Jan. 3, 2003
OMAHA, Neb. – Rob Globke proved his worth as one of the nation’s leading goalscorers and the Notre Dame hockey team enjoyed one of its most productive first periods of the season en route to a 5-3 win over Nebraska-Omaha in Central Collegiate Hockey Association action at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The showdown provided the latest installment in a rivalry that boiled over in last season’s first-round CCHA Tournament series, when a pair of overtime games preceded Notre Dame’s clinching win over the host Mavericks (3-1, on an empty-net goal).
Three of the previous five games in the series had been decided by one goal and Friday’s game yielded another tight finish, with senior left wing John Wroblewski’s empty-netter producing the final margin. The Mavericks now hold a narrow 6-5-1 lead in the series – with the Irish owning a 36-33 series scoring edge and a 4-3-1 record in series games played at UNO’s “Bullpen.”
Notre Dame (9-7-3, 7-6-0 CCHA) posted its third straight CCHA win while moving past idle Michigan (6-3-1) into fifth place in the CCHA, just one point behind the Miami RedHawks (7-4-1) and two back of third-place Northern Michigan (8-4-0). Nebraska-Omaha (7-10-2, 5-8-0) dropped into ninth place in the CCHA standings.
The Irish had totaled just 15 first-period goals in their previous 18 games this season but sophomore center Yan Stastny continued his recent offensive surge with a goal in the eighth minute. Globke then claimed the CCHA goalscoring lead with 1:57 to play in the opening period, the 16th goal of the season for the junior left wing.
Globke scored again early in the second period but the Mavericks quickly answered – with a power-play goal from Notre Dame junior defenseman Tom Galvin and another UNO goal providing a 4-2 score at the second intermission. Aaron Smith’s goal with the clock ticking under three minutes then set up the tense final moments.
Notre Dame sophomore Morgan Cey saved his best play for the third period, stopping 17 of 18 shots en route to a 30-save night.
Stastny registered a point for the seventh straight game, firing home a wrist shot from the right circle for his ninth goal of the season (7:19). The Irish took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, after senior center Connor Dunlop led a rush down the left side. Dunlop moved the puck to Globke, who deftly placed a right-side shot over UNO goaltender Dan Ellis for the two-goal cushion (18:03).
The Irish failed to cash in a 3-on-1 chance early in the second period but Globke made up for that missed opportunity, using his classic combination of strength and speed to score again from the right circle for the 3-0 lead (6:32). But the hosts – buoyed by a raucous crowd of 8,000-plus fans – scored just 26 seconds later, when Mike Lefley pounced on a fluke play after the puck kicked off the back dasher.
Notre Dame quickly restored the three-goal margin, when Galvin redirected a power-play shot from junior right wing Aaron Gill for his third goal of the season (7:56).
Ryan Bennett’s rebound goal, his second score of the season, cut the lead to 4-2 (14:20) but Cey stood firm over the final 20 minutes, with Smith’s one-timer from the left circle (17:46) proving too little, too late.
Dunlop had the primary assists on both Globke goals and Galvin’s score, leaving him one point shy of becoming the 38th Notre Dame player ever to reach 100 points in his career (20 goals, 79 assists).
Globke registered his fifth multiple-goal game of the season and the 10th of his career.
Notre Dame (9-7-3, 7-6-0 CCHA) 2 2 1 – 5
Nebraska-Omaha (7-10-2, 5-8-0 CCHA) 0 2 1 – 3
1st Period: ND 1. Yan Stastny 9 (Aaron Gill) 7:19; ND 2. Rob Globke 16 (Connor Dunlop, Brad Wanchulak) 18:03.
2nd Period: ND 3. Globke 17 (Dunlop) 6:32; UNO 1. Mike Lefley 3 (-) 6:58; ND 4. Tom Galvin 3 (Dunlop, Gill), PP, 7:56; UNO 4. Ryan Bennett 1 (Cody Blanshan, Anthony Adams) 14:20.
3rd Period: UNO 3. Aaron Smith 5 (Joe Pereira, Mike Gabinet) 17:46; ND 5. John Wroblewski 7 (-), EN, 19:51.
Shots: ND 9-13-4 – 26, UNO 6-9-18 – 33.
Saves: Morgan Cey, ND (6-7-17 – 30); Dan Ellis, UNO (7-11-4 – 22).
Power Play: ND 1-for-4, UNO 0-for-2.
Penalties: ND 3 for 6:00, UNO 5 for 10:00.