The NCAA News - News and Features

April 13, 1998

Michigan takes I hockey title with overtime win over Boston College

BY STEPHEN R. HAGWELL
STAFF WRITER

BOSTON -- This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Michigan men's ice hockey team.

With only five seniors on the squad's 25-player roster, coach Red Berenson and his Wolverines were looking at the 1997-98 season as a stepping stone to the future.

The future arrived quickly.

Freshman Josh Langfeld scored at 17:51 in overtime and goaltender Marty Turco turned aside 28 shots as Michigan edged Boston College, 3-2, to win the Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship April 4 at the FleetCenter.

Langfeld's game-winning goal gave the Wolverines their second title in three years and championship-record ninth overall. Michigan entered the championship as the fifth-ranked team in the nation and the No. 3 seed in the West region.

Boston College, appearing in the championship game for the first time since 1978, placed second for the third time. The Eagles have won one title (1949).

The contest was the third-longest in NCAA championship-game history. The game also set an attendance record of 18,276.

"We shouldn't have been here," Berenson said. "We shouldn't have won. I didn't think we could do it, but they surprised me.

"I can't tell you we were the best team here. The best team doesn't always win, but this team played the best and did what they had to do."

A year after graduating one of the most highly touted and successful senior classes, Michigan moved 10 freshmen into the lineup and was not projected as a championship finalist.

Remarkably, it was a pair of freshmen (Langfeld and Mark Kosick) who secured the squad's title, combining to score all three goals against the Eagles.

Trailing, 2-1, after two periods, Michigan drew even when Kosick -- who also scored the Wolverines' first goal -- beat goaltender Scott Clemmensen on a rebound of a Chris Fox shot with 6:12 remaining in the third period.

"Going into the third, we were down, 2-1," said Wolverines forward Bill Muckalt, who helped Michigan to the 1996 title in a 3-2 overtime victory over Colorado College. "So I said, 'Remember back in '96. We were behind, 2-1, going into the third period and you guys know what happened.' I think it gave the guys a little confidence."

That confidence was evident in the overtime period as Michigan controlled play, outshooting Boston College, 10-3.

Despite the advantage, the Wolverines needed the play of Turco and the help of the goal posts as the Eagles came within inches of securing their second title. Fortunately for Michigan, and unfortunately for Boston College, the Eagles twice hit the posts in the overtime session.

With the first overtime approaching an end, Langfeld ended the game with a shot that beat Clemmensen just inside the goal post. It was Langfeld's first goal and only his second point of the 1998 championship.

"I just shot it low," Langfeld said. "I wasn't shooting for a corner. I just put it on net, it went in the net and we're national champions!"

"It was a very difficult loss for our club," Boston College coach Jerry York said. "I talked to our players and told them, 'Hey, you made an old Eagle unbelievably proud of your effort.' "

Boston College opened the scoring at 4:19 of the first period when Kevin Caufield took a pass from Mike Mottau behind the Wolverines' defense and fired a slapshot along the ice into the far corner past Turco.

Michigan got the equalizer at 7:47 of the second period as Kosick picked up a rebound on a shot by Bubba Berenzweig and lifted it over a fallen Clemmensen.

Boston College regained the lead with less than two minutes remaining in the second period as freshman Mike Lephart, controlling the rebound of a deflected shot, beat Turco.

Turco was named the tournament's most outstanding player, the first goaltender to earn the honor since 1988. Joining him on the all-tournament team were Kosick, Langfeld and Berenzweig and Boston College's Marty Reasoner and Mottau.

SEMIFINALS

Michigan 4, New Hampshire 0

New Hampshire -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Michigan -- 1 -- 2 -- 1 -- 4

First period: Michigan--Bubba Berenzweig (Dale Rominski), 13:34 (sh). Penalties: New Hampshire--Erik Johnson (holding), 3:16; New Hampshire--Christian Bragnalo (high-sticking), 5:03; Michigan--Justin Clark (charging), 12:28.

Second period: Michigan--Berenzweig (Bobby Hayes, Andrew Merrick), 7:43 (pp); Michigan--Geoff Koch (Clark, Dave Huntzicker), 8:26. Penalties: New Hampshire--Dan Enders (roughing), 0:21; New Hampshire--Steve O'Brien (holding), 6:32; Michigan--Berenzweig (hooking), 10:02.

