Weekly Release #11
12/20/1999 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Great Lakes Invitational
#7 Michigan (14-5-0, 10-4-0 CCHA) vs.
Lake Superior State (8-8-0, 7-5-0 CCHA)
Wednesday, Dec. 29, 4:05 p.m., Joe Louis Arena (19,983), Detroit, Mich.
#7 Michigan vs. Michigan State or Michigan Tech
Thursday, Dec. 30, 4:05 or 7:05 p.m., Joe Louis Arena (19,983), Detroit, Mich.
Tickets
Tickets for the GLI are available at the Joe Louis Arena Box Office or by calling 313-396-7575.
On Television
All four games of the GLI will be televised live on FOX Sports Net Detroit.
On the Radio
All Michigan hockey games are broadcast over the radio on WTKA (1050 AM). Al Randall covers the play-by-play, while Jim Hunt provides color commentary. Home games are also broadcast on WCBN Student Radio (88.3 FM).
Coach Berenson
Red Berenson is in his 16th year as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. Coach Berenson owns a career record of 408-202-36 and is the 16th winningest coach in NCAA history. He became the 16th coach in NCAA history to reach 400 career wins when the Wolverines defeated Yale 3-2 on Oct. 30 in Ann Arbor. Berenson has 725 games associated with Michigan hockey (646 as a coach, 79 as a student-athlete).
Michigan vs. Lake Superior State
The first game of the GLI will be the 80th meeting between the Wolverines and the Lakers. Michigan owns a record of 31-42-6 (.430) vs. Lake Superior. Lake Superior is one of just 13 teams which have a winning record against the Wolverines. In the last 10 games, Michigan owns a record of 5-4-1 against the Lakers. The four losses have come in the last four meetings with the Lakers. Michigan has a neutral-site record of 7-6-0 against Lake Superior State. At Joe Louis Arena, Michigan is 5-4-0 against the Lakers.
Coach Berenson vs. the Lakers
Michigan head coach Red Berenson owns a record of 25-37-4 (.409) against the Lakers. However, Berenson is 8-4-1 against LSSU head coach Scott Borek.
The Last Meeting
The Lakers closed out a sweep of the Wolverines with a 4-2 over Michigan on Nov. 20, 1999, at Yost Ice Arena. Lake Superior took a two-goal lead before Michigan battled back to a 3-2 score. However, in the final minutes of the game, LSSU's Trent Walford added an empty-net goal. Mike Vigilante score twice for the Lakers. L.J. Scarpace (Dearborn, Mich.) made his first start as a Wolverine in the game and made 17 saves in the loss.
Great Lakes Invitational
This is the 35th annual Great Lakes Invitational. Michigan and Lake Superior open the tournament at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 29, with Michigan State and Michigan Tech in the second game that evening. On Thursday, Dec. 30, the third-place game will begin at 4 p.m. and the championship game starts at 7 p.m.
Leading the Nation
Sophomore Mike Comrie (Edmonton, Alberta) was the first player in the country to score 10 or more goals and assists, to reach 20 points and to reach 30 points this season. He is leading the nation is scoring with 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points in just 19 games. Michigan State's Shawn Horcoff (7-23-30 in 18 games) is second to Comrie in collegiate hockey scoring.
Near the Top
Jeff Jillson (N. Smithfield, R.I.) is also near the top in collegiate scoring with six goals and 18 assists for 24 points. That total puts him in a tie for sixth with Shawn Mansoff of Quinnipiac (12-12-24).
Near the Top II
L.J. Scarpace has found a place among the top goaltenders in the nation. He has a goals against average of 1.57, which is second in the nation to Michigan State's Ryan Miller (1.20). Each has played in 10 games this season.
Welcome to the Club
Mark Kosick (Victoria, B.C.) scored five points (3-2-5) in the set of games last weekend and became the 64th player in the history of Michigan ice hockey to score 100 career points. Brendan Morrison, the 1997 Hobey Baker winner, is the all-time scoring leader with 102 goals and 182 assists for 284 points in his career.
First Line
Michigan's top line of Mike Comrie, Geoff Koch (Exeter, N.H.) and Andy Hilbert (Howell, Mich.) combined for four goals and eight assists for 12 points in the games against Nebraska-Omaha last weekend (Dec. 10-11). The group scored three of the goals and seven of the assists on Friday night (Dec. 10) against the Mavericks, accounting for 10 of Michigan's 18 points in the game.
Second Line
Michigan's second line of Mark Kosick, Scott Matzka (Port Huron, Mich.) and Josh Langfeld (Coon Rapids, Minn.) combined for five goals and six assists for 11 points in the games against Nebraska-Omaha last weekend (Dec. 10-11). The group scored four of the goals and five of the assists on Saturday night (Dec. 11) against the Mavericks, accounting for nine of Michigan's 17 points in the game.
Open the Floodgates
Bob Gassoff (St. Louis, Mo.) scored an assist in each game against Nebraska-Omaha (Dec. 10-11). It was the first time he has scored in back-to-back games in his career. In his collegiate debut against Toronto on Oct. 12, 1997, Gassoff scored his first goal and first assist. Earlier this season, Gassoff ended a string of 41 games without a point with a short-handed goal at Ohio State (Nov. 6).
Feelin' the Flow
After not playing for just the second time in his collegiate career, against Wisconsin (Nov. 27), Mark Kosick returned to earn an assist at Bowling Green on Friday, Dec. 3, and scored the first goal the next night against the Falcons. Against the UNO Mavericks, Kosick netted three goals and two assists in the pair of games.
