Feb. 13, 2008
Notre Dame, Ind. –
Complete Release in PDF Format 
• The Series: #9/#9 Notre Dame (20-10-2/13-7-2) at Alaska (8-16-4/8-13-3)
• Date/Site/Time: Fri.-Sat., February 15-16, 2008 • Carlson Center (4,595) • 7:05 p.m. (AST)
• Broadcast Information: Radio: Notre Dame hockey can be heard live on WDND ESPN Sportscenter 1490 with Mike Lockert calling all the action for the Irish. Television: Friday night’s game can be seen in South Bend via tape delay on WHME-TV 46 on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 7:00 p.m. The broadcast will be provided by KFXF Fox 7 in Fairbanks with Bruce Cech, Erik Drygas and Giacamo Accardo calling the action.
• Internet: Irish hockey can be heard on the Internet at the Notre Dame website – www.und.com. All Notre Dame home games and all CCHA games are available via gametracker.
NORTH TO ALASKA: Notre Dame makes its final two-game series road trip of the season on Feb. 15-16 when the Irish travel to Fairbanks, Alaska for a pair of games with the Alaska Nanooks. Both games will begin at 7:05 p.m. (AST)/11:00 p.m. (EST) in South Bend. Friday’s contest will be shown on tape-delay on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 7:00 p.m. on WHME-TV Channel 46. Bruce Cech and Erik Drygas will handle the play-by-play duties with Giacamo Accardo rinkside. The Irish have six more games on the regular-season schedule with three at home and three on the road. Notre Dame is 20-10-2 overall and currently fourth in the CCHA with a 13-7-2 record, good for 28 points after a loss (5-3) and a tie (2-2) with Ferris State last weekend. After going 16-4-0 in its first 20 games, Notre Dame is 4-6-2 in the last 12. The Irish now trail first-place Michigan (36) by eight points, second-place Miami (35) by seven points and third-place Michigan State (31) by three points with each team having six games left to play. Notre Dame has a four-point lead on fifth-place Nebraska-Omaha (24) with two games in hand. Bowling Green (22) is six behind the Irish going into action this weekend. Alaska starts the week with an 8-16-4 overall mark and is ninth in the CCHA with an 8-13-3 conference record. The Nanooks have 19 points and are just one point behind Northern Michigan (20) and Ferris State (20) in the race for home ice in the first round of the playoffs and three behind sixth-place Bowling Green (22). Alaska has played two more games than all three of those teams. Last weekend, Alaska split at Bowling Green, losing 4-2 and then winning, 4-1, on Saturday.
IRISH VERSUS NANOOKS: The two teams have met 45 times in the all-time series with Notre Dame having a 22-20-3 edge to date. At Fairbanks, the Irish are 8-12-2 all-time, but 3-1-0 in their last four games at the Carlson Center. A year ago, the teams met six times (four regular season, two playoffs) with Notre Dame winning all six games. Over the last two seasons, the two schools have met 10 times, including four playoff games with Irish going 7-3-0 in those 10 games. The Irish won, 1-0 and 3-2 in overtime, last year in the two games at Fairbanks. REMAINING SCHEDULE: The Irish play three of their final six on the road. This weekend, Notre Dame travels to Alaska on Feb. 15-16. The Irish then close with three of their final four games at home. The Irish play host to Ohio State on Feb. 22-23 before closing out the season with a home-and-home series with Western Michigan. On Feb. 29, the two teams will meet at Kalamazoo with the regular-season finale set for March 1 at the Joyce Center.
MAGIC NUMBERS: With six games left to play on the 2007-08 schedule the Irish have their sights set on capturing one of the top four spots in the CCHA to get a first-round playoff bye and home ice in the second round. Here’s the magic numbers (total points needed via Irish wins or opponent losses) for the Irish to clinch the fourth spot.
Team (Pts) Games Magic No. RemainingND (28) 6 -----UNO (24) 4 5 pts.BGSU (22) 6 6 pts.FSU (20) 6 5 pts.NMU (20) 6 5 pts.
