Nov. 23, 2004
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
* The Game: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-5-4/1-4-3) at Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks (5-3-0/4-2-0)
* Date/Site/Times: Fri.-Sat., Nov. 26-27, 2004 – 7:05 p.m. – Carlson Center (4,350)
* Broadcast Information: Radio: Notre Dame’s games at Alaska Fairbanks can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1580, South Bend’s SportsCenter. Mike Lockert, “the voice of Irish hockey” will bring you alll the action both nights. Game time is 11:05 p.m. in South Bend. Irish hockey can also be heard live via the internet at www.und.com.
NORTH TO ALASKA:
Notre Dame will spend the Thanksgiving holidays in Fairbanks, Alaska as the Irish face the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks on Friday and Saturday, November 26-27. Both teams took a break from regular-season action last week although the Irish faced the U.S. Under-18 team in an exhibition game at the Joyce Center. The Under-18 squad handed Notre Dame a 7-2 loss.
The Irish come into the weekend with a 2-5-4 overall record and a 1-4-3 mark in CCHA play, good for five points and 11th place. Alaska Fairbanks owns a 5-3-0 overall record and is 4-2-0 in the conference for eight points and fourth place in the league standings. The Nanooks last played on Nov. 12-13, splitting a pair of games at Lake Superior, dropping a 5-2 decision on the 12th before blanking the Lakers, 6-0 on the 13th. Following the trip to Fairbanks, the Irish return home for a home-and-home series with the No. 1-ranked Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 4-5. Friday night’s game is at Yost Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich., with Saturday’s game set for the Joyce Center.
THE SERIES:
Notre Dame and Alaska Fairbanks have met 33 times in the all-time series with the Nanooks holding a 16-14-3 edge. At the Carlson Center, UAF is 11-5-2 versus the Irish, including a pair of wins (4-3 and 5-4) in Notre Dame’s last trip there in the 2002-03 season. The last time the Irish won in Fairbanks was Feb. 24, 2001, a 3-1 victory. In the last three Notre Dame trips to Fairbanks (1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2002-03), the Irish are 2-2-2 versus the Nanooks. Last season, in South Bend, the Irish took a 3-2 decision and then battled to a 2-2 overtime tie the following night. In the last 10 meetings between the two schools, Alaska Fairbanks has a 4-3-3 edge in the series.
FORMER IRISH GREAT GREG MEREDITH TO RECEIVE NCAA HONOR:
Former Notre Dame hockey All-American, Greg Meredith (1976-80) is one of six NCAA Silver Anniversary Award recipients the NCAA has announced. The Silver Anniversary Award recognizes former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves since completing their college careers 25 years ago. The recipients will be honored on Jan. 9, 2005 during the NCAA convention in Dallas. Meredith is Notre Dame’s all-time leading goal scorer with 104 goals in 149 career games. He is also tops in power-play goals (43) and seventh in all-time points with 192 for his career. He is just one of two players ever to score 40 goals in a season (1979-80) at Notre Dame, the season he was named All-American. A four-year letterwinner with the Irish, Meredith was a finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship and was an NCAA postgraduate scholarship recipient. He is currently the managing director for Putnam Lovell NBF Securities Inc., and has held positions with Salomon Brothers, Inc., Nationsbanc Capital Markets, Inc., and Fenway Partners, Inc. From 2001 to 2003, he served as president and chief executive officer at HSBC Capital and was also president and CEO of Printvision, a software company from 2002-03. In addition, Meredith is the founder and president of Proctor Capital, a private investment and strategic advisory firm. He played four years in the NHL for the Calgary Flames and was an assistant coach at Harvard. Meredith currently coaches the St. David’s hockey program for boys and girls between 9 and 11 years of age. He formed the Meredith Family Foundation in 1997, which contributes to programs such as the LOGAN Center, which provides services to individuals with intellectual disabilities, the St. Joseph’s County Special Olympics, and Camp Millhouse, a summer camp for children with significant intellectual disabilities. In addition, the organization funds educational initiatives including the Paul E. Meredith scholarships at Notre Dame. Meredith becomes the 10th former Irish athlete to receive the award that was started in 1973.