In the Box
Senior captain Sean Peach (Langley, B.C.) moved into Michigan's top 25 in both career penalties and career penalty minutes. Peach has 102 penalties and is tied for 22nd all-time with Pat Neaton and Matt Herr. In penalty minutes, he is 21st all-time with 240 PIM. Chris Tamer leads both categories with 218 penalties for 515 penalty minutes.
Vancik in the Plus/Minus Lead
Sophomore Jay Vancik (W. Bloomfield, Mich.) leads the team in plus/minus at +13 on the season. Vancik has been on the ice for 15 even-strength goals forced and just five even-strength goals allowed. In addition, he has been on the ice for three of Michigan's seven short-handed goals forced, while giving up no short-handed goals.
Lucky Charm
Senior Andrew Merrick (Syosset, N.Y.) has played in just eight games this season, but Michigan owns a record of 8-0-0 with him on the ice.
Out with a Bang
The three members of the team who are expected to miss the Great Lakes Invitational (Dec. 29-30) for the 2000 World Junior Championship (Dec. 25-Jan. 4) made a mark in their last collegiate games of the century, the set of games against Nebraska-Omaha last weekend (Dec. 10-11). Jeff Jillson scored a goal and four assists for five points and was +3 in each game, Andy Hilbert scored three goals and one assist in the set of games and Mike Comrie dished out five assists on the weekend.
Serving Well
Jeff Jillson has been selected to serve the U.S. National Junior Team as an assistant captain. Michigan State forward Adam Hall is the team's captain and Minnesota defenseman Jordan Leopold is the other assistant captain.
Kill 'Em All
Michigan allowed the first power-play in 22 attempts Saturday night (Dec. 11) against Nebraska-Omaha in the Mavericks' final power play of the game. Prior to that goal, the Wolverines had killed 21 consecutive power plays dating back to the third period of their game against Minnesota (Nov. 26).
High-Powered Offense
Michigan's offense continues to lead the Central Collegiate Hockey Association in both overall and conference scoring average. The Wolverines are scoring 4.14 goals per game in conference play (0.47 more than Northern Michigan) and 4.16 goals per game overall (0.44 more than Northern Michigan).
The Home Run
The freshman class has made its impact felt right from the start. In 19 games this season, the group has scored 27 goals, 34.2 percent of the goals scored and the most of any class.
The Sac Fly
The junior class leads the team with 52 assists. That total represents 43.0 percent of the team's total assists so far this season.
The More the Merrier
The Wolverines own a record of 14-0-0 when they score three or more goals and a record of 0-5-0 when they score two or fewer.
GLI Notes
The Wolverines won a tournament-record nine consecutive GLI titles from 1988-96.
Michigan has the most titles in GLI history (11), two more than Michigan Tech (9).
Michigan State has defeated Michigan just four times in tournament history, including twice in the last two years.
In the last 23 GLI games, the Wolverines have compiled a 21-2-0 record. Overall, the Wolverines are 27-12-1 in the GLI.
Michigan's most lopsided win was a 13-0 victory over Michigan Tech on Dec. 29, 1994.
The Wolverines have outscored GLI opponents 121-51.
Solid After Two
Michigan owns a 114-0-4 record in the last 118 games when leading after two periods. The streak dates back to Feb. 11, 1995, when Michigan led the University of Illinois-Chicago 4-3 after two periods before falling 5-4 in overtime.
On the Horizon
Mark Kosick's 63 career assists are just 12 away from putting him among the top 50 all-time in career assists at Michigan.
In goals, Josh Langfeld needs just five more goals to reach 50 in his career, which will place him among the top 50 all-time for goals in a career at Michigan.
Scott Matzka's next game will be his 100th career game played.
CCHA Standings (Through 12/12/99)
|----CONFERENCE----| |----OVERALL----| W- L- T Pts GF GA W- L- T GF GA 1. Michigan State 11- 3- 0 22 48 17 13- 5- 0 61 28 2. MICHIGAN 10- 4- 0 20 58 34 14- 5- 0 79 45 3. Northern Mich. 9- 2- 1 19 44 27 13- 4- 1 67 36 4. Ferris State 7- 7- 0 14 40 40 12- 8- 0 63 51 Lake Superior St. 7- 5- 0 14 36 31 8- 8- 0 46 45 Western Mich. 6- 6- 2 14 46 45 7- 7- 2 56 52 7. Miami (Ohio) 5- 4- 2 12 34 26 8- 5- 2 50 39 Nebraska-Omaha 4- 6- 4 12 38 51 4- 6- 4 38 51 9. Bowling Green 5- 8- 0 10 38 47 5-10- 0 41 56 Notre Dame 4- 6- 2 10 25 36 7- 9- 2 44 48 11. Ohio State 3-10- 1 7 26 55 5-12- 1 40 63 12. Alaska-Fairbanks 2-12- 0 4 32 56 3-13- 0 36 60
U.S. College Hockey Online Poll (12/13/99)
Team (1st-Place Votes) Record Pts Last 1. New Hampshire (33) 14-2-1 386 3 2. North Dakota (7) 12-3-1 349 1 3. Maine 11-2-2 308 4 4. Wisconsin 14-4-0 295 2 5. Michigan State 13-5-0 225 5 6. Rensselaer 11-3-0 185 6 7. Michigan 14-5-0 155 8 8. Boston University 11-4-2 125 7 9. Northern Michigan 13-4-1 100 9 10. Colgate 10-5-0 38 10
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
