

By Stefan Kubus –

DETROIT – For a team ranked third in the preseason poll, you wouldn’t have expected the Michigan Wolverines to finish with a 17-18-3 record overall, including a 10-15-3-3 CCHA record.

And yet, by virtue of their record, you wouldn’t have thought that they’d find themselves vying for the last-ever CCHA championship. However, with a new playoff season comes a clean slate and new life.

For the 24th straight season, the Wolverines have advanced to the CCHA championship weekend. And thanks to a big game by freshman forward Andrew Copp (Ann Arbor), the Wolverines earned a place in the final CCHA Championship against Notre Dame with their huge 6-2, Saturday-night victory over the No. 1-ranked Miami RedHawks.

And yet, after the game, neither the players nor head coach Red Berenson seemed too thrilled about it.

“They out-chanced us and were the better team for the most part, but the puck was going in for us,” Berenson said. “We made a lot of mistakes that didn’t end up in our net.”

Berenson said he addressed his team’s lack of desperation in his team’s play during both intermissions, considering not only their season is on the line, but also their 23rd consecutive NCAA tournament berth.

“Let’s face it, we’re the only team in the tournament that really needs a win to stay alive in the big picture,” Berenson said. “Ohio State lost and obviously Miami is going to move on… Michigan has to be a desperate team and I think we lost some of that.”

Copp, along with freshman defenseman Jacob Trouba, grew up playing youth hockey for Compuware as a teammate of Miami’s Riley Barber (Livonia). Copp’s two goal outing – and second of the playoffs (vs. NMU in first-round clincher) propelled Michigan’s offensive onslaught.

“Both my goals were off really good passes by Lynchy after a blocked shot, which was a key to the game I think, and Trouba’s great pass diagonally through the middle there,” Copp said of his two goals. “It’s just burying our chances and I think we’ve been able to do that recently… It’s been a nice turnaround for us.”

Freshman goaltender Steve Racine improved to 8-0-1 since taking over as the starting goalie on Feb. 22, as he stopped 33 shots – including 14 saves in the second period – in the win. Racine now holds a 12-5-3 record on the year.

Although Michigan struggled to find a consistent medium of play in the season’s first half, everything is coming together at the perfect time. The Wolverines have found a second gear in the CCHA playoffs, sweeping Northern Michigan and then Western Michigan, as well, in upset fashion.

“I think we’re a different team now than when we played [Notre Dame] before,” captain A.J. Treais said. “We’ve absolutely come a long way, so you can throw that record out the door. Tomorrow, it’s a 0-0 series, winner moves on.”

That record Treais was referring to is the 0-4 mark against the Irish this season, something that will undoubtedly need to change in order for the Wolverines to stay alive on Sunday. His attitude – taking games one shift at a time – is the exact reason why Michigan is thriving right now in big games.

Heading into their 18th all-time CCHA Championship game, the Wolverines are 10-7 in the title games.  Should they defeat the Fighting Irish in Sunday afternoon’s championship game, Michigan will capture their 10th title and head to their 23rd consecutive NCAA tournament, as well.

“The weekend’s not over and our team knows that,” Berenson said. “They put it on the line tonight, but they know that tomorrow’s going to be really tough.”