Michigan
23-10-1/18-7-1
Notre Dame
17-11-4/13-10-3
Sweeps Weekend: U-M Loses Second Straight to Irish
2/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Despite outshooting Notre Dame by 25 shots, the University of Michigan ice hockey team dropped a 5-2 decision to the Irish Saturday night (Feb. 28) at the Joyce Center, marking the first time Michigan has been swept by a CCHA opponent this season. The fourth-ranked Wolverines (23-10-1, 18-7-1 CCHA) outshot the Irish 41-16 but were unable to solve Irish freshman goaltender David Brown.
Michigan dominated play thoughout the first two periods, but trailed 3-2 at the second intermission after allowing Notre Dame goals just 16 seconds apart with under five minutes left in the second period. The sweep is the first of U-M by a CCHA team since Dec. 6-7, 2002, when the Maize and Blue dropped a pair of contests to Northern Michigan at Yost Ice Arena.
The Fighting Irish took a 1-0 lead 9:44 into the game. Michigan kept Notre Dame's power-play unit from setting up in the Wolverine zone, but with three seconds left on the advantage sophomore Mike Walsh threw the puck toward the net. Walsh's high shot was headed wide, but it hit freshman defenseman Jason Dest (Fraser, Mich.) at the top of the crease and deflected past U-M goaltender Noah Ruden (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.).
With a power-play chance almost immediately following the ensuing faceoff, Michigan pressed the Irish penalty kill inside the ND zone for the full two minutes but was unable to even the score. Junior Milan Gajic (Burnaby, B.C.) earned U-M's best chance in the final seconds of the advantage, hitting the crossbar with a shot from the right circle.
Sophomore Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.) tied the game 20 seconds into the second period on a two-on-one rush with Dwight Helminen (Brighton, Mich.). Helminen brought the puck into the Irish zone but was tied up by the last ND defender as he made a move toward the net. Tambellini picked the puck off Helminen's stick and flipped a shot over Brown.
The Wolverines struck again at 2:19 to take their first lead of the series, 2-1. With a mass of bodies in front of Brown, sophomore Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.) poked the puck underneath the Notre Dame goaltender just inside the right post.
Junior forward Jason Ryznar (Anchorage, Alaska) did his best to give Michigan an insurance goal with a strong individual play in the corner of the Irish zone. Ryznar worked the puck behind the net from corner to corner until he freed himself from the shadow of ND senior Tom Galvin. Ryznar then stickhandled to the front of the net and fired a wrist shot on goal. Brown was up to task, coralling the puck in his jersey for the save.
U-M kept pressure on the Irish with posession on the puck through three full power plays at the middle of the frame, building a 25-5 advanatge in shots, but was unable to increase the lead.
Notre Dame turned the tide on its sixth and seventh shots of the game, netting goals just 16 seconds apart to take a 3-2 lead with four minutes remaining in the period. ND senior Neil Komadoski tied the game at two with a shot from the point that found the upper right corner. Sophomore Matt Amado scored the Irish's third goal, firing home a pass from T.J. Jindra following a turnover in the corner of the U-M zone.
The slow start to the third period yielded a Notre Dame power play just over three minutes into the frame. Michigan was able to successfully kill the penalty. Ruden had to make one save, on a break by sophomore Tim Wallace at 4:41.
Notre Dame increased its lead at 7:10 on a goal by Rob Globke that made the score 4-2. Globke directed the puck past Ruden after linemate Jason Paige send a shot into the slot.
The Irish sat back for the remainder of the period, helped by two Wolverine penalty kills midway through the period. Michigan head coach Red Berenson pulled Ruden at 3:23 in favor of an extra attacker, but the Irish were able to tack on the extra score to account for the 5-2 final.
Michigan meets CCHA rival Michigan State next Friday and Saturday (March 7-8). The Wolverines travel to Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Mich., on Friday for an 8:05 p.m. faceoff on College Sports Television. The two teams meet the next night at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich., for a 7:35 p.m. start on Fox Sports Net Detroit.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
