The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/246097
ruary, March, April and June." Carrying On A Long Line Of Tradition Though being a power forward does not come naturally to Guptill, it is a responsibility the junior tries to embrace. "I think I'm a little bit like that," he said. "I'm a big guy and I like to go wide on guys and hold them off to get to the net. I like to battle and get to the net to score those goals around the crease. "The biggest thing I have is my reach, and that helps me a lot, so there are parts of being a bigger guy that I really use well and there are some parts that I have to work on to use in my game." Regardless of how he employs his frame, the Newmarket, Ontario, native has been productive during his career, scoring 16 goals in each of his first two seasons. He was the CCHA Rookie of the Year in 2012 after a 33-point campaign. This season, he had six goals and eight assists through 17 contests, but he knows he must hit the back of the net more often. Digital Bonus: Click the icon to play or stop the podcast The Wolverine talks power forwards with Brandon Kaleniecki "I've shown I can score during my Michigan career so I'm not too worried but it's a little frustrating when you don't see that red light," said Guptill, who is enduring a four-game goalless streak (through Jan. 20). "If I stick to doing the little things right, the goals will come." The Wolverines are looking to Guptill, because of his history, to help them end a terrible slump; the Maize and Blue have netted just seven goals in five games from Dec. 11-Jan. 20, going 0-4-1 in that stretch. The drought does not belong to Guptill alone, but he is that special type of player that possesses the potential to act as a catalyst for the team. "Guptill is a guy that can win battles along the boards and in the corners," Berenson said. "He is strong on the puck. When he goes into the corner, he can outmuscle you, and he has a strong stick. "He's a guy that can go to the net and has a quick shot so he's dangerous. He's a little bit like Johan Franzen with the Detroit Red Wings. You don't see Franzen in fights but he's always in battles, and when he gets the puck he has the hands to do something with it." That, almost by definition, is what it means to be a power forward. "Guys today are like the hybrid tight ends in football or the post-up forward in basketball that can also play like a guard," Stewart said. "If you have one, if you have two or three, you're going to be a really good team because those guys will give defenses fits." ❑