The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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HOCKEY PREVIEW Zach was ready to strike. So that's one of my goals this year — I want to attack every shift I get, and be some‑ one that you feel in the first period, in the second and still in the third." Hyman benefited greatly from playing alongside Larkin, who ranked second on the team with 31 assists, and Nieves would also ben‑ efit from the right pairing. He has never truly found perfect chemistry with a teammate. "Boo can make plays that a lot of players can't make — his passes are crisp and on target — and a lot of players don't see the same game be‑ cause they don't possess his hockey IQ," Berenson said. "You want to find that winger that understands Boo and is not surprised by what he does. Top Five Dramatic Point Jumps In Senior Seasons Senior Boo Nieves has averaged 26 points per season over the course of his first three years, and he is looking to produce at a far higher level in 2015-16. If he does, he could unseat one of these five players that orchestrated the most dramatic point jumps between a junior and senior campaign over the past 25 years. Zach Hyman, 2015 (37 points): Hyman was coming on strong late in his junior season, recording eight points over his final 10 games to finish the year with a career-high 17 points. In his senior season, however, he emerged as one of the top players in the country, scoring 22 goals with 32 assists for 54 points. David Rohlfs, 2007 (22 points): A versatile player that filled in on defense in emergency situations, Rohlfs flashed great potential but averaged just 12 points in his first three seasons. In his senior year, he notched career highs in goals (17), assists (17) and points (34), after scoring only two goals in 2005-06. Scooter Vaughan, 2011 (18 points): Vaughan's inclusion may come with an asterisk — he played defense his first two seasons and part of his third, but would play forward in his senior year. Still, he had just 15 points in his first three seasons before going off for 24 points (14 goals and 10 assists) as a senior. Kevin Lynch, 2013 (14 points): Largely a defensive forward that consistently played on U-M's third and fourth lines, Lynch averaged 15 points per season from 2010-12, but dipped to 13 points in his junior year. In his final campaign, with a more pronounced role on the top two lines, Lynch scored 10 goals with 17 assists for a career-high 27-point season. Chad Kolarik, 2008 (11 points): Kolarik was incredibly productive in his rookie campaign, scoring 18 goals, and he would average 16 tallies and 23 helpers his first three seasons. He blossomed further in his senior year, playing Robin to Hobey Baker Award-winner Kevin Porter's Batman, registering 30 goals and 26 assists for a career high 56 points. — Michael Spath