Celebrating Senior Night 2009

By Hannah Goldman, U-M Media Relations

This year's senior class doesn't have one defining moment which people will remember them by. Instead, they have a whole array of accomplishments from the past four years. They came in as a class of 11 and will graduate this April as a strong group of six. But whether their favorite moment was their first game against Quinnipiac in October 2005, beating Notre Dame with 30 seconds left in overtime in a comeback home victory at Yost, trumping Michigan Tech in double-overtime to win the Great Lakes Invitational championship for the first time in 11 years, winning the CCHA championship in 2008, or defeating Clarkson to punch their ticket to the 2008 Frozen Four, all these games are moments they will never forget.

And neither will the Michigan faithful.

The last home game of the regular season is always "Senior Night" for the Wolverines. After the final buzzer sounds, each senior is introduced and honored for his achievements over the previous four seasons. This year's senior class includes captain and defenseman Mark Mitera; forwards Travis Turnbull, Tim Miller, Danny Fardig and Brandon Naurato; and goaltender Billy Sauer. The sextet boasts a record of 104 wins, 45 losses and 10 ties heading into the final weekend of the regular season. They've made three trips to the NCAA tournament, including the 2008 Frozen Four appearance, as well as one CCHA regular-season title, one CCHA Tournament championship and two Great Lakes Invitational crowns. Whether it was through stellar goaltending, blocked shots, hard checks or scoring the game-winning goal, each member of the senior class has contributed to these achievements.

Of the six seniors, four are forwards, all of whom have played vital roles over the past four seasons for the Maize and Blue. Each has his favorite games and favorite moments. For Naurato, who has 31 goals and 29 assists in 124 games, his most memorable moment came in the 2008 CCHA Tournament championship game vs. Miami when he took a pass from Miller off the faceoff and hammered home a shot for the championship-clinching tally.

"Naurato has been a player that has been in and out of the lineup -- he has been in more than out, but for one reason or another, things haven't clicked as well as he hoped they would or we hoped they would," said head coach Red Berenson. "I think he has benefited a lot from having to face the adversity of not being in the lineup every night, but he wants to play. He is a good kid and a good player. He has been a good teammate, and I think he is proud of being a Michigan hockey player."

One senior who Naurato has been a particularly good teammate to is Turnbull. The duo has lived together for the past three years and wouldn't have it any other way.

"I think that throughout the years we have had a lot of ups and downs and we have always had each other's back," said Turnbull of their friendship. "We really understand what the other one is going through, so I think that that is something that me and [Narauto] have shared and I can't say that I have shared it with anybody else."

"We have really helped each other with some of the tougher times," added Naurato. "He has just been someone to talk to."

Both agree that winning the 2008 CCHA Tournament championship was probably their favorite moment, but whereas Naurato captured the game-winner in that game, Turnbull's most memorable goal is his double-overtime tally against Michigan Tech to bring home the GLI championship to Yost for the first time in 11 years.

Turnbull has a career line of 40-46-86 in 159 games and returned at the beginning of this season as the team's leading goal scorer. After a shaky start which prompted a switch to center, he started to find his niche.

"He expected to score more, too," said Berenson. "He was our leading goal scorer coming back this season so he was pretty frustrated when he didn't have the start that he wanted. I can't tell you that he didn't try hard, it just happens.

"We moved him to center and he got going," continued Berenson. "Now he is back at center again, so hopefully he will have a strong finish. No one remembers how you started, they only remember how you finish."

No one is hoping for the strong finish more than Turnbull himself.

While Travis is the senior forward who looks best on paper, it is his classmate Miller who seems to always notch his points when it matters most.

Miller has a career line of 23-48-71 in 159 career games. Seven of those 21 goals have been game-winners, however, including four this season. Perhaps his best weekend as a Wolverine was at the 2008 CCHA Championship when he scored two goals, including the game-winner in the semifinals, and two assists en route to earning tournament MVP recognition.

"The coaches put me on the ice a lot when it is a close game against big teams, so I get those chances to score and I take advantage of it," said Miller.

Berenson explains that he trusts Miller not so much for his offense but because of his defense.

"He is conscientious defensively, so he is a big game player," said Berenson. "So this is his time -- it is his senior year. Right now I have him on one of our top two lines. He isn't going to impress anyone with his statistics but he can impress you by helping his team win, and that is what he does."

While Naurato and Turnbull have lived together for the past three years, Miller has lived with the rest of the seniors -- Mitera, Fardig and Sauer.

"We have definitely become close and gotten to know each other pretty well," said Sauer of his roommates. "Fardig is a fun person to hang out with. Mitera is always playing Halo; he plays Halo for about six hours a night. And Miller, we call him a caveman; he doesn't usually come out of his room. He kind of locks himself in there. Sometimes days will pass before we see him," he continued, chuckling. "But they are good guys and we have become pretty close friends. We are always going out and hanging out together."

Fardig added that Sauer is the "whipping boy" of the group.

