The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/678402
HOCKEY RECRUITING with the intention of competing for a Big Ten title and a Frozen Four berth. However, the losses of Connor, Motte and Compher — plus early exits for defensemen Michael Downing and Zach Werenski — have put next sea- son's postseason possibilities in peril. Berenson, though, is doing what he's done for 32 years prior — march- ing forward, already thinking how he can shape the incoming freshmen into the type of impact players U-M needs. "We have two goalies coming in that we think can give us a chance, and Zach Nagelvoort thinks he can play," Berenson said. "Out of those three, we need someone to give us a chance every night. "When you get solid goaltend- ing, it makes such a big difference as we saw this year with Steve Racine. There is a confidence, a calmness. You can only be the best version of yourself when you have someone solid in net. "Then on defense, we lose our top two defensemen, arguably, but with the growth of [rising sophomores] Nick Boka and Joe Cecconi, and then you have [rising seniors] Nolan De Jong and Kevin Lohan, and [juniors] Cutler Martin and Sam Piazza, and now you're adding these three kids to the mix — our competition on the back end should really bring out their best. "We feel our defense will be just as good, maybe better, than this past year." The bigger question is offensively, where U-M is hemorrhaging 120 of the 181 goals it scored this past year, after adding Compher (16 goals and 47 assists) to the list of early depar- tures April 25. "Up front, where will we get the goals from?" Berenson asked rhetori- cally. "Ironically, we were saying the same thing last year when we lost Goalie Hayden Lavigne went 26-9-2 this past year with the USHL's Bloomington Thunder, posting a 2.26 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. PHOTO COURTESY BLOOMINGTON THUNDER