Site: South Bend, Ind. (Notre Dame Stadium)
Score: Michigan 4, No. 6 Notre Dame 2
Records: U-M (7-7-6, 3-4-4-2 B1G), No. 6 Notre Dame (12-6-1, 5-4-0-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Jan. 8 — vs. Merrimack (Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The University of Michigan ice hockey team played in their NCAA record eighth outdoor game in the modern era against rival, No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday (Jan. 5) at Notre Dame Stadium. After a three goal first period, the Wolverines were able to control the rest of the game and skated to a 4-2 victory, improving to 4-3-1 all-time outside.
“I thought it was a great event and hard fought game, said head coach Mel Pearson. “Overall I was pleased with our team and those are huge points for us in the standings”
The Wolverines were able to strike first when senior defenseman captain Joseph Cecconi dumped a puck into the Notre Dame zone from just outside the opposite left face-off circle. Cecconi’s dump-in skipped off of the ice once and into the net over the Notre Dame’s goaltender’s pads, giving Michigan a 1-0 lead at the 4:42 mark of the opening period.
“We’re excited that we got the win,” said senior captain Joseph Cecconi. “We all know that it’s time to turn this ship around and all it takes is one win. That’s three big points for us and thats huge.”
Only sixteen seconds later, Michigan struck again when junior forward Nick Pastujov found classmate Will Lockwood with a touch pass streaking through the neutral zone as Lockwood was one on one with the Irish defenseman. As he skated in from the left face-off circle, Lockwood deked and got to the slot where he fired a wrist shot to beat the Irish netminder to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead at 4:58 in the first period.
After penalties from both sides, the two teams played four-on-four for 49 seconds before the Wolverines went on the power play. The Maize and Blue power play was unsuccessful but just seconds after the Irish went back full strength, junior defenseman Luke Martin skated behind the net and dumped a back-hand pass to sophomore forward Dakota Raabe to keep the puck on the same side of the ice. Raabe carried the puck up from the end line as freshman forward Nolan Moyle positioned himself in the slot. Raabe found Moyle in the right face-off circle where he was able to get off a wrist shot that beat the Notre Dame goaltender and increase the lead to 3-0.
As the Wolverines looked to increase their lead in the second period, junior defenseman Griffin Luce was called for tripping, giving the Irish a five-on-four advantage. Notre Dame capitalized 22 seconds into the power play as Cam Morrison got his stick on a Andrew Peeke shot from the point that deflected into the net, cutting the U-M lead to 3-1.
With just over five minutes to play in the final period and leading 3-1, the Wolverines penalty kill unit went back out onto the ice when redshirt sophomore Luke Morgan was called for interference. The Irish’s best look on net was when they ripped a one-timer from the left face-off circle that junior goaltender Hayden Lavigne kicked away for one of his 30 saves on the night.
In desperation mode, the Irish pulled their goalie with four minutes to play. The extra skater paid off for Notre Dame as they cut into the lead with 2:48 left to play when Alex Steeves beat Lavigne to make it 3-2.
The two teams played five-on-five for a minute and a half after the goal before the Irish pulled their goalie again with 1:15 left in the final period. Notre Dame ripped a slap shot from the point with 45 seconds remaining that Raabe was able to get in front of and knock away. Seconds later, Raabe got his stick on the puck as he knocked away another shot to the boards around the blue line. The sophomore forward collected the deflected shot and skated up the boards towards an empty net before sailing a shot just outside of the blue line in front of the Notre Dame bench to seal the Wolverines 4-2 victory.
The Wolverines will head back home on Tuesday (Jan. 8) when they host non-conference opponent Merrimack on Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
