The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/201975
michigan hockey michigan hockey Michigan Off To Hot Start In First Six Games M ichigan entered the season with lower expectations than per‑ haps any time in the last two decades under head coach Red Berenson. That can happen when the Wolver‑ ines see their streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances come to an end at 22. However, while fans and mem‑ bers in the media downplayed the Maize and Blue coming into the Senior defenseman Mac Bennett and the Wolverines recorded three victories against ranked opponents en route to a 4‑1‑1 start and a No. 4 national ranking by USCHO.com. photo by lon horwedel year, the players and coaches felt this team could develop into a bona fide contender. After six games, Michigan has shown that it should have a good chance to return to the NCAA Tour‑ nament and compete for the inau‑ gural Big Ten title. The Wolverines went 4‑1‑1 through Oct. 28, beating No. 4 Boston College 3-1, going 1‑0‑1 at No. 13 New Hampshire and beat‑ ing No. 14 Boston University. U‑M's only loss came to preseason No. 1 UMass-Lowell. With its strong start, the Maize and Blue rose to No. 4 in the USCHO.com rankings. Michigan is clicking in every facet, but is winning with defense. U‑M ranked sixth nationally after six con‑ tests in allowing just 1.80 goals per game. The Wolverines were scoring 2.83 goals per contest to sit 29th in the country. The challenges have only begun for the Maize and Blue. After hosting Michigan Tech for its first two-game home series of the season Nov. 1‑2, U‑M will play at Nebraska-Omaha Nov. 15‑16 and then entertain Ni‑ agara Nov. 22 before opening the Big Ten season Nov. 29 at home against Ohio State (the day before the foot‑ ball teams meet). Where once only those inside the locker room believed, three weeks into the season, many more are on board. Michigan sits just one game