Third period: Michigan--Matt Herr (Bill Muckalt, Josh Langfeld), 17:12 (pp). Penalties: Michigan--Greg Crozier (cross-checking), 8:24; New Hampshire--Tom Nolan (high-sticking), 15:27; New Hampshire--Mark Mowers (roughing), 18:38; New Hampshire--Johnson (misconduct), 18:38; Michigan--Langfeld (roughing), 18:38.

Shots on goal: New Hampshire 4-5-10 -- 19; Michigan 14-11-5 -- 30. Saves: New Hampshire -- Sean Matile 26; Michigan -- Marty Turco 19. Penalties: New Hampshire -- 7 for 22 min.; Michigan -- 4 for 8 min. Attendance: 17,989.

Boston College 5, Ohio St. 2

Ohio St. -- 0 -- 2 -- 0 -- 2

Boston College -- 1 -- 1 -- 3 -- 5

First period: Boston College--Brian Gionta (Marty Reasoner), 8:40. Penalties: Ohio St.--Ryan Skaleski (holding), 2:30; Boston College--Andy Powers (roughing), 6:39; Boston College--Reasoner (hooking), 9:03; Ohio St.--Todd Compeau (slashing), 10:49; Ohio St.--Vinnie Grant (hitting after whistle), 18:44; Ohio St.--Taj Schaffnit (high-sticking), 19:54.

Second period: Boston College--Jeff Farkas (Mike Mottau, Blake Bellefeuille), 10:24; Ohio St.--Dan Cousineau (Tyler McMillan, Ryan Root), 15:02; Ohio St.--Cousineau (Compeau, Root), 18:21. Penalties: Boston College--Tony Hutchins (high-sticking), 5:24; Ohio St.--Ryan Jestadt (major for hitting from behind, game misconduct), 6:53; Boston College--Kevin Caufield (interference), 8:33.

Third period: Boston College--Reasoner (Gionta, Powers), 6:21; Boston College--Powers (Gionta, Rob Scuderi), 17:25; Boston College--Reasoner (unassisted), 19:17. Penalties: Ohio St.--Eric Meloche (slashing), 9:12.

Shots on goal: Ohio St. 6-8-6 -- 20; Boston College 15-15-12 -- 42. Saves: Ohio St. -- Jeff Maund 37; Boston College -- Scott Clemmensen 18. Penalties: Ohio St. -- 7 for 25 min.; Boston College -- 4 for 8 min. Attendance: 18,089.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Michigan 3, Boston College 2 (ot)

Michigan -- 0 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1 -- 3

Boston College -- 1 -- 1 -- 0 -- 0 -- 2

First period: Boston College--Kevin Caufield (Mike Mottau), 4:19. Penalties: Michigan--Bubba Berenzweig (tripping), 0:28; Michigan--Scott Matzka (high-sticking), 16:31; Boston College--Caufield (cross-checking), 18:36.

Second period: Michigan--Mark Kosick (Berenzweig), 7:42; Boston College--Mike Lephart (Jeff Farkas, Bobby Allen), 18:38 (pp). Penalties: Boston College--Jamie O'Leary (slashing), 0:51; Boston College--Ken Hemenway (cross-checking), 11:29; Michigan--Bobby Hayes (holding), 11:29; Michigan--Matt Herr (hitting from behind), 17:26.

Third period: Michigan--Kosick (Bill Muckalt, Chris Fox), 13:48. Penalties: Boston College--Hemenway (holding the stick), 1:58; Michigan--Josh Langfeld (hooking), 2:44; Boston College--Blake Bellefeuille (hooking), 4:15; Boston College--O'Leary (interference), 9:55.

Overtime: Michigan--Langfeld (Fox, Matzka), 17:51. Penalties: None.

Shots on goal: Michigan 7-8-10-10 -- 35; Boston College 11-7-9-3 -- 30. Saves: Michigan -- Marty Turco 28; Boston College -- Scott Clemmensen 32. Penalties: Michigan -- 5 for 10 min.; Boston College -- 6 for 12 min. Attendance: 18,276.