The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/246097
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK A HUGE HIT The 2014 NHL Winter Classic, pitting the Detroit Red Wings against the Toronto Maple Leafs, was played at Michigan Stadium Jan. 1 in Ann Arbor, and it set a record with 105,491 tickets sold and a 2.9 television rating that ranks as the top regular-season draw in NHL history (tying the 2009 Winter Classic, which featured Detroit and Chicago). "Everyone has been looking forward to the NHL game at The Big House. I'm part of the hosting school, being the hockey coach, and I wanted everything to go well, and I think it did," UM's Red Berenson said. "The weather was a little rough, but I stayed for the whole game. I sat outside. I know our players were there, and our families were there. "It was terrific. I think the NHL will look at this being everything it was billed to be." Greg Wyshynski from PuckDaddy. com (YahooSports.com) said this year's game will be hard to top. "The Winter Classic at The Big House was a record-breaking, rousing success," he wrote. "It's one of those events that makes you wonder if the NHL has reached the pinnacle for this gimmick: Can it get better than the Detroit Red Wings, the Toronto Maple Leafs, a divided house of 105,000 and frigid snowy weather? "That's the challenge for NHL COO John Collins and the league's braintrust, as they look ahead to the next several years of the New Year's Day games." NBCSports.com's Jason Brough concurred: "Fair to say it's going to be tough to beat the 2014 ratings next year in D.C. when the Capitals host the Classic at Nationals Park (probably). But there would be absolutely no shame in getting topped by what happened in Ann Arbor. The venue. The setting. As NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said, it 'was everything we hoped for — the biggest and best New Year's Day party in our history.'" BAD BREAK Sophomore goalie Gerald Logan will miss the entire 2014 lacrosse season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, Michigan announced. Logan was an ECAC All-Rookie Team recipient in his freshman year, ranking second nationally with 211 saves while he finished with a .563 save percentage in 14 games. True freshman Robbi Zonino is expected to start in Logan's place when the Maize and Blue open the season Feb. 1. "We're obviously going to miss Gerald on the field this season, but we expect him back to 100 percent by next fall," head coach John Paul said in a statement. "We have full confidence in Robbie as our starter. He had a great fall where he gained valuable experience against Notre Dame, and he has been preparing himself for this role for a few months now."