NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Another top-20 showdown heads to Compton Family Ice Arena this weekend when the No. 18 University of Notre Dame hockey program hosts No. 3 University of Michigan, Nov. 11-12. A storied rivalry, the Irish and Wolverines have met 157 times in program history.
The rivalry continues Friday night as the Irish host their annual Military Appreciation Night. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to participate in a crowd-sung National Anthem followed by a ceremonial puck drop with members of the Notre Dame ROTC program. Friday’s faceoff between the Irish and Wolverines is set for 7:35 p.m.
Notre Dame and Michigan return to the ice Saturday night to conclude the weekend series with puck drop set for 6:05 p.m.
QUICK HITS
- The Irish are coming off a trip to Minnesota in which Justin Janicke scored the lone ND goal. The No. 18 Notre Dame squad is now 4-4-2 on the season.
- Ryan Bischel set a career-high save count Friday night, stopping 45 shots faced in a 4-1 loss.
- Justin Janicke scored the lone Irish goal at Minnesota, finding twine late in the third period Friday night. Nick Leivermann and Zach Plucinski each picked up assists on the play.
- The last time ND took the ice at home they posted a 1-0-1 record against Big Ten foe Michigan State. After a 5-0 blanking in game one of the series, the Irish and Spartans skated to a 1-1 tie Saturday night.
- Friday’s contest against Michigan will be the annual Military Appreciation Night with a ceremonial puck drop set prior to faceoff.
NOTRE DAME vs. MICHIGAN
- Last season the Irish swept the regular-season series with the Wolverines, boasting a 4-0-0 record, including two overtime victories.
- In their most recent meeting at Compton Family Ice Arena, the Irish reigned victorious with a 2-1 final on senior night to round out the regular season. Trevor Janicke scored the game-winner at 16:52 of the third period on senior night to lift his team to the 2-1 final while Nick Leivermann picked up an assist on the late goal.
- In four regular-season games played against the Wolverines last season, the now-captain Nick Leivermann led the team with six assists.
- Eleven current Irish icers highlighted the box scores last season against Michigan, including three with multiple goals. Hunter Strand (2-0-2), Jesse Lansdell (2-0-2) and Ryder Rolston (2-1-3) all boasted multiple tallies against the Wolverines with Rolston’s two goals in their first meeting lifted the Irish to a 3-2 overtime victory in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Grant Silianoff has a history with the Wolverines, having net his first collegiate goal against the Maize and Blue on November 27, 2020. The junior now has 29 points off 10 goals and 19 assists in 67 games played.
- The two teams met in the Big Ten semifinals with the Wolverines defeating the Irish, 2-1. Jack Adams scored the lone ND goal in the contest while linemate Justin Janicke had an assist.
- In 157 meetings between the two teams, the Irish trail the Wolverines 69-83-5.
- With their pair of wins on home ice last season, the Irish reclaimed the series advantage in Indiana by a narrow 31-31-2 margin.