U.S. UNDER-18 RECAP:
Notre Dame dropped a 7-2 decision to the U.S. Under-18 Team on Friday, Nov. 19 in an exhibition game at the Joyce Center. The Irish got on the scoreboard first at 14:24 of the first period on a goal by Josh Sciba (So., Westland, Mich.). The U.S. team then ran off four unanswered goals (two short-handed) to build a 4-1 lead at 10:11 of the second period. Tim Wallace (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska) answered with a power-play goal at 12:18 of the second period to cut the lead to 4-2, but that was as close as the Irish would get. The Under-18 Team tacked on three, third-period power-play goals for the final score of 7-2. David Brown (So., Stoney Creek, Ont.) made the start and had eight saves in 28:02, giving up three goals. Morgan Cey (Sr., Wilkie, Sask.) had 14 saves in 31:58, surrendering four goals. The Under-18 Team was 3-for-9 on the power play and Notre Dame was 1-for-12.
GETTING ON TRACK:
Notre Dame picked up its first CCHA win on Nov. 13th at Western Michigan by a 3-2 score. The win made the Irish 2-5-4 overall and 1-4-3 in CCHA play. The victory was the latest for the Irish in CCHA play since 1992-93 when that team won its first league game in its 10th league game of the year.
LOOKING TO SOLVE THE NANOOKS:
Notre Dame goaltender Morgan Cey has had his share of success during his four seasons with the Irish. One team that has had his number is Alaska Fairbanks. Cey is 0-2-0 versus the Nanooks in four appearances (three starts, one relief) with a 6.44 goals-against average and a .833 save percentage. UAF is one of just two teams that Cey does not own a win against (Ohio State is the other, 0-3-2).
His next worse goals-against average and save percentage has come in four games versus Ferris State (3.85 and a .887 save percentage).
UNBEATEN STREAK:
The Irish go into the weekend series at Alaska Fairbanks with a three-game unbeaten streak (1-0-2). The Irish defeated Western Michigan (3-2) in their last game (Nov. 12), tied the Broncos the previous night (2-2) and had a 4-4 tie with Bowling Green on Nov. 5.
TURKEY DAY IN ALASKA:
For the second time in the last three seasons, the Irish are spending Turkey Day in Fairbanks, Alaska. During the 2002-03 season, (Nov. 29-30), the Irish spent Thanksgiving versus the Nanooks. Notre Dame will look for better results this time as they dropped a pair of one-goal losses in 2002, 4-3 and 5-4.
ALASKA HOMECOMING:
Junior right wing Tim Wallace will have a homecoming of sorts when the Irish play at Alaska Fairbanks. The Anchorage, Alaska native will get a chance to play in his native state for the second time in his career as he was a member of the Irish team that played there in 2002-03.
TOUGH PLACE TO WIN:
Notre Dame’s win at Western Michigan on Nov. 13th was just the fourth for the Irish at Lawson Arena since returning to the CCHA in 1992-93. Notre Dame is now 4-16-3 at Lawson since that season. Overall, the Irish are 7-19-4 in the all-time series versus the Broncos in Kalamazoo, Mich.
HOMECOMING HERO:
Notre Dame freshman right wing Evan Rankin (Portage, Mich.) made the most of his return to Kalamazoo, Mich., on Friday night. The Portage, Mich., native returned to Lawson Arena where he first learned to skate and scored the game-tying goal in the third period of the 2-2 tie. He then assisted on Notre Dame’s first goal in the 3-2 win on Saturday. For the year, Rankin leads all Irish freshmen in scoring with three goals and two assists for five points.
FIT TO BE TIED:
The Nov. 12 tie with Western Michigan (2-2) is the fourth tie of the season for Notre Dame. Since the 1999-2000 season, Notre Dame has been involved in 45 overtime games. In those games, the Irish are 6-5-34. During the 2003-04 season, Notre Dame had a total of eight overtime contests, going 1-3-4 in those games. The lone overtime win came in game three of the first round of the CCHA playoffs versus Western Michigan. The Irish have not won a regular-season overtime game since Jan. 25, 2002 at Miami, a span of 16 regular-season overtime games (0-2-14).
ALL TIED UP:
The most ties the Irish have ever had in a season is eight and that came during the 1999-2000 campaign. The most overtime games the Irish have participated in is 11 and that came during the 1993-94 season. Notre Dame was 2-4-5 in those games.
CLUTCH SCORER:
Sophomore right wing T.J. Jindra (Faribault, Minn.) recorded his second goal of the season versus Western Michigan on Nov. 13. The goal was also his second game-winning tally of the year. In his career, Jindra now has six goals. Four of them have been game winners.
