Longing for the months of parkas and sweaters?
- Angela Cesere
- Senior captain Matt Hunwick wants to play before a rowdy crowd this season. (FILE PHOTO)
Earmuffs and mittens?
Rocky and Bullwinkle?
Even though the leaves have yet to fall, Michigan hockey season tickets will go on sale beginning Thursday, Sept. 7. The tickets can only be purchased at www.mgoblue.com/tickets and will remain on sale until Sept. 15 for priority seating. Tickets will cost $247 ($10 service charge included).
This season’s captain, Matt Hunwick, took it upon himself to hype the upcoming hockey season in an e-mail sent to the entire student body.
“Hockey’s student season ticket holders are different from any other student group here on campus,” the e-mail said. “You are a group of individuals who come together as one every Friday and Saturday night to create the greatest home-ice advantage at any rink across the country. You are what makes hockey games so much fun to attend and for us to play in.
“Many of us players decided to become Wolverines during our recruiting visits because of the tradition of the program, the academics, the arena, the fans, and most of all, you, our biggest supporters. You were awesome then, and I know you will keep that great tradition going,” it went on.
The Wolverines are coming off of one of their least productive years during coach Red Berenson’s 26-year tenure. Breaking in a freshman class of 11, Michigan struggled to a third-place finish in the CCHA and performed poorly in the postseason.
This season, Hunwick returns to lead a team that will be more mature and should contend for the CCHA crown. Despite losing Trevor Lewis to the professional ranks, Michigan’s other big recruits, Chris Summers and Steve Jakiel, could make an immediate impact on the team this season. Summers will help bolster a defense that, at times, played lackadaisically last year, and Jakiel is expected to compete with sophomore Billy Sauer for the starting goalkeeper position.
The hockey team will begin its exhibition season on Saturday, Sept. 30 with the Blue/White Intrasquad scrimmage at Yost Ice Arena. The start of the regular season is on Friday, Oct. 13, when the Wolverines face off against Alabama-Huntsville. The CCHA home opener is on Thursday, Oct. 19 against Miami (OH).