October 10, 1998
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Senior right wing Brian Urick scored twice while sophomore forwards Chad Chipchase and Matt Van Arkel came through with the pivotal goals late in the second period as the University of Notre Dame hockey team opened Central Collegiate Hockey Association play with a 4-2 victory Friday over visiting Lake Superior State at the Joyce Center Fieldhouse.
Lake Superior (0-1-0) jumped ahead on Jeff Cheeseman’s power-play goal midway through the first period before Notre Dame (2-0-0) tied the game on Urick’s goal shortly before the first intermission. Chipchase and Van Arkel then scored in the final five minutes of the second period but an early third-period goal by LSSU’s Jason Nightingale made for an exciting finish, with Urick’s empty-netter sealing the win.
Irish senior Forrest Karr made 23 saves to improve to 8-3-1 over the past two seasons while Lakers’ sophomore Jayme Platt had 33 saves in the losing cause.
The victory ended Notre Dame’s eight-game winless streak versus Lake Superior (0-7-1), stretching back to a 6-3 Irish home win on Nov. 24, 1995.
Cheeseman capitalized on a shot from between the circles by sophomore defenseman Blaine McCauley, with Cheeseman knocking home the rebound from the left side of the crease for a 1-0 Lakers lead (8:56).
Urick netted the equalizer with 2:28 remaining in the first period. Freshman defenseman Sam Cornelius initiated the score with a pass to senior left wing Aniket Dhadphale, who sent a lead pass for Urick from the right boards near center ice, with Urick breaking free into the slot and beating Platt for a 1-1 game.
Chipchasewho scored just five goals as a freshmanthen notched his first career goal at the Joyce Center, seconds after the fourth failed Irish power play of the night. Junior defenseman Sean Molina worked the puck to Chipchase at the bottom of the right circle, with Chipchase’s shot clanging off the right post before he beat Platt with a second shot from closer range (14:56).
Van Arkel then converted the first Irish power-play goal of the season, less than three minutes later. Junior defensman Tyson Fraser set up a shot from between the circles by freshman center David Inman. Van Arkel was stationed at the right side of the crease and tipped home the rebound for the 3-1 lead (17:55).
Nightingale set up the exciting finish by scoring on a one-timer from the slot, after taking a pass from behind the net by sophomore center Ryan Vince (3:16).
Notre Dame enjoyed a 37-25 overall shot advantage but the Lakers outshot the Irish 9-6 in the final period, with Karr turning away all nine attempts. Junior center Ben Simon won a faceoff outside the Irish zone and Urick emerged from the mid-ice scramble, shielded a Lakers defender and buried a shot from the right circle into the empty net for the 43rd goal of his career (19:39).
NOTES: In other CCHA opening action Friday, Ferris State won 3-1 at Western Michigan while Bowling Green pulled out a 4-2 win at Miami … in non-conference action, Northern Michigan posted an 8-2 home win over Michigan Tech while Ohio State lost, 4-3, in double overtime to Boston College at the Icebreaker Classic in Minneapolis, Minn.
LAKE SUPERIOR (0-1-0, 0-1-0 CCHA) 1 0 1 - 2NOTRE DAME (2-0-0, 1-0-0 CCHA) 1 2 1 - 4
1st LSSU 1. Cheeseman (McCauley, Thompson), PP, 8:56; ND 1. Urick (Dhadphale, Cornelius) 17:32.
2nd ND 2. Chipchase (Molina) 14:56; ND 3. Van Arkel (Inman, Fraser) 17:55.
3rd LSSU 2. Nightingale (Vince, McNamara) 3:16; ND 4. Urick (Simon), EN, 19:39.
Shots: LSSU 8-8-9/25, ND 14-17-6/37.
Saves: LSSU (Platt) 13-15-5/33, ND (Karr) 7-8-8/23.
Power Play: LSSU 1-4, ND 1-5.
Penalties: LSSU 6 for 12:00, ND 5 for 10:00.