During the second intermission of Friday’s
Michigan-Wisconsin College Hockey Showcase matchup, a small pocket
of Yost Ice Arena attempted to start Michigan’s football
wave. The infamous wave quickly died at the beginning of the third
period, but it was a sign — when the Yost faithful have to
reference Michigan Stadium, they’re off their game.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the lackadaisical approach in the
stands reflected Michigan’s play on the ice.

“I don’t know if it was the week off or too much
turkey last night, but they were ready to go, and they took it to
us,” Michigan captain Andy Burnes said following the
Wolverines’ 3-1 loss to the Badgers of the Western Collegiate
Hockey Association. “They took it to us.”

Although Michigan players and fans alike exponentially increased
their energy for Saturday night’s contest against Minnesota,
in the end, the result was the same: another close loss, 4-2, at
home to a WCHA team.

The WCHA’s collective sweep of the Wolverines marked the
first time in the 11-year history of the College Hockey Showcase
that Michigan lost both games. It also gave the Wolverines their
first three-game losing streak since 1999.

“We’re not as good as we think, and we’ve got
a lot of work to do,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said.

As cited by Burnes, the Wolverines looked like victims of bird
overdose on Friday, sleepwalking through the weekend opener against
Wisconsin.

The Badgers entered this weekend with a 1-8-1 record against
Michigan in the Showcase.

“I don’t like reading our record against Wisconsin
in this Showcase because that’s just ammunition for the other
team, and it makes our team think we’re just going to roll
over them, and obviously that’s not going to happen,”
Berenson said.

The Badgers lit the lamp first with 2:13 left in the first
period. Robbie Earl grabbed a loose puck and started a 2-on-1 down
the right side of the ice. Earl tried to flick the puck cross-ice
to John Funk, but Michigan’s lone defender, Eric Werner,
deflected the pass. The puck rolled right to Dan Boeser at the top
of the left faceoff circle. Boeser quickly fired a heavy wrister
passed Montoya’s outstretched glove.

Junior Jason Ryznar evened the count at one, scoring his first
goal of the season with just 39 seconds left in the second period.
Wisconsin defenseman Andy Wozniewski sent an errant pass towards
defenseman Jeff Likens and Ryznar snatched the puck and headed on a
breakaway. Ryznar deked around the Minnesota crease and dribbled
the puck through Bernd Brückler’s five hole.
Ryznar’s goal gave the Wolverines momentum going into the
locker room for the second intermission.

“A 1-1 game going into the third period at home —
that’s the kind of game you want to be in,” Burnes
said. “A game that you should win.”

The first half of the period played even, but at 9:24, Michigan
junior Eric Nystrom earned a two-minute stay in the sin bin for
boarding. A minute into the Badgers’ powerplay, Andrew
Joudrey found Ryan MacMurchy wide open just outside the crease, and
MacMurchy buried the game-winner.

Minnesota forward Rene Bourque added an empty-net goal with 23
seconds left to seal the deal.

“We could make excuses but I don’t think
there’s any excuse,” Berenson said. “They just
beat us at our own game.”

The Wolverines came out with a much more aggressive playing
style on Saturday, but lost to Minnesota 3-1. Although Michigan
fell short, Berenson saluted the team’s effort.

“That’s the hardest our team has played all year,
and it’s too bad it took an embarrassing loss to Wisconsin to
get our team to realize the kind of competition that’s out
there,” Berenson said.

The Wolverines employed a lot of pressure on Minnesota in their
own zone, causing many early Gopher turnovers. Michigan’s
defensemen left the blueline regularly to attack offensively.
Although the Wolverines assertive approach gave them many
opportunities early, it may have cost them the game’s first
goal. Keith Ballard stole a Michigan pass and found Troy Riddle
streaking down the ice. Riddle received the puck on the
Wolverines’ blueline and led a 2-on-1 with teammate Gino
Guyer. With a defender draped over him, Riddle dished to Guyer for
the one-time goal.