The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN HOCKEY year, envisions becoming a bigger offensive performer in future cam- paigns also after learning what true team sacrifice is this season. "Sometimes it's difficult, even HOCKEY NOTEBOOK PROPER SENDOFF • In their final two series at Yost Ice Arena, seniors Shawn Hunwick, David within a season it can be more diffi- cult at one point than another, to un- derstand you won't be a go-to scorer, but whether you're fourth line or first line, you impact the game," he said. "My mentality is I'm going to do whatever I can for my team, play to the best of my ability if I'm on the fourth line or third line." ❏ Wohlberg, Luke Glendening and Greg Pateryn skated off the ice victorious. The Wolverines swept Northern Michigan in the final regular-season series at home this year Feb. 17-18, punctuating Senior Night with a 3-2 overtime victory, and then swept Notre Dame in a CCHA quarterfinal March 9-10. "Once I realized it was my last time, I tried to take it all in," Wohlberg said mo- ments after U-M dispatched Notre Dame. "The fans here are great, and I know for a fact they've helped us get through these games, and I just want to thank them. Michigan went 15-5-1 at Yost Ice Arena in 2011-12 while its seniors were " 59-15-3 overall (.786 winning percentage) playing in front of the home crowd during their careers. "The students have been unbelievable," Hunwick said. "They're great every single night. "I'm going to miss this place. " PLAYING WITH FIRE • Junior center A.J. Treais is enjoying the best season, statistically, of his career, registering highs in goals (15), assists (14), points (29) and plus/minus (plus-23) in 37 games, but it is not his offensive success alone that has pleased head coach Red Berenson. "I can show you a shift in the third period [against Northern Michigan] where he's back- checking the big kid, Justin Florek, and A.J. leans into him," Berenson started. "He did ev- erything to separate that guy from the puck and knock him on his rear end. Now, he didn't. He ended up falling down himself, but that's the kind of scrappiness and competitiveness, and work ethic — and this is away from the puck. … If he's competing like that, look out. "Just his overall work ethic and compete level … I could say was probably a seven in the first half of the year, but it's probably a nine right now. And that's why he's getting results. • With 16 goals, freshman left winger Alex Guptill is on pace to become the first rookie since Jeff Tambellini in 2003 to lead the Maize and Blue in goal scoring. His 16 markers are also the most by a U-M freshman skater since Chad Kolarik had 18 in 2005. " son, who served on Red Berenson's staff for 23 seasons from 1989-2011, was named the WCHA Coach of the Year after leading Michi- gan Tech to a 14-18-4 overall record and an 11-13-4 mark in WCHA play a year after the Huskies went 4-30-4 and 2-24-2 in conference action. AN INSTANT HIT • Former Michigan assistant coach Mel Pear- Junior center A.J. Treais (right) is enjoying the best season, statistically, of his career, registering highs in goals (15), assists (14), points (29) and plus/minus (plus-23) in 37 games. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN APRIL 2012 THE WOLVERINE 85