"We just abuse him every once in awhile," joked Fardig. "But he has become one of my really good friends. I think that the three of us have really enjoyed living together. We obviously have our disagreements but the positives definitely outweigh the negatives."

Fardig, the fourth of the senior forwards, has 10 goals and 14 assists in 139 career games. His favorite goal of his career was his shorthanded tally against Ohio State in the 2006-07 regular-season finale in Columbus.

"Danny has been an energy guy from day one," said Berenson. "He blocks shots, he kills penalties, he checks and works hard. He is not as skilled with the puck as a lot of players are but he has taken advantage of his ice time and he has accepted his role.

"He works hard every day and he is a good team player," Berenson continued. "He is a local kid who has always wanted to play here so it has worked out as a dream come true for him."

On the flip side, the remaining two seniors, Mitera and Sauer, haven't had their "dream" senior seasons. Mitera suffered an almost season-long knee injury in the first game of the season, but he is finally back on the ice and hoping to suit up at least one more time for the Maize and Blue. The team captain can still boast of many accolades, including 2008 Inside College Hockey Defenseman of the Year, CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman finalist and All-CCHA second team.

His injury was a major blow to the Michigan blueline, but Mitera, the team and the coaches are all hoping he will be able to come back and make a contribution in the playoffs.

"I hope the kid has a chance to play and I hope he plays well," said Berenson. "But right now he is the biggest question mark. I am hoping he will play but I can't guarantee that he will play and/or have a good finish to the season. But he has worked hard all year without being on the ice and has had a really difficult year."

"It is definitely good to skate; it feels good," said Mitera. "It is nice to be back out there with the team, but this is pretty much Chris Summers' team -- I just try to do what I can in the locker room and off the ice. But it is definitely nice to get back onto the ice and be skating with the guys again."

The sixth and final member of the 2009 senior class is goaltender Billy Sauer. The youngest member of the class -- he enrolled as a 17-year-old -- Sauer learned on the fly as U-M's starter for the first two and a half seasons. Though his playing time has diminished as a senior he has had a memorable career and has left his mark all over the Michigan record book. As a 2008 CCHA honorable mention, Sauer set U-M single-season records for goals against average (1.95) and save percentage (.924). Most likely he will end up third on U-M's career save percentage chart (.907), fourth on U-M's GAA list (2.59), tied for fourth on U-M's career shutout list (7), and fifth on U-M's career win list (70).

Not knowing if he will be between the pipes for Senior Night, Sauer understands that his accomplishments over the past four seasons mean more than just one night.

"I guess I have accomplished some things here," Sauer said, modestly, "but at the same time, I would really like to be playing on Senior Night. It would make it more special for me. But to just reflect on the things that I have done in four years, it is bigger than one night."

Sauer can also be reassured that the Yost faithful have not lost their faith in him. In a 28-save winning effort vs. Nebraska-Omaha on Feb. 14, it was clear that the Michigan fans were behind Sauer.

"It definitely helps," Sauer said about the fans' cheers. "I have played one game [at home] in three months, so it was kind of just like, 'Who is behind me What do I have to do' So I guess when I got in [net] and heard the support that the crowd gave me and knew that they were behind me, it really meant a lot."

This Saturday night, Sauer can be sure to hear the same support, as will the rest of the senior class.

"It is a big [night]," said Berenson. "It might not be their last game at Yost, but it is their last regular-season game at Yost and it is a night that they are all singled out and all identified, even if they are not playing in the game. And I think it adds a little finality to the fact that this is a reality and they are seniors and are not coming back next year. This is it. I think it is a pretty special night for them."

Just like any senior on the verge of graduating, these six men aren't sure they are ready for it either.

"I think it is really starting to dawn on me that it is the last little bit," said Sauer. "You talk about how we are seniors and it is our last hurrah, but then when you talk about how we only have two games left -- and then the playoffs when no one knows what is going to happen -- everyone realizes that it is coming down to the wire and we only have a little bit of time left here."

Fardig echoed Sauer's thoughts on the last few games.

"It is kind of surreal," said Fardig. "It seems like we seriously just got here, but at the same time, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have had a great four years here and have enjoyed every minute of it. Every good thing needs to come to end at some point."

Berenson, who sees a new class come in every year and a senior class leave, fully understands the feelings running through the seniors' minds.

"This is a special place to play," said Berenson. "They have had their moments here and a lot of memories -- I am usually happy on Senior Night. I know that they are sad, but it is time. They have had their time and they have had great memories, but it has to end. They have to move on."

Both Mitera and Turnbull didn't miss the opportunity to express how special of an accomplishment it is to be wearing the "M" for four years, especially since their freshman class began with 11 members. Senior Night acknowledges the feat of staying all four years and graduating.

"I guess it is special because they recognize the seniors," said Mitera. "It definitely means something to our classmates and all the guys who have stayed four years. It is a pretty good accomplishment for us."

Turnbull agrees, but he also understands that Senior Night is going to be one of his last games at Yost.

"I can't believe it," he said. "You can't even put it into words."