WES FOR THE DEFENSE:
Sophomore defenseman Wes O’Neill (Essex, Ont.) has become Notre Dame’s offensive and defensive leader this season. Through 11 games, O’Neill leads the Irish in goals (4), assists (5), points (9), power-play goals (3) and is second in shots on goal (27).
ON THE SIDELINES:
Notre Dame will be without the services of center Matt Williams-Kovacs (So., Calgary, Alb.) who suffered a broken left ankle in the first period of the Oct. 16 game versus Miami. He had surgery on Monday, Oct. 18 and is out six to eight weeks. Defenseman Dan VeNard (Fr., Vernon Hills, Ill.) went down with a separated right shoulder in the Nov. 13 game versus Western Michigan. He is out indefinitely.
GOAL-SCORING STRUGGLES:
The Irish have been held to just 20 goals in the first 11 games of the season (1.82 goals per game average). Notre Dame is showing signs of snapping out of the scoring slump that has plagued them all season as they have scored nine goals in the last three games (3.00 per game). The Irish also scored twice in the third period on November 12th, doubling their third-period scoring from two goals to four. On the year, the Irish have been out scored in the final stanza by a14-4 margin.
INCOMING IRISH:
Notre Dame head coach Dave Poulin has announced the signing of seven players to national letters-of-intent. Four of the seven signees – Eric Condra, Christian Hanson, Jordan Pearce and Jamie Silverson – will join Notre Dame in the fall of 2005 while the other three- Kevin Deeth, Kyle Lawson and Ryan Thang – will defer their signing to 2006. Joining the Irish are:
CENTRAL SCOUTING RANKINGS:
The National Hockey League’s Central Scouting has announced its preliminary rankings for the June, 2005 Entry Draft. Irish freshman right wing Evan Rankin was one of 10 CCHA players ranked and one of 35 collegiate players recognized. He was ranked 13th overall. Three incoming players were also ranked. Christian Hanson received an A-rating (possible 1st through 4th round draft choice) while goaltender Jordan Pearce was the only USHL goaltender to receive an A-rating. Defenseman Kyle Lawson of the U.S. Under-18 Team was given a B-rating (late round draft choice).
CAREER BESTS:
Junior left wing Mike Walsh had the first three-point game and the first three-assist game of his career in the 4-4 tie with Bowling Green. Defenseman Wes O’Neill recorded the first two-goal game of his career versus the Falcons. Freshman right wing Evan Rankin recorded the first multiple-point game of his career as he scored a goal and added an assist versus Bowling Green. Cory McLean equalled his career-high with three points versus the Falcons as he scored once and added two assists in the contest.
BLASTING THE BISCUIT:
The Irish fired 54 shots at Bowling Green goaltender Jordan Sigalet on Nov. 5, including 29 in the second period. The last time the Irish had more than 54 shots on goal came on Oct. 17, 2003 when they fired 59 at – you guessed it – Jordan Sigalet of Bowling Green. He made 56 saves that night in a 5-3 Falcon win.
SHOT MARGINS:
The Irish have out shot teams in three of their first 11 games this season and are 0-0-3 in those games. Notre Dame out shot Bowling Green by a 38-30 margin last night (Nov. 12). On Nov. 5, the Irish out shot Bowling Green, 54-23 and on Oct. 29, Notre Dame out shot Northern Michigan by a 30-27 margin.
THREE-GOAL LEADS:
Notre Dame led Bowling Green by a 3-0 score before giving up four goals to trail, 4-3, before Wes O’Neill’s heroics with three seconds left. The last time the Irish surrendered a three-goal lead was on Nov. 6, 1998. The Irish led Boston College, 5-2 after two periods before settling for a 5-5 tie.
THE PUCK STOPS HERE:
Notre Dame senior goaltender Morgan Cey (Wilkie, Sask.) was named the CCHA’s goaltender of the week and USCHO.com’s defensive player of the week for the week ending Oct. 24th. Cey recorded a career-high 50 saves in downing the top-ranked Boston College Eagles, 3-2, at the Joyce Center on Oct. 22. Twenty-eight of his saves came on 11 BC power-play chances. The 6-3, 177-pound goaltender made 20 saves in the first period, 10 in the second and 20 in the third period. He has gone 1-1-2 in his last three games since his outstanding performance versus Boston College. For the year, Cey is 2-2-3 with a 2.36 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage. Of the 17 goals he’s given up this year, nine have been on the power play.