FERRIS STATE RECAP: Friday, February 8 – The Irish dropped a 5-3 decision to Ferris State on Friday night, giving up three, third-period goals. Kevin Deeth (So., Gig Harbor, Wash.) opened the scoring with a first period power-play goal at 11:56. Blair Riley tied the game for Ferris State at 16:12 as the Bulldogs out shot the Irish, 16-7 in the first. Mike Fillinger (ppg) made it 2-1 at 1:17 of the second before the Irish tied the game, 2-2, on Brock Sheahan’s (Sr., Lethbridge, Alb.) first goal of the season. In the third period, Casey Haines (6:01) and Todd Pococke (7:56) scored less than two minutes apart to give the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead. Erik Condra (Jr., Livonia, Mich.) cut the lead to 4-3 at 9:30 with his 12th of the year, but Justin Lewandowski closed the scoring at 18:06 for the 5-3 final. Jordan Pearce (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska) made 31 saves while Mitch O’Keefe had 28.
Saturday, February 9 – Notre Dame and Ferris State closed out the weekend series with a 2-2 overtime tie in front of a second sellout crowd of 2,857 at the Joyce Center. Defenseman Ian Cole (Ann Arbor, Mich.) staked the Irish to a 1-0 lead just 3:15 into the game with his fourth goal of the year and second via the power play. The lead lasted until 11:32 when Zach Redmond scored a short-handed goal for the Bulldogs while Ferris State was skating down two men. In the second period, Notre Dame’s Christian Hanson (Jr., Venetia, Pa.) scored an unassisted goal, his career-best ninth, at 6:34 to give the Irish a 2-1 lead. That would last until the 9:20 mark of the middle stanza when Blair Riley scored a power-play goal for FSU to tie the game at 2-2. From there, the goaltenders held both teams at bay for the 2-2 final. On the night, Notre Dame out shot Ferris State, 35-29. Mitch O’Keefe finished with 33 saves and Jordan Pearce had 27 for Notre Dame.
NINTH IN THE NATION: Notre Dame slid one spot in this week’s national polls after a loss and a tie to Ferris State. The Irish are ninth in both USA Today/American Hockey Magazine and USCHO.com/CSTV polls.
BIG MAC GOAL: Brock Sheahan’s first goal in 34 games on Friday, Feb. 8 not only brought a smile to the senior defenseman’s face, but made 2,857 fans happy also. Sheahan’s goal in the final minute of the second period earned each fan a free Big Mac courtesy of “McDonald’s Magic Minute,” promotion that is a regular in-game promotion at all Irish home games.
ON THE PLUS SIDE: Senior defenseman Brock Sheahan is one of the CCHA’s top defensive defensemen. As a junior, he was a finalist for the conference’s top defensive defenseman award. This season, Sheahan continues to be a force on the Irish blue line. He is currently +21 for the year to lead the team in that category. His +21 mark also ties him for fifth overall in the CCHA.
ALL TIED UP: Notre Dame’s 2-2 overtime tie with Ferris State was the second overtime tie for the Irish this season. On Jan. 13, the Irish and Michigan State battled to a 1-1 tie at the Joyce Center. A year ago, Notre Dame was 3-1-3 in overtime. The three overtime wins were the most for the Irish in a single season. In two-plus seasons under head coach Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame is 3-1-9 in extra play.
THE CENTURY CLUB: Notre Dame’s “Century Club” added its newest member on Nov. 24 when junior all-CCHA, All-American and Hobey Baker candidate Erik Condra recorded an assist versus R.P.I. In 110 career games, Condra is now 33rd on the all-time points list with 115 career points. His 83 assists rank him 21st on the all-time assist list. For the third season in a row, Condra leads the Irish in scoring as he now has 12 goals and 21 assists for 34 points in 32 games. Here’s who is ahead of Condra on the all-time points list.
