Dec. 5, 2017
By Dan Colleran
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — For the fourth consecutive week, Notre Dame goaltender Cale Morris has been named the Big Ten’s First Star of the Week, the conference announced on Tuesday morning (Dec. 5).
Last week, Morris became the first player to earn Big Ten First Star honors in three consecutive weeks, and Morris has now extended that streak to four.
The sophomore goaltender led the Irish to a weekend sweep at Michigan State by stopping 52 of the 53 shots he faced in the two-game series for a 0.50 goals-against average and a .981 save percentage. In game one (Dec. 1), he made 29 saves in Notre Dame’s 3-1 victory and he followed up with a 23-save shutout in the 2-0 game two win. It marked his fourth shutout in the last seven games.
Morris and the Irish have now won 11 games in a row with Morris starting all 11 of those games. He has a 1.27 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage during the 11-game winning streak.
It marks the fifth consecutive weekly Big Ten award for Morris, who is now 13-1-0 on the year with a .955 save percentage and a 1.47 goals-against average. His .955 save percentage ranks first in the country, while his 1.47 goals-against average ranks second. His 13 wins are tied for the NCAA lead and his four shutouts are tied for second.
Morris and the No. 4 Fighting Irish continue Big Ten play this weekend with a two-game series at 12th-ranked Wisconsin (Dec. 8-9).
Notre Dame’s 2017-18 B1G Stars of the Week
Jake Evans: Second Star (Oct. 10), Third Star (Oct. 31)
Jordan Gross: Third Star (Oct. 10)
Cale Morris: First Star (Nov. 14, Nov. 21, Nov. 28, Dec. 5), Second Star (Nov. 7)
Big Ten Stars of the Week — Dec. 5
First Star: Cale Morris, So., G, Notre Dame
Second Star: Andrew Sturtz, Jr., F, Penn State
Third Star: Jack Berry, So., G, Wisconsin
— ND —
Dan Colleran, Director of Athletics Communications at the University of Notre Dame, has been a part of Fighting Irish Media since August 2015 and coordinates all media and publicity efforts surrounding the Notre Dame hockey and golf programs. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, Colleran spent the previous three years working with the men’s hockey and soccer programs at Providence College. Colleran also spent two years as an Assistant Executive Director of Communications & Championships at the Ivy League and is a graduate of Providence College (’06 & ’08G).