SEN-CEY-TIONAL:
Morgan Cey’s 50-save performance versus Boston College was the first 50-save game for a Notre Dame goaltender since Lance Madson (’86-’90) turned in 57 saves in a 6-3 loss to Air Force on Nov. 12, 1988. Cey, now has 37 wins him his career to rank fifth on Notre Dame’s all-time wins list.
GOLD-MEDAL IRISH:
Two former Notre Dame hockey players helped the United States win the gold medal in the recent Deutschland Cup tournament held in Hannover, Germany. Forward Yan Stastny, currently playing for the Nurnberg Ice Tigers in Germany, collected a goal and an assist in the four games. Defenseman Mark Eaton, currently a member of the Nashville Predators, scored a power-play goal in the gold medal game vrsus Slovakia. The U.S. defeated Germany, 5-1, lost to Canada, 5-3, defeated Switzerland, 4-2 and then shutout Slovakia, 4-0, to finish 3-1 in the tournament. The U.S. ended tied with Canada with 3-1 records, but received the gold medal due to greater goal differential over the four games.
BEATING THE BEST:
For the second year in a row, Notre Dame faced the Boston College Eagles when the Eagles were the top-ranked team in the nation. For the second year in a row, the Irish sent the Eagles home with a loss as they prevailed on Oct. 22 by a 3-2 score. The last time the Irish had defeated a top-ranked team at the Joyce Center was Jan. 13, 1978 when they upset Denver, 5-3. A year ago, in Boston, the Irish downed the top-ranked Eagles, 1-0. In the 37-year history of the program, Notre Dame owns eight wins over top-ranked teams. The list:
10/22/04 – vs. Boston College, 3-2
10/23/03 – at Boston College, 1-0
1/3/99 – at North Dakota, 4-3
11/20/78 – at Minnesota, 3-2
1/13/78 – vs. Denver, 5-3
1/18/74 – vs. Michigan Tech, 7-1
2/24/73 – vs. Wisconsin, 4-3
2/23/73 – vs. Wisconsin, 8-5
FRESHMAN FIRSTS:
Freshman left wing Mark Van Guilder (Roseville, Minn.) collected his first collegiate goal on Nov. 4 at Bowling Green. He became the second Irish freshman to get his first goal, following Evan Rankin who scored the first goal of his Notre Dame career with a second-period goal versus Boston College (Oct.22). Defenseman Brock Sheahan collected his first career point in Notre Dame’s season opener versus Minnesota-Duluth and fellow defenseman Dan VeNard got his first career point on Nov. 12 at Western Michigan.
FIRST TIMER:
Noah Babin (So., Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) scored his first career goal for the Irish in the 1-1 tie with Northern Michigan. The sophomore defenseman has played in 41 career games for Notre Dame. He got his second career goal in the 2-2 with Western Michigan on Nov. 12. He is the first Notre Dame hockey player from the state of Florida.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?:
Sophomore goaltender David Brown (Stoney Creek, Ont.) turned in his best performance of the season, making 28 saves in the 2-2 tie with Western Michigan on Nov. 12. Brown held the Irish in the game in the first period, stopping 16 of 17 Bronco shots. For the season, he is 0-3-1 with a 3.67 goals-against average and a .890 save percentage. Last season, as a freshman, Brown set Irish records for single-season goals-against average (2.32), save percentage (.925) and shutouts (4).
BISCUIT BARRAGE:
The 52 shots that Boston College fired at Morgan Cey on Oct. 22 was the most shots on goal the Irish have faced since Jan. 23, 2001 when Michigan fired 51 on the Notre Dame goal in a 9-0 Wolverine win.
DOING IT THE HARD WAY:
Sophomore right wing T.J. Jindra picked up the third short-handed goal of his Notre Dame career versus Boston College. The goal was the third game winner of his career. He notched his second goal of the season on Nov. 13 at Western Michigan. That goal was also the game winner. In 50 career games, Jindra now has scored six goals with three of them coming a man down. He also has four game winners in his career with two of them coming short-handed.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME:
Notre Dame’s loss to Minnesota-Duluth on Oct. 8 snapped a 15-game (12-0-3) regular-season home unbeaten at the Joyce Center. The last time the Irish had lost a regular-season home game at the Joyce Center was on Oct. 17, 2003 versus Bowling Green. Notre Dame was 14-2-2 (.833) at the Joyce Center last season. This year, the Irish are 1-2-3 at home and 15-4-5 (.729) in their last 24 home games. The 2003-04 home record of 14-2-2 was the best for the Irish since 1987-88 when that year’s Irish squad was 18-2-0 on home ice.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Through the first 11 games of the 2004-05 season, the Irish have struggled on the power play, scoring just eight times in 81 chances for an 9.9% success rate. Notre Dame has just two power-play goal on the road this season, going 2-for-31 (6.5%) in four road games. Last year, the Notre Dame power play clicked at a 17.8% rate, scoring 32 times in 180 chances. On the penalty kill, the Irish have given up 15 power-play goals in the first 11 games (six of those came in two games at Miami) and for the year are 66 of 81 killing penalties (81.5%). Last season, Notre Dame was tops in the CCHA and fourth in the nation with an 87.4% penalty killing ratio.
