In the Memorial Coliseum locker room early Monday morning, Michigan goalie Shawn Hunwick sat by himself on a folding chair in a corner.

Hunwick was half-dressed, his right arm battered and swollen like he had hives. This is normal - the accumulation of being beaten with pucks for a season in practice and a month as the Wolverines’ starting goalie.

Twenty minutes earlier, he had given up a season-ending goal to No. 1 Miami in the NCAA quarterfinals, yet he gradually understood exactly what he and his team had accomplished this year.

Seven straight wins and an improbable run to the NCAA tournament saved what had been a surprisingly sub-par hockey season and a pretty pathetic year for Michigan’s big three sports overall.

“Just how the guys came together as a team, a lot of people said we were down and out, but guys never gave up hope,” Hunwick said. “I think it’s something that almost everyone in this locker room will remember forever.”

They should - for many reasons.

In all of Michigan’s 20 straight NCAA tournament appearances, none had the desperation factor of this one in the weeks leading up to it. Michigan needed to go on its win streak to even qualify.

The Wolverines played inspired hockey and became one of the best stories in the country. Starting goalie hurt. Team captain Chris Summers out for two weeks. A walk-on with 18 minutes of career playing experience, Hunwick, in net.

It wove together to be, at once, inspiring and unexpected. That it ended like it did will just add to the memories and the lore of the 2010 Michigan hockey run.

The Wolverines played in one of the best hockey games of the season on any level. There was drama, emotion and, by the end, most of Michigan’s players couldn’t remember playing in any game like it.

“The only time I could say I came close to this was in the Frozen Four against Notre Dame,” defenseman Steve Kampfer said. “And that’s the only time it ever came close to this. This game was up-and-down, back and forth.

“It was one of the best games we’ve played as a team and I think ever in Michigan history.”

Yes, there was an argument Michigan could have - maybe should have - won the game in the first overtime with a goal that was questionably disallowed, but that will just add to the memories and history.

And Michigan’s run, if it wasn’t going to end in a national title in Ford Field, deserved to end in a memorable fashion. It may hurt more, may sting more, but it will be remembered better and for longer.

People and players just don’t remember 3-1 losses. But they’ll remember being in Fort Wayne.

“It’s the peak, that’s what it feels like when you get that far in the game,” junior forward Louie Caporusso said. “It’s probably one of the toughest games I’ve played in my life.”

Which goes back to Hunwick. The Frozen Four is less than hour away from Ann Arbor if you hit the right traffic pattern. Michigan was thisclose to getting there.

Now, Hunwick cannot imagine going.

“No, I won’t be down there,” Hunwick said. “Maybe I’ll watch it on TV. But probably not.”

He probably doesn’t need to if he wants to see the best game of the tournament - he got a perfectly good view of that between Michigan’s pipes.

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.