The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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centage) to Michigan Tech and Michi‑ gan State. Racine provided the bulk of the stel‑ lar play, earning Most Valuable Player honors for his two‑game performance. "A lot of the guys went home be‑ fore the holiday tournament and re‑ grouped," Downing said. "At the GLI, we did a really good job defensively. As a team, I think we've gotten a lot better. At the beginning of the year we were slow. We started coming together during the long home stand." "Our defense finally had a weekend away from Yost where we walked out of the building giving up only one goal against in each game," Berenson said of the defensive effort at the GLI. "You feel pretty good about that. That's your goalie, but it's your defensemen too. "We've got some confidence now. We know what we have to do." Michigan won the GLI even though it played without four key performers: sophomore forwards J.T. Compher and Tyler Motte, freshman center Dylan Larkin and Werenski, who all joined the USA squad at the 2015 World Ju‑ nior Championships. To win without those four, who have combined for 18 goals (24.7 percent of Michigan's total in 19 contests), 45 assists (33.1 percent), and a combined plus/minus of plus‑27 this season (42.9 percent) was a confidence boost. "It's a championship tournament," Downing said of the GLI. "We now know what it felt like to win that. It's not a national championship, but for us it felt like something special. "Knowing what it feels like to win and giving up only two goals, it feels unbelievable." "Winning the GLI was really im‑ portant for our team, just getting that championship atmosphere and get‑ ting that championship taste makes you hungry for more," Copp said. "We have the attitude that we're never satisfied. Now that we've got‑ ten a little taste, we want more." Michigan built on the GLI win by sweeping a two‑game home series against preseason No. 1 Minnesota Jan. 9‑10 to jump to the top of the con‑ ference standings at 4‑1‑0. U‑M surrendered eight goals in the two games, but the Gophers ranked ninth nationally in offense through Jan. 13 with 3.39 tallies per game (Michigan ranked second with 3.84 goals per contest after scoring 11 against Minnesota). Still, since their struggles over the first seven games, the Maize and Blue have allowed just 2.42 goals per game during their past 12 (going 10‑2‑0), and 27.4 shots, with goalies Racine Michigan Defensive Comparisons This Season Category First 7 Past 12 Overall Games Games Shots Allowed* 32.3 27.4 30.6 Goals-Against Average* 3.86 2.42 2.95 Save Percentage .893 .912 .904 * Per game