Michigan still expects to be one of college hockey’s best teams this season.
But the Wolverines are off to a difficult start.
They’re 4-6 overall and 2-4 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association entering this weekend’s series
against Bowling Green (1-8-1, 1-4-1-1).
Michigan has lost four straight – a home-and-home series last weekend against 14th-ranked Michigan State
and a home series against No. 1 Miami Nov. 6-7. The Wolverines, ranked 16th, were picked to win the
league.
"We’ll turn it around. It’s just a matter of when," Michigan coach Red Berenson said.
"It’s like any team, there’s going to be a weak link at some point when you’re losing. This is a
team thing and we’ve all got to work hard to get out of it."
The Wolverines have matched their longest losing streak since Nov. 25-Dec. 3, 2005. They’ve been
out-scored 13-4 during the stretch.
"Right now, we’re just in a tough stretch and we knew we were playing good teams," Berenson
said. "We played well, but costly goals and the opportunities to score (hurt us)."
NEW: BG moved Saturday’s home game to the new Lucas County Arena in downtown Toledo. "That’s going
to be lots of fun," BG coach Dennis Williams said. "It’s a chance to go to that city north of
us and show our product and for our fans to root us on in a brand new facility. Hopefully, it’ll be
packed. It should be a great environment. Our guys are excited."
LCA has a capacity of 8,000.
The series opens tonight in Ann Arbor.
MORE UM: Although Michigan is averaging only 2.6 goals per game and scoring at just 12.5 percent on the
power play (7-of-56), it still has a terrific group of forwards.
"Their skill set up front is second to none," Williams said. "I’ll put their forwards in
transition against any team out there. We have to eliminate odd-man rushes and turnovers, get pucks to
the net … play the game in our offensive zone.
"They’re quick and their transition is good. They like to score goals. They want to play more of an
open style game. That’s where we need to be physical against them, have a guy in their face."
Michigan is allowing 2.5 goals per game and ranks fifth nationally in penalty-killing at 91.5 percent
(54-of-59).
LEADERS: Junior forward Matt Rust is Michigan’s leading scorer with nine points on four goals and five
assists, while freshman forward Chris Brown has five goals and eight points, and junior forward Carl
Hagelin has four goals and eight points.
Junior forward Louie Caporusso is one of the league’s best players, although he has just one goal and
three assists.
Senior Chris Summers leads the defense. Junior goalie Bryan Hogan has a 2.51 goals-against average and an
.893 save percentage in 10 games.
GOALIES: BG hasn’t announced its goaltending plans for the series.
Nick Eno has started the last three games. In his last four games, he has a 2.67 goals-against and a .916
save percentage.
SPECIALS: Although the BG power play has scored just six goals in 58 attempts, but it has looked better
of late.
"We’ve focused on it, changed alignments and we’re spreading it out more," Williams said.
"With so many teams in the league being aggressive in their penalty-killing, spreading things out
by an extra 4-5 feet is going to open up some seams."
The BG penalty-killing is next-to-last in the league at 86 percent, killing off just 47 of its 60
short-handed situations.
VOLATILE: Because the CCHA is awarding three points for a regulation or overtime win, teams are able to
make significant movement in the standings each night. Teams also receive two points for a shootout win
and one point for a shootout loss.
Last season, all wins were worth two points and a shootout loss was worth one point.
Each series this season is worth six points.
"You can’t give up six points in a weekend. You have to get points every weekend," Williams
said. "You can. You can make a big jump in the standings and you can fall just as quickly. It’s
clear if you win the game in the 65 minutes, you deserve the three points. It’s a fair system."