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Morrison Tallies Overtime Winner As #4 Irish Down RPI 1-0

Nov. 18, 2017 |

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By Dan Colleran


TROY, N.Y.
Cam Morrison tipped in an Andrew Peeke shot just 13 seconds into overtime to lead fourth-ranked Notre Dame to a 1-0 win at RPI on Saturday night at the Houston Field House, leading the Fighting Irish to their seventh consecutive victory.

Cale Morris made 25 saves to earn his second shutout in the last three games.

With the win, Notre Dame (10-3-1, 4-0-0-0 B1G) swept the Engineers and posted a seventh consecutive win for the first time since winning 10 in a row from Feb. 13-March 21, 2009. The seven consecutive wins are tied with Boston College for the longest active winning streak in the country.

The Irish win was once again keyed by their penalty kill, finishing 4-for-4 on the night, including successfully killing off 1:33 of a five-on-three RPI power play just over six minutes into the third period. Morris made a couple big stops on that 5-on-3 and Notre Dame also got some good work down low in the defensive zone by Jordan Gross, Dennis Gilbert and Jack Jenkins. Morris totaled 16 of his 25 saves in the third period.

Midway through the first period, it looked as if Bobby Nardella gave the Irish a 1-0 lead when he tapped in a loose puck in front while the Irish were on the power play, but after a lengthy review the play was overturned for goaltender interference.

In the RPI (2-7-3, 1-4-1 ECAC) goal, Linden Marshall finished with 33 saves.

COACH JACKSON’S THOUGHTS

On the game and Cam Morrison‘s game winner …

“It was a much better game, both teams played hard and both teams played well. That’s his [Morrison’s] game, he’s a net front guy and he competes there and he has a goal scorer’s instinct.”

On Cale Morris

“He’s been good for the last month. That was a big question mark from everybody from the outside perspective, `who was going to replace Cal Petersen‘ and Cale Morris quietly sat back behind Cal and got better. That’s hard to do when you aren’t playing but he was patient, had a good attitude about it and worked hard. Now it is his turn and he’s taken full advantage.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Irish went 0-for-3 on the power play, but also held RPI to an 0-for-4 mark on the night and an 0-for-12 mark in the weekend series.

NOTES

  • Notre Dame won its seventh game in a row, its longest winning streak since winning 10 games in a row on Feb. 13-March 21, 2009.
  • Jordan Gross skated in the 133rd consecutive game of his Irish career (dating back to the first game of his freshman season).
  • The Irish are 9-1-1 on the season when scoring first.
  • Cam Morrison posted his first career overtime game winner.
  • Cale Morris recorded his second career shutout (his second shutout in the last three games).
  • Notre Dame has killed off 18 consecutive opponent power-play chances.
  • Jordan Gross (31-73-104) finished the weekend in sole possession of fourth place on Notre Dame’s all-time points list by defenseman and he now trails only John Schmidt ’82 (28-95-123), Jeff Brownschidle ’81 (29-92-122) and Jack Brownschidle ’77 (31-78-109).
  • Notre Dame entered Saturday’s game having killed off 14 straight opponent power-play chances over its previous three games
  • The National Hockey League announced during the broadcast of Saturday’s Notre Dame – Navy football game that the 2019 Bridgestone Winter Classic will be played at Notre Dame Stadium (complete release).

UP NEXT

The Fighting Irish return to Big Ten play next weekend when they host No. 6/7 Minnesota at the Compton Family Ice Arena (Nov. 24-25). Friday night’s game will begin at 7:35 p.m. and will be televised by NBCSN, while Saturday’s game is slated for a 7:05 p.m. start and it will be televised by NBC Sports Chicago Plus.

— ND —

Dan Colleran, associate athletics communications director 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).