Kornacki: U-M Riding 'Some Mojo' While Beating Buckeyes

Dec. 6, 2014

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Everything is finally clicking on offense for the University of Michigan ice hockey team. It's been a matter of Wolverine head coach Red Berenson adjusting his lines to find the proper combinations, and his players displaying an insatiable desire to put the old biscuit in the basket.

That was so evident Friday night (Dec. 5), when Michigan put an 8-3 thumping on Ohio State while running its unbeaten streak against the Buckeyes to nine games. Yost Ice Arena was hopping with a raucous sellout crowd of 5,800 going bonkers during the five-goal second period, when the Buckeyes switched goalies to no avail.

Michigan (8-6) has won six of its last seven games while outscoring opponents in those contests by a combined score of 38-14.

"We've won six of seven and have some mojo in the locker room and some belief," said Wolverine first-line center Andrew Copp, "and we're starting to come together."

Copp and Alex Kile both scored a pair of power-play goals. Kile leads the Wolverines with nine goals this season. And he shares the lead with Quinnipiac's Sam Anas for the most power-play goals in the nation with six.

The Wolverines scored four power-play goals in a span of 9:35 in the second period to make it a rout. Kile scored two of those in 95 seconds. The last time Michigan scored four man-advantage goals in a period was nearly 10 years ago, when it accomplished the feat in the second period of a 10-1 win over Notre Dame on March 11, 2005.

Michigan scored on all but one power-play attempt, while the Buckeyes did not score on any of their six chances. And the Wolverines also had an overwhelming, 39-23, edge in winning faceoffs thanks to centers Copp, JT Compher, Dylan Larkin and Travis Lynch.

Add those factors together, and you get a strong showing of determination.

"The faceoffs are huge, and it's a tribute to our players really getting dialed into the little things -- the details of penalty killing," said Berenson, who notched career win No. 796. "In other words, blocking shots, winning faceoffs, playing the puck out of the zone, smart sticks, locating well in the defensive zone. And just going out and skating and chasing the pucks. We're better than we were a week ago.

"That's what it's all about -- improvement and development. And we've got a young team. We should get better as the year goes on."

The Wolverines were a bit shell shocked after starting the season 2-5 and losing twice at Michigan Tech by a combined score of 10-3.

However, Berenson began hitting the right buttons after that. He put Copp and left wing Tyler Motte together on the first line, which has also featured freshman right wing Tony Calderone recently. Motte had four assists Friday night, and no Wolverine has had that many in a game since Aaron Palushaj did it on Feb. 13, 2009, against Nebraska-Omaha.

And the third line was reconstructed. Compher went to center from the wing, while Cristoval 'Boo' Nieves moved from center to right wing. And Max Shuart moved up from the fourth line to play left wing with them.

That line ended up working a little magic together on the biggest goal of the game.

Compher won the faceoff, and defenseman Zach Werenski fired a shot. Shuart screened Buckeye goalie Christian Frey, and Werenski's shot went in with an assist to Nieves and Compher.

That goal, with 11.1 seconds left in the first period, gave Michigan a 2-1 lead and all the momentum in the world, as it turned out.

"It was huge," said Berenson. "Those last-minute goals are big goals, and that was a big booster. For us to leave the period with a goal lead after being down. We didn't know we were going to get eight goals at the time. We might have had to battle to get two, so that was important. But right now our team has a little bit of offensive confidence. Our forward lines are starting to show some offensive danger."

The Wolverines scored five times in the second period and eight times overall -- equaling the season highs in both categories that were garnered in an 8-1 win over Penn State on Nov. 22.

The No. 2 line centered by freshman Larkin, the first-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in June, with wings Kile and Zach Hyman has been the constant. Hyman scored his seventh goal of the season in the first period and is tied for Copp for second on the team. Larkin had three assists against OSU.

And so the Wolverines have scored 25 goals while winning four consecutive games.

"Yeah, I think we're starting to play," said Copp. "Larkin's line has had some chemistry right from the start that they have continued on, and JT (Compher)'s line also has chemistry, and the same goes for my line and Travis (Lynch)'s. When we get all four lines producing on a nightly basis the goals are going to come, and you've seen that in the past couple weeks."

Berenson said, "We started tweaking our lines and putting them in a position where they could be successful. Players are realizing there's competition for ice time and to play in games. And that brings out the best in everyone."

A master, on the verge of becoming only the fourth college coach to reach 800 wins, is once again showing how he gets the most out of his players.

And it's fun to watch.

• Michigan Uses Four Power-Play Goals to Overwhelm Buckeyes