Oct. 15, 1999
DENVER, Colo. – Providence College struck for two quick goals in the second period and rode the strong goaltending of junior Boyd Ballard the rest of the way, as the Friars hockey team held on for a 2-1 victory Friday over Notre Dame in the opening game of the IceBreaker Tournament, held at the newly-unveiled Magness Arena.
Providence advances to Saturday’s championship game versus the winner of Friday night’s game between host University of Denver and Union College. Notre Dame will play in Saturday’s consolation game (DU will play in the 7:35 game regardless of the outcome of its game vs. Union, with the early game slated for a 4:05 start).
Notre Dame held a 31-18 edge in shots on goal but Ballard made 30 saves while posting his 27th career victory in 55 appearances with the Friars. Boyd and his PC teammates also stopped five of six Notre Dame power plays, with the lone Irish score coming on a 5-on-3 chance.
The vaunted PC offense-which led the nation last season with a .254 power-play unit while averaging 4.18 goals per game-failed to rack up the goals on Friday while totaling just two power-play chances (with one man-up score).
The Irish-who dropped a two-game series to Michigan last week (5-3, 6-1)-have totaled just five goals in three games this season while going 2-for-19 on the power play (both goals have been 5-on-3).
PC opened the scoring with a pair of goals in a 29-second span of the second period. Center Peter Fregoe-a former teammate of Notre Dame’s Michael Chin on the Des Moines Buccaneers-collected the first goal of his PC career at the 9:28 mark, with Chin in the penalty box serving a slashing penalty. Senior defenseman Jason Ialongo fed senior left wing Fernando Pisani for an open power-play shot from the top of the left circle. Irish sophomore goalie Jeremiah Kimento made the save but the puck kicked out to the right circle, with Fregoe quickly firing a low rebound shot that beat Kimento to the glove side.
Just moments later, PC freshman center Doug Wright collected the puck after an Irish turnover in the neutral zone and sent a pass down the left side for senior defenseman Dave Gendreau. Sophomore left wing Marc Suderman then took a feed near the left circle and beat Kimento for the quickly-developing goal (9:57).
The Irish scored less than two minutes later, cashing in a 5-on-3 chance on a goal by senior defenseman Tyson Fraser. Junior left wing Dan Carlson and freshman center Connor Dunlop worked the puck to Fraser, who uncorked a shot from the top of the left circle that beat Ballard to the far glove side (11:21).
Both teams hit the pipes on near-goals in the ensuing minutes of the game. Pisani broke free in the final minute of the second period and sent a rifle shot from the top of the left circle. But the puck clanged off the inside of the far right post and kicked behind Kimento while sliding through the crease area.
The Irish had a similar chance with 13 minutes to play in the third period, as junior right wing Ryan Dolder came up with the puck in the DU zone and slid a pass through the slot. Sophomore center David Inman skated onto the puck and had an open look at the net, but the rising shot clanged loudly off the left post and kicked harmlessly across the crease.
Notre Dame played with senior captain Ben Simon for the final eight minutes, after Simon was hit from behind by junior defenseman Mike Farrell near the boards in the PC zone. Simon was helped to the ice and did not return to the game, with his status to be clarified on Saturday. Inman slanted in from the right side with six minutes to play but Ballard showed his quick reflexes for the glove save.
Notre Dame held a 10-5 shot edge in the scoreless first period. The Irish-who went just 1-for-13 on the power play during the Michigan series-had a man-up chance early in the first period but could not convert. Providence also failed to cash in a power-play chance late in the opening period.
The Irish made several changes to the opening-day lineup, with Simon sliding to LW of the first line while Dunlop centered the line, with senior Joe Dusbabek on the RW. Inman returned to his familiar second-line C spot, alongside Carlson and Dolder (who had centered the fourth line vs. Michigan). The third line returned junior LW Chad Chipchase and sophomore C Brett Henning while adding Chin on the right. Junior Matt Van Arkel centered the fourth line, with freshman John Wroblewski returning on the RW while versatile senior Andy Jurkowski skated on the left. Fraser and freshman Evan Nielsen again were paired on the blue line, while seniors Sean Molina and Nathan Borega skated together. Junior D Ryan Clark (who hails from nearby Littleton, Colo.) returned to the lineup after missing the second Michigan game and was paired with sophomore Sam Cornelius (who saw his first action of the season).
NOTRE DAME (0-3-0) 0 1 0 - 1PROVIDENCE (1-0-0) 0 2 0 - 2
2nd: PC 1. Fregoe 1 (Pisani, Ialongo), PP, 9:28, PC 2. Suderman 1 (Gendreau, Wright) 9:57, ND 1. Fraser (Carlson, Dunlop), 5-3, 11:21.
SHOTS: ND: 10-12-9/31, PC: 5-8-5/18.
SAVES: ND (Kimento) 5-6-5/16, PC (Ballard) 10-11-9/30.
POWER PLAYS: ND 1-for-6, PC 1-for-2.
PENALTIES: ND: 4 for 8:00, PC 8 for 16:00.