Jan. 27, 2010
By Christy Hammond, U-M Athletic Media Relations
The University of Michigan ice hockey team continues its five-game stretch away from Yost Ice Arena this weekend (Fri-Sat., Jan. 29-30) with a pair of games against in-state rival Michigan State at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Mich., on Friday and then at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Saturday evening.
The Spartans enter Friday's game coming off a tough 4-2 loss to Ohio State at home, but the team ranks second in the CCHA with an 11-5-4-1 conference record. Michigan aims to grab a much-needed six points this weekend with the hopes of moving up from its position as the seventh seed in the CCHA.
"That's a rivalry that's been here way before us and is going to be here way after we're done," senior captain Chris Summers said, "so I think it's important that we have a good mindset for it. It's always a very eventful game no matter where we're playing, so we're really looking forward to it."
Michigan's senior class has posted a 9-6-2 record against MSU over the last four years, beating the Spartans in all five games last season. However earlier this year, Michigan State swept the Wolverines in a weekend home-and-home series (Nov. 13-14).
"We played well there in the game we got beat 2-0. We outshot them, I think, 2:1 and didn't put our chances in," head coach Red Berenson noted. "I think we're a better team now than we were then, maybe they are too. You have a chance at a real good weekend, you have a chance at a real bad weekend, but I can tell you our team will be ready to play and they'll play hard."
ELEVEN GAMES REMAIN: When asked if he was worried the team would run out of time in the race for fourth place in the CCHA, Berenson said that his team was in a confidence mode.
"All we can worry about is Friday night's game and we can't look back and we can't start worrying about the math or other teams," Berenson explained. "All we can control is what we do. If we have a great weekend this weekend, then we'll worry about the next weekend. If we have a bad one, the schedule is still there. You got to play it. I think we can get where we want to go."
With 11 games remaining in the regular season, the importance of winning each game to earn three points in the standings becomes more critical so there is a sense of urgency for the team during this stretch-run portion of the season.
GLENDENING STEPS UP: Last Friday (Jan. 22), sophomore right wing Luke Glendening (Grand Rapids, Mich.) potted two goals to lead the Wolverines to a 2-0 victory over then-No. 9-ranked Ferris State. His two goals against the Bulldogs were simply a result of the hard work Glendening has put in.
"I'm just trying to help the team any way I can," he said. "It's not always going to be on the scoreboard and Friday night it was."
Back in November, the team voted Glendening as one of two alternate captains, making the sophomore the youngest player to wear a letter since 1990-91, when David Harlock was a sophomore co-captain.
"To be honest, I think he's just getting rewarded for the hard work that he's put in for the last two years now," Summers said. "He's always a guy that's going to show up for every practice, every workout and give it his all. I give him a lot of credit. He was a walk-on forward and to do what he's done so far is pretty spectacular, but he's still got two more years and I know he's going to keep working hard and keep being a leader on this team."
SUMMERS EXCITED FOR OUTDOOR GAME: While the team's attention is focused on this weekend's series against Michigan State, the players can't help but get a little excited for next Saturday's outdoor hockey game at Camp Randall against Wisconsin (Feb. 6).
"It's something I've been looking forward to ever since I found out about it last year," Summers said. "It's just going to be like every other game or at least it has to be because that game does count in the national rankings."
The senior captain has a few friends on the Wisconsin squad and is particularly close to senior forward Blake Geoffrion, who is the Badgers' captain. The two have talked about the upcoming game with eager anticipation.
"It's something we're looking forward to and it's going to hopefully be a good memory," Summers said.
