The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN HOCKEY after the Christmas break," Ritch- lin pointed out. "You have so many friends that you don't get to nor- mally see during the regular season. You get to play top-level competi- tion immediately after the break, so it was a great way to get your legs, which Red always emphasized." Al Randall, the longtime radio voice of the Wolverines, has experi- enced more than 20 years of holiday GLI play and has a reason beyond the hockey itself to enjoy the two-day tournament experience. "The Great Lakes Invitational is a wonderful tournament," Randall said. "It gives the fans from around Detroit, and even out of state, a chance to see the four teams playing each other over two different days. "I don't think hockey gets better than that, especially when down- town Detroit is decorated so nicely for the holiday season," he con- cluded. "It's always a very festive time." ❑ Michigan Lands Five Players For Class Of 2015 Michigan hockey announced it inked five players to National Letters of Intent during the early-signing period for the 2015-16 season. The quintet includes defensemen Nick Boka (USNTDP U-18) and Joe Cecconi (Muskegon, USHL), and forwards Kyle Connor (Youngstown, USHL), Connor Murphy (Chicago, USHL) and Brendan Warren (USNTDP U-18). Nick Boka • D 6-1, 197 pounds Highlights: Currently playing with the United States National Team Develop- ment Program (USNTDP) Under-18 team … Has recorded a goal and an assist in 13 games played … Competed in the 2014 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game … Recorded 19 points (six goals and 13 assists) in 52 games with the USNTDP U-17 team in 2013-14, where he was a teammate of current Wolverine Zach Werenski … Played in the Compuware Midget Minor (Mich.) program before joining the USNTDP. USNTDP U-18 coach Don Granato on Boka: "Boks is intense; very, very intense. Think of JT Compher. He's got that type of intensity to him, a drive to him. Both those guys are leadership-type guys. He plays with a mean streak. The other bench, the other team, will know who he is right away." Joe Cecconi • D 6-2, 205 pounds Highlights: Currently playing with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL) … Has recorded a goal and four assists, playing in