GLI final
With the obstacles faced by his hockey team, even Michigan head coach Red Berenson knew it would be an uphill battle to coach his Wolverines to their 16th Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) tourney win.
Facing formidable opponents in fifth-ranked Michigan Tech and Ferris State plus an arch-rival in Michigan State in the 50th annual version of the holiday tournament, Berenson had the added obstacle of losing four of his top players - Dylan Larkin, JT Compher, Tyler Motte and Zach Werenski - to participation in the World Junior Championship tournament currently being held in Toronto and Montreal.
Berenson embraced that underdog role and even challenged his team with that status.
"If you would have asked me two weeks ago 'what are our chances in the GLI?' I would have said our team is really going to have to overachieve," Berenson said. "And, I told our team that."
The challenge to the team worked.
After riding goaltender Steve Racine's 40-save first round performance to a 2-1 win over Michigan Tech Sunday night, the Wolverines improbably played the same script behind Racine's 31 additional saves in the tournament final Monday night at Joe Louis Arena, besting Michigan State by an identical 2-1 score for their record 16th GLI title.
Over the two nights of tournament play, Racine stopped 71 of the 73 shots thrown his way by Michigan Tech and Michigan State, a feat that earned him tournament MVP and all-tournament honors. Racine's save against a penalty-killing Spartan forward Joe Cox on a breakaway midway through the third period preserved the Wolverine's 2-1 lead and proved to be a crucial moment in the win.
Michigan forwards Andrew Copp and Zach Hyman as well as defenseman Michael Downing also were selected to the All-Tournament team.
"My confidence is always there," said Racine, almost apologetically. "I won't say I'm ever not confident, but this just makes me feel better going into the second half of the year." Racine went on to point out that he had talked to fellow junior Copp in the hallway after the game and both noted that it was their first "hardware" as Michigan players.
"I told you I had my fingers crossed (by playing Racine), Berenson said. "I thought Racine really stepped up."
Hyman scored the winning goal against Michigan Tech and the all-important second goal of the game in spectacular fashion in the final against Michigan State. Copp had Michigan's game-opening goal in the first period on Spartan goaltender Jake Hildebrand.
"You come here and you walk away with that trophy, that's important," said Berenson of the title. "And, it's important for me as well and our staff and everybody that works so hard."
Michigan (10-7-0 overall, 2-1-0-0 Big Ten) launches into the meat of their Big Ten Hockey Conference schedule in the new year, hosting Minnesota at Yost on Friday and Saturday, January 9-10.
With the obstacles faced by his hockey team, even Michigan head coach Red Berenson knew it would be an uphill battle to coach his Wolverines to their 16th Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) tourney win.
Facing formidable opponents in fifth-ranked Michigan Tech and Ferris State plus an arch-rival in Michigan State in the 50th annual version of the holiday tournament, Berenson had the added obstacle of losing four of his top players - Dylan Larkin, JT Compher, Tyler Motte and Zach Werenski - to participation in the World Junior Championship tournament currently being held in Toronto and Montreal.
Berenson embraced that underdog role and even challenged his team with that status.
"If you would have asked me two weeks ago 'what are our chances in the GLI?' I would have said our team is really going to have to overachieve," Berenson said. "And, I told our team that."
The challenge to the team worked.
After riding goaltender Steve Racine's 40-save first round performance to a 2-1 win over Michigan Tech Sunday night, the Wolverines improbably played the same script behind Racine's 31 additional saves in the tournament final Monday night at Joe Louis Arena, besting Michigan State by an identical 2-1 score for their record 16th GLI title.
Over the two nights of tournament play, Racine stopped 71 of the 73 shots thrown his way by Michigan Tech and Michigan State, a feat that earned him tournament MVP and all-tournament honors. Racine's save against a penalty-killing Spartan forward Joe Cox on a breakaway midway through the third period preserved the Wolverine's 2-1 lead and proved to be a crucial moment in the win.
Michigan forwards Andrew Copp and Zach Hyman as well as defenseman Michael Downing also were selected to the All-Tournament team.
"My confidence is always there," said Racine, almost apologetically. "I won't say I'm ever not confident, but this just makes me feel better going into the second half of the year." Racine went on to point out that he had talked to fellow junior Copp in the hallway after the game and both noted that it was their first "hardware" as Michigan players.
"I told you I had my fingers crossed (by playing Racine), Berenson said. "I thought Racine really stepped up."
Hyman scored the winning goal against Michigan Tech and the all-important second goal of the game in spectacular fashion in the final against Michigan State. Copp had Michigan's game-opening goal in the first period on Spartan goaltender Jake Hildebrand.
"You come here and you walk away with that trophy, that's important," said Berenson of the title. "And, it's important for me as well and our staff and everybody that works so hard."
Michigan (10-7-0 overall, 2-1-0-0 Big Ten) launches into the meat of their Big Ten Hockey Conference schedule in the new year, hosting Minnesota at Yost on Friday and Saturday, January 9-10.
