Thanksgiving brings Michigan hockey teammates together

When Steve Kampfer sits with his family for Thanksgiving dinner Thursday, there will be more mouths to feed at the table than normal.

Kampfer - one of 11 Michigan hockey players who call the state home - will host four of his teammates who wouldn't otherwise have anywhere to spend the holiday.

So a day before the Wolverines host the College Hockey Showcase against Minnesota and Wisconsin at Yost Ice Arena, they will celebrate being together.

"I would never turn down free food at someone else's house - come on," said Kampfer, whose family lives in Jackson. "You don't have to go out (to eat), and you're with people for the holiday."

As an annual participant in the Showcase, Michigan spends every other Thanksgiving at home, hosting games Friday and Saturday night at Yost Ice Arena. The weekend on home ice provides local players the chance to spend time with their families while adopting teammates from Canada, who celebrate Thanksgiving earlier in the fall.

A second Thanksgiving won't however, keep Kampfer's visitors from eating. Of the teammates he'll host, Kampfer expects either back-up goalie Shawn Hunwick or center Louie Caporusso to set the standard for second or third helpings.

"Those two guys can put it away," Kampfer said. "They're quiet, but they put it away."

Like Kampfer, Michigan captain Chris Summers - a Milan native - will have players visit for Thanksgiving dinner. Summers, who counts stuffing as his favorite part of the meal, will celebrate with visiting grandparents along with a couple of teammates before returning to the ice Friday against the Golden Gophers.

Although the holiday provides a break from a long season, Michigan coach Red Berenson knows that a big meal and a day away from every day hockey routines can often take a toll on his team's performance.

At least on the road, when Michigan would eat Thanksgiving dinner in a hotel, Berenson remained in contact with his players. With his team scattered in different homes around the area, Berenson realizes losing focus on the task at hand is often difficult.

"Sometimes, they get their heads turned and then we're worried about getting them back worried about face-offs or forechecking," Berenson said. "You're either going to see a team really focused or not so focused. So I kind of keep it cool on Thanksgiving."

Despite that, though, Berenson relishes the idea of his players being with family and celebrating family traditions. Berenson said turkey is his favorite part of the holiday meal along with a long-standing holiday menu mainstay - rutabaga - which his wife serves every year.

"When I smell the turnips," Berenson said, "I know it's Thanksgiving."

Jeff Arnold covers Michigan hockey for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at jeffarnold@annarbor.com or 734-623-2554. Follow him at Twitter @jeffreyparnold.