Analyst, and former Michigan hockey player, says there's 'a little gamesmanship' in Wolverines' underdog role
The Michigan hockey team has settled into the role of underdog heading into Thursday's Frozen Four game with North Dakota (8:30 p.m., ESPN2).
The Fighting Sioux, the nation's No. 1-ranked team, is the favorite to win a national title in St. Paul, Minn., this week. But Aaron Ward, who played at Michigan from 1990-93, thinks his old coach, Red Berenson, has "a little gamesmanship going on" when he talks about the Wolverines being the dark horse.
“He’s really floating it out there how great North Dakota is, they’re the team to beat … a team you can’t imagine losing this game," said Ward, now a hockey analyst for the Big Ten Network, on a recent broadcast. "So I think that on his end he’s hoping there’s some headlines being read and some egos getting inflated.”
The full Big Ten Network clip is below, followed by some more Frozen Four links:
MORE FROZEN FOUR LINKS
NCAA.com: Familiar teams at Frozen Four
USCHO.com: Michigan seniors’ decision to return pays off with Frozen Four spot
AnnArbor.com: Multiple Frozen Fours are nice, but a national title would add to the legacy of Michigan senior class
Comments
a2roots
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.
The wcha is totally overrated this year as are the sioux. Expect a close game but Michigan will prevail. Go Blue!!!
a2roots
Tue, Apr 5, 2011 : 11:43 a.m.
@joeblows...I will put Fielding Yost up against Engelstad any day. Engelstad cannot hold Yost's jock.Don't be spouting off about ND. Only reason the state is doing any good is because nobody has ever lived in that wilderness. Underdog, I for one believe Michigan should be favored. Again your conference is waaayyy overrated.
We're that good
Tue, Apr 5, 2011 : 7:17 a.m.
BAHAHAAHAA! Yea, we're over-rated. We actually stink. A good hockey club like Michigan shouldn't have any trouble at all giving us a good spanking.
joe.blow
Tue, Apr 5, 2011 : 1:32 a.m.
a2roots. A hard working casino man may have built our palace, who built yours? Oh, that's right, a now bankrupt state. I wonder how much in the hole ND is, whoops, largest surplus ever for the state. I think the WCHA had the most teams in the tournament this year and if it wasn't for pitting Denver against us, there would have been three WCHA teams in the frozen four. We will see how Thursday goes, but please stop this underdog crap.
a2roots
Tue, Apr 5, 2011 : 12:48 a.m.
@joeblow...Don't forget Michigan was a member of wcha and I am guessing, but am pretty sure, 7 of the 9 titles Michigan has came while in the wcha. Doesn't change the fact wcha is overrated this year. I have been to the Ralph which I must say is the best hockey arena casino money can buy.
joe.blow
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 : 11:21 p.m.
Michigan may have the most titles, but the WCHA has everyone else beat by a long shot!
a2roots
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 : 8:28 p.m.
@joeblow...what kind of elixir do you Indians have? It has got to be some pretty good stuff cause it sure has you thinking pretty goofy. You certainly have wcha on the brain. You ought to be over that pretty soon.
joe.blow
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 : 7:36 p.m.
If the Sioux don't smack the blue down, Duluth will. GO SIOUX!!!
tater
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
Berenson is supposed to talk about how great the other team is. That is classic coach-speak. As for the comment above: apparently, despite their saying, 50 below doesn't keep all of the riff-raff out of North Dakota. North Dakota does have a great team. It's not like they have anything else to do there, either, so the community and school probably provide excellent resources for building the hockey program. That being said, I expect a tight game that could go either way. As much as I hate the thought, I think NDak wins this one 3-1 in a game that goes down to the last thirty seconds with the last goal being an empty-netter. I hope I am waaay wrong.
joe.blow
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 : 4:27 p.m.
Come on, get fired up, this is going to be a great game! Michigan is just as good as ND, why do all you people fall into this underdog role? With Yale gone, there are no more weak teams in the frozen four (except that random non-duluth/Sioux/Blue team_.
joe.blow
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 : 12:31 p.m.
North Dakota is going to stomp Michigan. GO SIOUX!!!
A2Dave
Sun, Apr 3, 2011 : 9:24 p.m.
Why he's an analyst--such original, insightful, perceptive commentary--LOL! The only criteria that Big10 Network seems to apply to analyst/color commentators is that they be former players. Intelligence, articulateness, insight, journalistic experience?? Not necessary; needn't apply.