Tropp facing weekend hurdle

The Thursday edition of The State News reported on Corey Tropp's return to Yost Arena this weekend, site of last season's unfortunate slashing incident on Michigan dman, Steve Kampfer. The 6'0 junior enters the rivalry set as the nation's leading scorer with 8 goals and 15 points through the first 10 games for the surprising #14 Spartans.

The roof could explode off Yost Ice Arena tonight. And that’s why Comley called Tropp into his office Monday, just to prepare for the crazy atmosphere. Comley expects the fans to hassle Tropp, but he isn’t expecting it to get too ugly. “I think there will be an awful lot of the verbal directed at him, but not any more than that,” Comley said. “Fans are going to yell. They like to yell at us. Even if this never happened, how much different can it be than what it always is?” CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos also isn’t expecting things to get out of hand on the ice. “I expect the game will be well played by both teams and will be a typical rivalry game — filled with all of the emotion and intensity that is always part of this rivalry,” Anastos said. Junior forward Andrew Rowe is friends with many Wolverines players and has been in recent contact with them. “They are past it and we are past it,” Rowe said. “I don’t think they are holding anything against us, and we aren’t holding anything against them.” The U-M coaches don’t plan on making an announcement to try and keep the “Children of Yost” under control. “Our administration has done a lot of things over the past few years as well as communicating with the students,” U-M assistant coach Billy Powers said. “Last year was a long time ago and I think our fans are more worried with being swept at home against Miami (Ohio) last weekend.” But that doesn’t change senior co-captain Nick Sucharski’s, and the team’s view of, “let’s get in and out of there.”