Freshman Icers Finding Their Niche
11/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
By Hannah Goldman, U-M Media Relations
This years freshman class is certainly different than the one we saw just one year ago. For starters, it's comprised of just five young men compared to last years dozen. And because of this, the amount of pressure to make an immediate impact has dropped considerably. But the freshman crew of Brandon Burlon, Robbie Czarnik, Luke Glendening, Greg Pateryn and David Wohlberg is beginning to find its place among the rest of the Wolverines as the season progresses.
For the D-men, their place was a little more obvious after the first week of the season. Plagued with adversity at the beginning of the season, the core of the Michigan blue line needed Pateryn, who entered Michigan expecting to fight for a spot on the starting six, to step in and play well from day one. Pateryn was the lone freshman defenseman for the Maize and Blues first eight games. But he jumped into the opportunity and has used it to his advantage.
"I think it has been good for him," said head coach Red Berenson. "I think it has been a bit of a challenge for him. But overall, I think he is holding his own. He has to play in some tough buildings -- already on Olympic rinks and so on. For a defenseman, that can be difficult. But he has played pretty well."
"The first couple games were a little rough for me, just moving the puck," said Pateryn, who has an assist and a -1 plus/minus rating in 11 games. "But the past couple of games I have been doing film with [assistant coach] Billy Powers and have been talking to Coach [Berenson] on what I need to improve on. And every game I play, I have been doing a lot better in and getting more comfortable out there."
The college level of play and a new team are not the only things that freshmen have to get used to. They must also adjust to the college life, and that includes the dorms.
"The dorms arent that bad when you first get there," began Pateryn. "But every day, you are just going back to the same place and it just gets dirtier and dirtier. I live with Burlon, and his side of the room is always pretty clean, and my side there is just a big pile of clothes and stacks of laundry everywhere."
"You get used to living in the dorms after awhile," countered Burlon. "It is a 20-by-17 foot room so you do not really have much space to jump around and stuff in. You are just sleeping and studying there. At the rink and on the road is where you get most of your stuff done with regards to hockey."
With regards to hockey, Burlon is still working on his conversion to college. Prior to the injuries to defensemen Mark Mitera and Steve Kampfer, Burlon suffered an ankle injury in the preseason that kept him out of the lineup for the first eight games. His first official game in the Maize and Blue came two weeks ago when U-M made the long journey to Alaska. Known as a skilled, two-way rearguard, Burlon notched an assist in his first game and had two assists last week at Western Michigan.
"I think it is good that he contributes offensively," said Berenson. "But it is more important that he becomes solid defensively. I know he has got a real good upside; he has made some good strides, but not without some turnovers that could be costly. But you judge a defenseman on their mistakes typically, and Burlon is doing pretty well in that regard."
Burlon, whois +2 with three assists through four games,did not hesitate to say that he was more focused on playing solid defense than he was with his offensive contribution. When asked if he was itching to get his first goal, Burlon responded, "I am not too concerned. It happens. The guys tell you that it will probably be the ugliest thing in the world, I mean, you saw Tristin Llewellyns [first] goal [vs. St. Lawrence on Oct. 11]. But that is how you are going to win games. It isnt going to be pretty, but when I do [get that first goal], it will be really exciting."
Two of the three freshman forwards, Robbie Czarnik and David Wohlberg, have picked up their first career goals. Czarnik broke through at Boston University on Oct. 25 and also has a pair of assists through 12 games. Wohlberg, Czarnik's roommate and fellow U.S. National Team Development program alumnus, scored his first goal shorthanded vs. the Buckeyes on Nov. 1 and has continued to light the lamp with three more tallies since then and has a 4-1-5 line for the year. Czarnik and Wohlberg, along with the third freshman forward Glendening, have been able to find their college hockey legs with somewhat less pressure upon them than the young defensemen.
"We started the season with both Czarnik and Wohlberg playing center," said Berenson. "Then we put Wohlberg on the wing, and now we have put Czarnik on the wing. We are trying to surround them with more experienced players rather than them playing together. We had them playing together for a while.
"Now we are at the point where we are trying to find good roles for them on the team, and I think they are both finding good roles and getting more confidence week in and week out," continued Berenson. "And Glendening, who was more of an unknown, has quietly worked his way into the lineup and has been a consistent, hard-working role player."
All three of the forwards share similar sentiments on the beginning of their seasons. They are all in agreement that they have enjoyed getting to know their teammates and contributing out on the ice.
In the lineup for nine of the first 12 games, Glendening summed up his early-season perspective the best.
"It is obviously different [playing at this level]," he said. "But when I get the opportunity, it is a dream come true. If I dont [get in the lineup], I just keep working harder --there are no complaints from me. If I am in, thats great. If I am not, I just have to keep working harder."
And although his fellow forward classmates have broken through with their first goal, Glendening is patiently waiting for his moment.
"I am trying," he said. "It has been frustrating. [As a team] we have talked about knowing your role on the team. It would be great to score, but as long as the other team is not scoring when I am out there, then I am doing my part."
The freshmen have all done their part as the first half of the regular season is quickly approaching. With six games left before the semester break, the Wolverines are looking forward to this weekend's road series against CCHA leader and No. 7-ranked Miami.