"Century Club"Name (Seasons) G A Pts1. Brian Walsh (1973-77) 89 145 2342. John Noble (1969-73) 81 145 226
30. Alex Pirus (1973-76) 57 66 123 John Schmidt (1978-82) 28 95 12332. Jeff Brownschidle (1977-81) 30 92 12233. Erik Condra (2005-) 32 83 11534. Ray DeLorenzi (1971-74) 55 59 11435. Aaron Gill (2000-04) 49 62 111 Connor Dunlop (1999-03) 25 86 11136. Jack Brownschidle (1973-77) 31 78 10938. Tim Reilly (1981-86) 43 65 10839. Aniket Dhadphale (1995-99) 61 44 10540. Bob Thebeau (1982-86) 40 63 10341. Kevin Hoene (1968-71) 50 51 101 Matt Hanzel (1985-89) 50 51 10143. Paul Clarke (1973-77) 38 62 100
MORE THAN FIVE: The five goals given up by Jordan Pearce in the 5-3 loss to Ferris State on Feb. 8 marked the first time that an Irish goaltender had given up five goals or more in a game since Nov. 4, 2005 when David Brown `07, surrendered seven in an 8-5 loss to Michigan at the Joyce Center.
DEFENSIVE SCORING: Irish defensemen Brock Sheahan and Ian Cole each scored goals in the weekend series with Ferris State, giving Notre Dame defensemen 15 goals this season. Through the first 32 games, Notre Dame’s defense has accounted for 15 of the team’s 100 goals (15.0%), 44-of-157 assists (27.5%) and 59-of-257 points (22.8%). Kyle Lawson (So., New Hudson, Mich.) leads the group with 3-13-16 and is followed by Sheahan with one goal and 10 assists for 11 points. Dan VeNard (5-4-9), Cole (4-5-9) and Brett Blatchford (So., Temperance, Mich.) with nine assists all have nine points on the year. each have nine assists for nine point on the year. Teddy Ruth (Fr., Naperville, Ill.) checks in with a goal and two assists while Luke Lucyk (Jr., Fox Point, Wis.) has a goal and an assist.
FIRING AWAY: The 36 shots on goal that Ferris State recorded in Friday’s 5-3 loss for Notre Dame were the most shots given up by the Irish in a game this season. The previous season high was 35 at Miami on Nov. 10.
FIVE-GOAL NIGHTS: The five goals scored by Ferris State on Feb. 8 marks just the third time in the last two seasons that Notre Dame has given up five goals in a game and the Bulldogs have done it twice. On Feb. 23, 2007, Ferris State defeated Notre Dame, 5-2. On Jan.19 of this season, Michigan downed the Irish, 5-1, for the third time its happened. Under head coach Jeff Jackson, the Irish have given up five or more in a game just eight times in his three seasons (110 games) behind the bench.
PERSONAL STREAK: The five goals surrendered by Notre Dame goaltender Jordan Pearce on Friday, Feb. 8 were the most goals that he has given up in a game since his first career start on Oct. 22, 2005 at Denver, a game he lost 6-3. At the end of January, Pearce snapped his own four-game winless streak (0-3-1) with the Jan. 25, 6-1 win over Bowling Green. He added a second-straight win with a 4-1 victory on Jan. 26. In the four non-wins, Pearce gave up just eight goals in a loss at Northern Michigan, 2-1, a loss at Michigan State, 3-1, a tie with the Spartans, 1-1 and a loss at Michigan, 3-2. In those four games, Notre Dame scored just five goals. Earlier this season, Pearce had a personal seven-game winning streak between Nov. 16 and Dec. 8. During the streak, Pearce was 7-0-0 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. For the season, Pearce is 16-9-2 with a 2.04 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage with two shutouts.
