Previously: Part One, Part Two, Part Three [West Regional vs NoDak, 1998/Kalmbach via Bentley Historical Library] The story is almost too perfect. You expect the details of a hockey story to flow from odd angles, to be all jagged edges and shoulders and elbows and yet this story is writerly and neat and almost formulaic. It follows the kind of structure script writers teach in their intro film classes: the protagonist runs through the gauntlet and passes a test that changes them, then uses their newly girded spirit to pass the ultimate test and reap a reward barely fathomable at the start of the journey. From humble beginnings, etc. The necessity of icing an unusually high number of freshmen dampened expectations at the start of Michigan’s 1997-98 season, but there were enough upperclassmen remaining Marty Turco, Bill Muckalt, Matt Herr, and Bobby Hayes, to name a few to keep them from falling off precipitously. Yes, skating four freshmen defensemen was different, but close games can
As JJ McCarthy stood in the raining purple and black confetti on the last day of the 2022 calendar, he knew (as did a lot more of us) that if the right people wanted to give it one more go, it could be magical. Yes, they blew a really big opportunity, but there was still a lot of eligibility to be had across the program. Sure enough, almost everyone with said eligibility wanted one more shot. They got it. And, oh boy, did they make it count. 2023-24 was supposed to be about football.and it was (I still have certain items on backorder). Michigan came together, pulled out some historic victories, and finally checked ALL of the boxes in what will be (probably, at least.in SO many different ways) the most memorable season of our lifetimes, winning the National Championship. "I thought this was supposed to be a hockey piece?" you ask? Well, it is. The last time Michigan did that (1997-98, pre-Alex Drain existence), I was twelve years old. Charles Woodson won the Heisman Trophy and