The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/653976
MICHIGAN HOCKEY remaining. However, that was the closest U‑M drew, the loss becoming the first back‑to‑back defeats Michigan had suffered all year. Quote: "The thing about Sunday, I talked about spring break last week and what might have gotten us out of sync. Our team still had confidence. It wasn't like we were devastated. We were more upset and more disappointed in ourselves than we were thinking that we couldn't play better. The good thing about this team is they have confidence, they have resilience, they know they can come back in a game, and last weekend, as bad as we were, they knew they could play better, and we did this week." — Head coach Red Berenson on Michigan sweeping Penn State March 11‑12 after getting swept by Ohio State one week earlier. MVP — Kyle Connor: The freshman sensation scored two goals apiece in each of Michigan's four wins over this stretch, including game‑winners against Ferris State Feb. 19 and Minnesota Feb. 25, while he added a pair of power‑play goals among four markers in a sweep of Penn State March 11‑12 to give him a team‑high eight man‑advantage markers on the year. Connor added five assists for a team‑best 13 points during the Wolverines' seven games and boasted a team‑best plus/minus of plus‑5, stealing MVP honors away from Kile, who had five goals, five assists and 10 points over the last month. Freshman Impact — Cooper Marody: Connor's rise to MVP allows his class‑ mate to be recognized. After missing six games due to mononucleosis, Marody returned for Michigan's Feb. 19 home game against Ferris and immediately made an impact, recording two assists in the 5‑2 victory. He scored two goals and had seven assists in U‑M's last six games, and was plus‑4. He has now tallied 10 goals and 13 assists on the year in 27 contests. On The Rise — Boo Nieves: A second‑round draft pick of the New York Rang‑ ers, Nieves has fought to live up to high expectations with Berenson even not‑ ing that the burden placed on the centerman was too much early in his career. Nieves finished his junior season strong, though, and appears to be finishing his senior year the same way, notching three goals and five assists in U‑M's final six regular‑season contests. Nieves notched his first two‑goal game of this year and just the third of his career on Senior Night, a 6‑1 win over Penn State. Must-See Game — NCAA Tournament: The NCAA Tournament field will be announced March 20 and Michigan will learn then who it plays and where, but first‑round games take place March 25‑26, and the Wolverines will definitely be participating. They have only won back‑to‑back games in a weekend five times all year (out of 16 opportunities) but with their offense, the Maize and Blue are dangerous. — Michael Spath