SECOND-HALF NUMBERS: Notre Dame’s six-goal outburst (Jan. 25) was the most goals for the Irish in a game since a 7-0 win at Princeton on Dec. 8. The Irish finished the weekend, scoring a total of 10 goals overall. During the second half of the season that started on Dec. 29, the Irish have now scored 29 goals (2.42) while giving up 29 (2.42). In those 12 games, the Irish are 4-6-2. In the first half of the year (20 games) the Irish averaged 3.55 goals per game and were ranked third in the country in scoring. They are now 15th, averaging 3.12 goals-per-game.
THE GOOD AND THE BAD: Through the first 32 games of the season, when the Irish are good, they are very good. In the 20 wins this season, Notre Dame has scored 83 goals (4.15 per game). In the 10 losses and two ties, Notre Dame has scored just 17 goals for a 1.42 goals-per game mark. In the 20 wins, the Irish have given up just 29 goals (1.45 goals-against average) while in the 10 losses and two ties, they have given up 38 goals (3.17 goals against). The 2-1 loss to Northern Michigan on Jan. 4 marked the first time all season that the Irish lost a game when giving up two goals or less.
20 WINS: With the two victories over Bowling Green (Jan. 25-26), the Irish now have 20 wins on the year. Combined with last year’s 32-win season, Notre Dame now has back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time in the program’s 40-year history.
ON A ROLL: Notre Dame’s two-game series sweep of Bowling Green on Jan. 25-26 gives the Irish a 12-game unbeaten streak (11-0-1) against the Falcons. That streak started with the 2005-06 season. The Irish are also 8-0-0 versus Bowling Green over the last two campaigns.
HOBEY HOPEFULS: Fan voting has begun for the 2008 Hobey Baker Award at www.hobeybaker.com. Two Notre Dame players are on the ballot – junior right wing Erik Condra (Livonia, Mich.) and senior right wing Mark Van Guilder (Roseville, Minn.).
SENIOR CLASS HONORS: Notre Dame team captain Mark Van Guilder has been nominated for the Lowes Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) Award. The CLASS award was designed to honor the attributes of seniors who remain committed to their university and elects to pursue the many rewards that a senior season can bring. This award provides a fitting honor for a senior leader that has stood up to the challenge. In the end, the award hopes to recognize the prestige and dignity of being a senior hockey player at the college level. Former Irish goaltender David Brown `07 won the Lowes Senior CLASS award following the 2006-07 season.
IRON MAN: Senior center Mark Van Guilder has his sights set on Notre Dame’s all-time record for most consecutive games played. The record of 153 straight games was set by Tim Wallace `06 who played in every game of his career – 153 straight. Van Guilder has now played in every game of his career – 148 consecutive games played through the first 32 games this year.
HOT HANDS: Notre Dame’s trio of left wing Dan Kissel (So., Crestwood, Ill.), center Christian Hanson (Jr., Venetia, Pa.) and right wing Evan Rankin (Sr., Portage, Mich.) all have career highs offensively for the Irish this season. Kissel ranks sixth on the team in scoring with six goals and 11 assists for 17 points. He is followed by Hanson who has career highs in goals (9), assists (6) and points (15). Rankin has six goals and eight assists for 14 points, all career highs.
TAKE THE HIGHWAY: The Irish have had their share of success on the road over the last two seasons. This year, Notre Dame is 9-5-0 (.643) on the road. A year ago, the Irish were 12-4-1 (.735) away from the Joyce Center. The 12 road wins equaled a school record (1979-80 and 1997-98) for road wins. Only the 1983-84 team’s 10-3-1 road mark (.750) is better.
HOME SWEET HOME: After 12 home games this season, Notre Dame is 8-2-2 (.750) at the Joyce Center. A year ago, Notre Dame was 13-2-2 at home for an .824 winning percentage. That was the best mark since the 2003-04 season when the Irish were 14-2-2 at the Joyce Center for an .833 winning percentage. Only two other Irish teams have had better home records – 1987-88 team was 18-2-0 (.900) and the 1969-70 team was 12-1-1 (.893).
