Sept. 25, 2001
Detroit, Mich. – The Notre Dame hockey team has been picked to finish 11th by members of the media covering the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The preseason poll was released at the league’s annual Media Day held at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena.
The Irish will begin preparations for the 2001-02 season when they take to the Joyce Center ice for the first official practice of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 4:00 p.m.
Head coach Dave Poulin, who begins his seventh season behind the Irish bench, is anxious to put the 2000-01 season in the past.
“We’re ready to get started on Wednesday. I am really looking forward to the start of practices. After last season we definitely have the players attention,” says Poulin.
“I think we have strong leadership in guys like our captain Evan Nielsen (Jr., Evanston, Ill.), Connor Dunlop (Jr., St. Louis, Mo.) and David Inman (Sr., Toronto, Ont.). We have three impact sophomores in Brett Lebda (Arlington Heights, Ill.), Aaron Gill (Rochester, Minn.) and Rob Globke (West Bloomfield, Mich.). Brett was an all-rookie team selection last year and Aaron and Robby were honorable mention. I know this team will be competitive and I am really looking forward to this season.
The Irish are coming off a 10-22-7 overall record and were 7-15-6 in the CCHA, good for an 11th-place finish, one point out of the final playoff spot. The CCHA Media Poll looked like this:
1. Michigan State (22) 306
2. Michigan (1) 273
3. Nebraska-Omaha (1) 241
4. Ohio State (1) 207
5. Northern Michigan 184
6. Miami (1) 182
7. Western Michigan 172
8. Bowling Green 110
9. Lake Superior St. 101
10. Ferris State 98
11. NOTRE DAME 90
12. Alaska Fairbanks 64
The Irish will play their annual Blue-Gold Intrasquad game on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 4:00 p.m. They then play a preseason tilt on Friday, Oct. 5 versus the University of Toronto at the Joyce Center. Face-off is set for 7:05 p.m. The regular season opener comes on Thursday, Oct. 11th when Notre Dame plays host to Union College.
CCHA News and Notes….
The CCHA announced at its annual media day that Commissioner Tom Anastos and the league are finalizing a five-year contract extension that will take Anastos through June 30, 2007. The announcement was made by Miami Athletic Director Joel Maturi who is chairman of the league’s executive council. Anastos is the fourth commissioner of the CCHA and took over in March 18, 1998.
The CCHA and Fox Sports Net announced the league’s 2001-02 television package. Included in the 17-game package is the Notre Dame-Michigan game that will be played at the Joyce Center on Friday, Jan. 4. Also included in the schedule are all four game of the Great Lakes Invitational and the CCHA playoffs along with the Michigan-Michigan State game on Oct. 6 that will be played in front of a college record 72,000 fans at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.
The Michigan-Michigan State game on Oct. 6 will go out to 38 million homes live and on tape-delay via Fox Sports Nets and its affiliates. The game will also be seen on CTV Sportsnet in Canada. Fox Sports Net Chicago will carry the game at 12:00 noon on Sunday, Oct. 7.