Jan. 7, 2017
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By Joanne Norell
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The 12th-ranked University of Notre Dame hockey team (12-7-2, 5-3-1 HEA) fell for the first time in six games Saturday, dropping a 4-2 decision to Michigan Tech (14-9-3, 11-3-2 WCHA) at the Compton Family Ice Arena (4,741).
Sophomore Bobby Nardella and freshman Cam Morrison each scored for the Irish.
Freshman Andrew Peeke added two assists, while sophomore Andrew Oglevie and junior Jake Evans also recorded assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish opened the scoring at the 11:56 mark of the first period when Nardella scored just 19 seconds into Notre Dame’s first power play opportunity. Peeke and Oglevie assisted on Nardella’s shot from the point, which gave the Irish a 1-0 lead at the first intermission.
The Huskies responded with two goals early in the second period to take their first lead of the series. Jake Jackson scored at the 2:04 mark of the second for Michigan Tech, while Gavin Gould gave the Huskies the lead at 6:48.
Michigan Tech outshot Notre Dame 22-10 in the second period, including 12-5 in shots on goal, but the Irish evened the score at 9:28 with Morrison’s sixth goal of the season, assisted by Evans and Peeke.
The Irish found more scoring opportunities in the third period, but couldn’t convert on any of their 11 shots on net. Michigan Tech, however, snared the lead less than five minutes into the final frame on a goal from Michael Neville. The Huskies padded their lead at the 17:34 mark of the third period on a goal by Alex Smith who, along with Peeke, led the game with two points.
COACH JACKSON’S THOUGHTS
On Michigan Tech gaining the game’s momentum in the second periodââ’¬¦
“We dropped off after the first period, and I can’t necessarily explain why. I just thought they out-gritted us, especially at both nets. We didn’t get the chances at their net and they were getting a number of chances in and around our goal. That was the difference in the game for me, in that area out in front of the net.”
On the differences between both games of the weekend seriesââ’¬¦
“They were determined tonight, and they’re a very good team and very well-coached. It was a tough weekend, gritty, tough hockey, but we need to play those type of games against those type of teams. I like (Michigan Tech), they’re an older team and they can move and make plays. The biggest thing for me is we didn’t generate enough offensively to score, I don’t think their guy had to make many saves. We did a much better job last night and did a decent job in the first period, but we fell off after that.”
UP NEXT
The Fighting Irish hit the road next Friday and Saturday, January 13 and 14, to face Hockey East foe Merrimack at Lawler Rink in North Andover, Massachusetts.
To purchase tickets visit UND.com/BuyTickets.
NOTRE DAME – MICHIGAN TECH GAME NOTES
- Junior goaltender Cal Petersen made his 71st-consecutive start in the Notre Dame net.
- Jordan Gross skated in his 100th consecutive game, dating back to the first game of his freshman season.
- Bobby Nardella’s power-play goal at 11:56 of the first period snapped Michigan Tech’s streak of 43 consecutive successful penalty kills.
- With an assist, Jake Evans extended his point streak to seven games (4-4-8).
- With a pair of assists, Andrew Peeke extended his point streak to three games (0-4-4) and recorded his third multi-point game of the season.
— ND —
Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and earned her master’s degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University in 2013.