Michigan to Conclude B1G Play with Weekend Series vs. No. 1 Irish

Friday, February 16

South Bend, Ind.

7:35 PM

Michigan

Notre Dame

Cooper Marody

Photo by: UM Photography,D.Marshke

Michigan to Conclude B1G Play with Weekend Series vs. No. 1 Irish

2/14/2018 5:15:00 PM | Ice Hockey

By: TJ Garske

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• Complete Game Notes -- Feb. 16
• Complete Game Notes -- Feb. 18

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 18 University of Michigan ice hockey team (14-13-3, 9-10-3-1 B1G) is set to face off against No. 1 Notre Dame (22-6-2, 16-3-1- B1G) to conclude its Big Ten Conference regular-season schedule. The two teams will square off on Friday (Feb. 16) at Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Indiana, followed by a matchup at Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena on Sunday (Feb. 18).

The Notre Dame Series
Michigan and Notre Dame meet for the 137th time since 1923, with U-M holding a 75-56-5 record in the all-time series against the Irish. The two teams first met on Feb.4, 1923, as the Wolverines fell to the Fighting Irish, 3-2. At home, Michigan holds a 42-25-3 all-time record over Notre Dame. On the road, the Wolverines trail 23-26-2 in the all-time series.

The Wolverines dropped both games in their home-and-home series (Jan. 5 and Jan. 7) against Notre Dame by identical 2-1 scores.

Scouting the Fighting Irish
Notre Dame is led by head coach Jeff Jackson, who is in his 13th season behind the bench for the Fighting Irish. Through his first 12 seasons, the program has made three trips to the Frozen Four. Prior to Notre Dame, Jackson spent time as the coach of the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, coach of U.S. National Team development program and Lake Superior State, where he led the Lakers to three consecutive national championship games, winning two of them (1992, 1994).

This season is Notre Dame's first in the Big Ten, having previously played in Hockey East and against Michigan as part of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. With its win over the Buckeyes last weekend, Notre Dame clinched the Big Ten regular-season title.

Leading Notre Dame
Notre Dame is led by senior forward Jake Evans and freshman junior forward Andrew Oglevie. Evans leads the Irish with 32 points (9G, 23A), while Oglevie is second on the team with 28 (12G, 16A). In addition, sophomore forward Cal Burke leads ND with 13 goals.

In net, sophomore Cale Morris has played in 27 games this season, totaling 1,574 minutes. He has allowed 46 goals, an average of 1.75 per game and saved 870 shots for an NCAA-leading .950 save percentage with 21 wins.

Defending the Iron D
Last weekend the Wolverines came away with five out of a possible six B1G points against Michigan State. Michigan tied the first game of the series and earned the extra conference point by winning the shootout on Friday (Feb. 9) in East Lansing, Michigan. On Saturday (Feb. 10), the two teams squared off at Little Caesars Arena for the "Duel in the D," with the Wolverines winning, 3-2.

On Friday, the game was a defensive battle, with only 12 combined shots in the first period. Freshman Quinn Hughes put the Wolverines up, 1-0, early in the second period, however, MSU responded later in the period to tie the game at 2. No other goals took place throughout regulation or overtime, sending the game into a shootout. The only goal in the shootout came from senior captain Tony Calderone, securing the second point for the Wolverines.

On Saturday, Michigan defended the "Iron D" trophy after a 3-2 victory in the annual "Duel in the D." Sophomore goaltender Hayden Lavigne saved 32 of the 34 shots that came his way, en route to his 10th victory on the year. The Wolverines got out to a quick lead with a goal from junior forward Cooper Marody, and doubled it in the second period when freshman forward Jack Becker found the back of the net. The Spartans cut the lead to one early in the final period, before Hughes scored with fewer than six minutes remaining to regain the two-goal cushion. Michigan State would score again with 4:35 left in the game, but the Maize and Blue fended off the rest of MSU's attacks to hold on for the win.

When Facing No. 1
This series will mark the 24th and 25th time that Michigan will face the No. 1-ranked team in the country, holding a record of 8-12-3. Michigan last faced the No.1-ranked opponent in March 2014 when it hosted Minnesota. The Wolverines dropped the first game of the series, 3-2, in overtime and won the second by a score of 6-2. Michigan has faced Notre Dame four times when they have been the No. 1-ranked team in the country, and have gone 1-3 in those contests.

Highlight Reel Hughes
Freshman defenseman Quinn Hughes' goal on Friday at MSU garnered national attention, being named the No. 3 play on ESPN Sport Center's Top 10 Plays on Feb. 9, while also being named the NCAA's top play of the week.

Cecco Saves the Day
Junior defenseman Joseph Cecconi made a game-saving play in Saturday's 3-2 win over MSU when he hopped in front of the empty net and was able to stop the puck with his chest and keep it from crossing the goal line. The play garnered national attention as it was named the fifth best play of the week by NCAA.com.

Becker Burying
Freshman forward Jack Becker's seven goals since Jan. 1 has him tied for the most in the Big Ten in goals scored this calendar year. Becker also ranks tied for second amongst freshman nationally in goals scored in 2018.

Tony Lights the Lamp
Senior captain Calderone's 15 goals are the most by a U-M player in the first 30 games of a season since Tyler Motte's 29 goals in 30 games during the 2015-16 campaign.

Marody in Good Company
Junior forward Cooper Marody's 34 points are the most by a Wolverine through 30 games since Kyle Conner had 53 in 2015-2016

Quinntessential Blue liner
Hughes' 18 points (3G, 15A) from the point are the most by a U-M freshman blue-liner through 30 games since Zach Werenski had 23 points through that span in 2014-15.

Climbin' the Ranks
Marody ranks tied for 15th nationally with 34 points on the season and is tied for ninth with 23 assists. Calderone is tied for 19th nationally with 15 goals.

GOAL!
Michigan ranks tied for 14th in the nation in goals per game, averaging 3.13 goals over its first 30 games. Calderone ranks tied for 24th in the nation in goals per game at 0.50.

Block It Out
Michigan ranks fifth nationally with an average of 14.53 blocked shots per game and seventh in total blocked shots with 436 on the season.

SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS
Michigan ranks 10th nationally with an average of 33.17 shots on goal per game, and is 18th in the nation with a +3.00 shots on goal margin per game.

U-M in the Olympics
Michigan hockey alums Chad Kolarik '08 (USA) and Andrew Ebbett '06 (Canada) are currently representing their respective countries in the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. They become the 15th and 16th Wolverines to compete in hockey at the Winter Olympics (eight USA, four Canada, one Austria, one Japan and one Sweden).

Hobey Hopefuls
Tony Calderone and Cooper Marody have been nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to college hockey's top player. Michigan has had two Hobey Baker winners in its history (Brendan Morrison, 1997; Kevin Porter, 2008).

Up Ahead
Michigan will host Arizona State next weekend (Feb. 23-24) to conclude its regular season schedule before the Big Ten Tournament begins on Friday, March 2. Puck Drop at Yost Ice Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. each night. Senior Night festivities will take place following Saturday's game.