The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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sideration to reprise his role from last year. "If you're measuring your firstline center based on offense or defense, or responsibility, a shutdown player — I think he can do any of those, and that's the thing I like about him," Berenson said. "I can trust him defensively. Offensively, he definitely can contribute." Michigan To Appear On Television 28 Times Like Michigan football, Michigan hockey is a household name and a big draw for television. The Wolverines have averaged close to 20 broadcast appearances annually over the past five years, and this season 28 of their games will be televised live, including eight on the Big Ten Network and two on ESPN's family of networks. U-M's schedule this season includes 20 contests against its five conference foes — Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State — with a pair of games on the road and a pair at home in each series. The Maize and Blue will play an additional 14 nonconference games, welcoming Boston College (Oct. 10), Boston University (Oct. 25) and UMass-Lowell (Oct. 26) to Ann Arbor. "Playing the Boston schools, I'd love to beat them because I know a bunch of guys on those teams," said senior forward Derek DeBlois, a native of Rhode Island. "Them coming out here should be an advantage for us; we want to take it to them. "Both my mom and my sister went to Boston College, but they'll rooting for Michigan without a doubt." BC has claimed three of the last six NCAA titles (2008, 2010 and 2012), while BU won the 2009 national championship. The schools are the elite programs in Hockey East and will be a formidable challenge to the Wolverines, especially so early in the season. "The only time Boston College could play us was early in the year, so we had to bite the bullet," head coach Red Berenson said. "How can you say no to a team like that when they're willing to come to your building?" U-M will also host WCHA foe Michigan Tech for a pair of games Nov. 1-2. The Huskies are coached by former longtime Berenson assistant Mel Pearson. Michigan will meet a pair of former CCHA rivals (in addition to MSU and OSU, both now in the Big Ten) when it hosts Ferris State Dec. 11 and then plays Western Michigan in a Great Lakes Invitational semifinal, an outdoor contest at Comerica Park in Detroit Dec. 27. "I think we'll have one of the top-five hardest schedules in the country," senior captain Mac Bennett said. "We're going to figure out where we're at really quickly, and that will be huge for us. If we can knock off some wins right away, we'll set ourselves up for success." In October and November, U‑M will play two midweek games — on a Thursday versus Boston College