The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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michigan hockey minus, with no one demonstrating strong defensive-zone play. In net, rookie Zach Nagelvoort started three of the four games and posted a meager .896 save percentage while Steve Racine allowed three goals in his only appearance. Needs To Step Up — Sophomore Boo Nieves: Really, one could pick from among four forwards that are mired in terrible scoring slumps: senior Derek DeBlois (eight-game goalless drought), junior Alex Guptill (four-game drought), junior Phil Di Giuseppe (eight-game drought) and Nieves (15-game drought). However, no one is fighting for offense more, and producing so little compared to expectations, as Nieves. The 2012 second-round NHL Draft pick should be one of U-M's top point producers, capable of doubling up the eight goals he tallied a year ago. Instead, he has contributed a single goal and seven assists. The Maize and Blue need more. Series To Watch — vs. Wisconsin, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Michigan will return to Yost Ice Arena for the first time since Dec. 11, an incomprehensible break of 50 days between home games, in hosting the Badgers. Wisconsin swept U-M in Madison Jan. 10-11, beating the Maize and Blue 5-2 and 3-1, and Michigan will be looking for revenge. More importantly to their cause of winning the Big Ten title, the Wolverines need to draw even with UW in the season series, with the Badgers one of two teams (along with Minnesota) that stands as a legitimate challenger to Michigan for the conference's inaugural championship. — Michael Spath Andrew Copp Continues To Produce Offensively When Hobey Baker fan balloting began in early January, Michigan joined the fray by promoting one of its own. Two years ago, when he signed a letter of intent in the sum‑ mer, Andrew Copp was probably the last name one would have ex‑ pected to be the Wolverines' best Hobey candidate, but midway through his sophomore season, the 6-1, 201-pound Ann Arbor native has distinguished himself as U-M's best forward and maybe its best player overall. Copp leads the Maize and Blue in scoring (16 points) and goals tallied (10) while occupying a role as Michi‑ gan's first-line center. He is about the only skater on the team that is not stuck in the slump that has a stran‑ glehold on the Wolverines; U-M has scored just seven goals in its last five games through Jan. 20, with Copp responsible for markers in two of his past three contests, and five of his last seven. "He's taking advantage of his chances," head coach Red Berenson said. "I can't tell you he's getting any more chances, but most of our shots right now aren't getting through the defensemen. Copp is getting his shots through, and on the net, so they have a chance." Copp participated with Team USA at the World Junior Championships