IU takes title shot

The road to a regular season Great Midwest Hockey League championship will be an uphill one for IU, but the Hoosiers are ready to climb it. IU (12-7-1, 2-3-1 GMHL) will begin the home stretch of the GMHL season this weekend with a pair of road games against Ferris State University and Michigan State University.\nThe last time FSU and IU met, the teams racked up 187 minutes of penalties in a physical game. IU coach Rich Holdeman said his team needs to keep their cool, avoid injury and disqualifications, which could sideline players for Saturday's game with MSU.\n"Let me put it this way: We're trying to dress most of our biggest guys," Holdeman said. "I'm well aware that this could be a pretty rough outing."\nOn Saturday, IU will travel to East Lansing for a game against rival Michigan State (5-7-2, 2-3-1). The Hoosiers lost the first game against MSU this season, a non-conference game in which the Spartans ended IU's 27-game home unbeaten streak. After the 3-4 loss, Holdeman said the team lacked the intensity to win big games, something freshman forward Tyler Crowley said has changed.\n"That game proved to be a wake-up call," Crowley said. "We can't just go out there and expect to win off our talent alone."\nThe University of Michigan (13-7-1, 6-3-1) leads the GMHL with 13 points. The Wolverines have finished their GMHL schedule and will wait to see if Oakland (18-6-3, 6-2-0) can win one of its remaining two games to take the title outright.\nIU will have to win all four remaining games and get a little help from archrival Miami University (Ohio) to win the GMHL. If UM beats Oakland and IU wins all four games, IU will finish tied with Michigan for first place with 13 points.\nHoldeman said he hopes to finish in the top two spots to earn a bye in the first round of the GMHL tournament, but freshman forward Pete Johnson said he expects IU to do a little better.\n"We definitely need to defend the title," Johnson said. "We're expected to win these games and we're looking forward to the (GMHL) tournament."\nIU will return home next weekend to finish the GMHL regular season with home games against MSU and Oakland.