FRIENDLY CONFINES: Notre Dame has had eight sellouts (2,713) in its first 13 home games (including the exhibition game against the U.S. Under-18 Team) and just missed a ninth against Bowling Green on Nov. 20 with a crowd of 2,711 in attendatnce. The Irish have had four consecutive crowds of 2,857 with six of the eight sellouts being standing room only (2,857). The 2,857 are the largest crowds to watch a Notre Dame hockey game since March 3, 1995 when 3,310 saw the Irish defeat Illinois-Chicago. Following that season, new seating was installed, reducing capacity at the Joyce Center. At the beginning of November, a new section of seating was added to the student section to increase the capacity. Through 13 games this year, the Irish are averaging 2,705 fans per game.
BAD BOYS: Notre Dame and Bowling Green combined for 51 penalties and 157 minutes in the two-game series on Jan. 25-26. On Friday night, the two teams had 23 penalties for 97 minutes with the Falcons getting 10-for-44 and the Irish a season-high 13-for-57. On Saturday, Notre Dame had just seven for 14 minutes while the Falcons had an opponent’s season high of 11-for-46 minutes.
THE PENALTY KILL: Through the first 32 games of the season, Notre Dame ranks second in the CCHA and fifth in the nation killing penalties. The Irish have killed 131-of-147 opponent power plays for an 89.1% success rate. The Irish also are tied for second on the national level with eight short-handed goals. Over the first 20 games, the Irish led the nation in penalty killing, killing 89-of-96 for a 92.7 % success rate. At the time, they had given up seven power-play goals while scoring seven short-handed tallies.
ONE-GOAL LOSSES: During the first half of the season, Notre Dame was 6-0 in one-goal games. In the second half of the season, the Irish are just 1-3 in one-goal games. For the year, Notre Dame is now 7-3 in one-goal contests.
HOCKEY HUMANITARIAN: Senior defenseman Dan VeNard (Vernon Hills, Ill.) was one of 22 nominees for the College Hockey Humanitarian Award that goes to college hockey’s “top citizen”. The list was cut to 10 on Jan. 28 and VeNard did not advance. The Irish alternate captain has been heavily involved in community service work in and around the Notre Dame campus during his career. He also serves as the president of Notre Dame’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
CLUTCH SCORER: Ryan Thang’s goal with 38 seconds left versus Michigan State on Jan. 13 salvaged a 1-1 tie for the Irish. The sophomore left wing has now scored four game-winning goals this season and one game-tying goal among his team-high 14 goals. In 71 career games, Thang has scored 34 goal with 16 coming on the power play and 10 of them game winners. His 10 game winners tie him for sixth on the all-time game-winning goals list at Notre Dame.
BALANCED ATTACK: Notre Dame comes into the weekend series at Alaska ranked 15th in the nation in scoring with 3.12 goals per game. Through the first 20 games, the Irish were third in the nation, averaging 3.55 goals per game. Despite the ranking, the Irish have just two players on the roster with 10 or more goals this season – Ryan Thang with 14 and Erik Condra with 11. The Irish have accumulated their 100 goals this year with 10 players on the roster having five goals or more.
MR. CONSISTENT: Sophomore defenseman Kyle Lawson (So., New Hudson, Mich.) has proven to be one of the CCHA’s most consistent defensemen this season. A two-time CCHA defenseman of the week this season, Lawson leads all Notre Dame defensemen in scoring with three goals and 13 assists for 16 points. Already this year, he has a power-play goal and a pair of game-winning goals. Lawson’s 16 points tie him for seventh among CCHA defensemen this season. He is fourth on the team with a +9 on the year.
GETTING THE BOUNCES: Sophomore center Kevin Deeth is tied for fourth on the Irish in scoring with eight goals and 12 assists for 19 points. Over his last 15 games, the speedy Deeth has scored eight times and added four assists for 12 points. Four of his eight goals have come on the power play while one was short-handed.