Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Hockey Rallies for 5-3 Win at Ferris State

October 16, 1998

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Senior right wing Brian Uricks game-tying score ignited three Notre Dame goals in a late five-minute stretch, as the Irish stormed from behind to defeat host Ferris State, 5-3, in Central Collegiate Hockey Association action Friday night at Ewigleben Ice Arena.

The Irish (4-0-0, 3-0-0 CCHA) are off to the best start in 39 seasons of varsity hockey at Notre Dame and own the programs best conference start in 19 seasons as a member of either the CCHA or Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Notre Dame also sits alone atop the early CCHA standings with six points, followed by Bowling Green (1-0-1), Michigan (1-0-0), Northern Michigan (1-0-0), Ohio State (1-0-0), Ferris State (1-1-0), Michigan State (0-0-1), Miami (0-2-1), Western Michigan (0-2-1), Lake Superior (0-3-0) and Alaska Fairbanks (0-0-0).

Notre Dame won despite the absence of two injured defensemen-senior Benoit Cotnoir and junior Nathan Borega-with sophomore Ryan Clark and freshman Sam Cornelius providing timely goals from the blue line.

The Irish goals came from five different players, including a power-play score by senior left wing Aniket Dhadphale just 2:08 into the game and the first career goal for freshman center Brett Henning, with 3:32 left to play.

Ferris State enjoyed a 28-23 edge in shots but Irish senior goaltender Forrest Karr made his 25 saves with the game on the line. Power-play goals by Urick and Dhadphale helped provide the winning margin while boosting the impressive Irish season power-play percentage to .350 (7-for-20).

In other CCHA action Friday, Northern Michigan posted a 3-2 win over Miami, Ohio State won 4-1 at Lake Superior and Western Michigan played to a 1-1 tie at Michigan State. Other games involving CCHA teams included a 5-4 home win by Alaska Fairbanks over Alaska Anchorage, Michigans 6-5 overtime win over Niagara and Northeasterns 4-2 win at Bowling Green.

Uricks clutch goal-his team-leading fifth of the season and 46th of his career-swung momentum back to the Irish after the hosts had appeared to take control. Junior defenseman Tyson Fraser initiated the power-play rush with a pass to Dhadphale, who broke free on the left side before letting go with a shot on net. The puck kicked out to the center of the right circle but Urick fired the bouncing puck back on net in one motion, with the rising puck settling into the right side of the net (11:17).

Later in the period, Irish sophomore left wing Dan Carlson crossed the puck for junior right wing Joe Dusbabek, who unleashed a hard shot near the point where Urick had scored moments earlier. FSU sophomore goalie Vince Owen made the save but the puck kicked straight between the circles. Cornelius found himself with the puck up top and with plenty of bodies screening the goalie, and Owen never saw the low shot that held up as the game-winner (15:56).

Just 32 seconds later, sophomore left wing Chad Chipchase led a rush down the left side and dropped a pass for Henning, whose shot tucked under the crossbar for the two-goal cushion (16:28). Dhadphale opened the scoring early in the game, taking a pass from behind the net by Carlson and one-timing the puck past Owen for his second goal of the season and 45th of his career.

FSU senior right wing Geoff Bennetts tied the game early in the second period, quickly sending home a rebounded shot by junior left wing Rob Kozak after the Irish had turned over the puck behind their own net (4:37).

Notre Dame reclaimed the lead five minutes later, when Dhadphale dug the puck out of the corner and junior center Ben Simon whistled a pass through the slot to the top of the left circle. Clark had plenty of time and a clear shot on net, with Owen making the glove save before seeing the puck squeeze loose and trickle over the line (9:28).The pass gave Simon his team-leading sixth assist of the season and 49th of his career.

FSU seized the lead with two more rebound goals, by Bennetts and senior center Ed Kowalski in the first 10 minutes of the final period. FSU sophomore defenseman Jim Dube rifled a power-play pass from the top of the right circle to Bennetts, who took three straight shots from point-blank range before again tying the score (4:37). Less than four minutes later, FSU senior left wing Casey Harris rushed in from the right shot and put a shot on net, with Kowalski knocking home the rebound for a 3-2 Bulldogs lead (8:16).

NOTE DAME (4-0-0, 3-0-0 CCHA)          1   1   3  -  5FERRIS STATE (1-1-0, 1-1-0 CCHA)       0   1   2  -  3

1st:
ND 1. Dhadphale-2 (Carlson), PP, 2:08

2nd:
FS 1. Bennetts-1 (Kozak) 4:40
ND 2. Clark-1 (Simon, Dhadphale) 9:28

3rd:
FS 2. Bennetts-2 (Dube, Kozak), PP, 4:37
FS 3. Kowalski-1 (Casey Harris) 8:16
ND 3. Urick-5 (Dhadphale, Fraser), PP, 11:17
ND 4. Cornelius (Dusbabek, Carlson) 15:56
ND 5. Henning (Chipchase) 16:28

Shots: ND 7-6-10/34; FSU 6-11-11/28.
Saves: ND (Karr) 6-10-9/25, FSU (Owen) 6-5-7/18.
Power Play: ND 2-for-4, FSU 1-for-5.
Penalties: ND 8 for 24:00, FSU 6 for 12:00.