Jan. 18, 2016
By Dan Colleran
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – After helping lead Notre Dame to a weekend sweep of Merrimack by scoring two goals and adding three assists, freshman defenseman Bobby Nardella was named the Hockey East Association’s Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week (Jan. 18).
In Friday night’s 7-2 win (Jan. 15), Nardella registered a career-best three points on a goal and two assists. His two assists came on back-to-back second period goals by classmate Andrew Oglevie, which extended the Irish lead to 4-1. In the third period, Nardella scored Notre Dame’s sixth goal of the night.
Then in Saturday night’s 5-1 win (Jan. 16), Nardella scored a goal and added an assist for his fourth multi-point game of the season. His goal on Saturday, scored early in the second period, proved to be his first career game winner and it was also his first career power-play tally.
Over the weekend, Nardella extended his point streak to five games (2-7-9), a career-long mark. He finished the weekend with five points (2-3-5) and a team-best +6 rating.
Nardella has played 21 games this season, scoring four goals and adding 13 assists for 21 points. His 17 assists rank third on the team. He was also named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week on Oct. 26.
Carrying a nation-best 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3), the Irish head out on the road this weekend for a two-game series at Hockey East foe New Hampshire on Friday, Jan. 22 (7:05 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 23 (5:05 p.m.).
Hockey East Weekly Award Winners – Jan. 18
Warrior Hockey East Player of the Week – Trevor Mingoia, Providence
Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week – Bobby Nardella, Notre Dame
HEA Defensive Player of the Week – Rob Nichols, UConn
— 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 men’s golf programs. A native 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 graduate of Providence College (’06 & ’08).