BLUE-LINE SCORING:
Sophomore defenseman Wes O’Neill leads the Irish in scoring after 11 games with four goals and five assists on the season. He is followed on the blue line by sophomore Noah Babin who has a two goals and an two assists for four points. Junior Chris Trick (Troy, Mich.) has two assists, as does freshmen Brock Sheahan and Dan VeNard has one for the Irish defensive corps. Through 11 games, the Irish defense has accounted for six of Notre Dame’s 20 goals (30.0%) and 17 of Notre Dame’s 52 points (32.7%).
CAPTAINS:
Senior Cory McLean (Fargo, N.D.) will serve as Notre Dame’s team captain this season. The team’s two alternate captains will be junior Mike Walsh (Northville, Mich.) and sophomore Jason Paige (Saginaw, Mich.). Paige is just the second sophomore in Dave Poulin’s 10 seasons at Notre Dame to be selected as an alternate captain. The first was Steve Noble (’98) who was selected an alternate for the 1995-96 season. He went on to serve as captain in 1996-97 and 1997-98.
POWER-PLAY FIRST:
Junior center Matt Amado (Surrey, B.C.) recorded his first career power-play goal on Oct. 7 in the 2-2 with Minnesota-Duluth. The goal gave the Irish a 1-0 lead. Amado has played in 74 games in his career and has 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points.
SHUTOUT STREAKS:
Notre Dame goaltenders David Brown and Morgan Cey each turned in career-best shutout streaks during the 2003-04 season. Brown set a Notre Dame record with his streak of 193:27, set between Oct. 17 and Nov. 8. In his streak, Brown shutout Bowling Green (10/18), Boston College (10/24) and Nebraska-Omaha (10/31) over three consecutive starts. Cey set his mark of 158:53 between Dec. 29 and Jan. 9. Included in his back-to-back shutouts were 1-0 blankings of Maine (12/28) and Findlay (1/3). Cey previously held the Irish record with a run of 149:17 and set in the 2003 CCHA playoffs.
IRON MAN:
Sophomore right wing Tim Wallace (Anchorage, Alaska) has now played in all 90 games in his first two-plus seasons at Notre Dame. The Irish record for consecutive games played belongs to former defenseman Evan Nielsen (’03) who played in 114 consecutive games between his sophomore and senior seasons. Nielsen missed just two games in his career, playing in 156 of 158 games. Wallace played in all 40 games as a freshman and all 39 Irish games in 2003-04. The big left wing has a goal and three assists for four points in the first 11 games of 2004-05.
FAMILY MATTERS:
Two Irish junior hockey players – Rory Walsh and Mike Walsh – have fathers who played sports at Notre Dame while attending the University during the 1970’s. Rory Walsh’s father, Brian (’77), was an all-American hockey player for the Irish. A center iceman, the elder Walsh is Notre Dame’s all-time leading scorer after recording 234 career points on 89 goals and 145 assists. Mike Walsh’s father, Max (’74), was an offensive lineman on the Notre Dame football team and a member of the 1973 national championship team. Rory Walsh is one of Notre Dame’s goaltenders and Walsh plays left wing for the Irish.
NHL DRAFTEES:
In June of 2004, the Irish had three players selected in the NHL Entry Draft. Freshman right wing Victor Oreskovich (Oakville, Ont.) was a second-round selection, 55th overall by the Colorado Avalanche. Sophomore defenseman Wes O’Neill was chosen in the fourth round, 115th overall by the New York Islanders. Sophomore goaltender David Brown was selected in the eighth round, 228th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Those three join junior Mike Walsh as Notre Dame players selected by in the draft. Walsh was picked in the fifth round of the 2002 draft by the New York Rangers.
OH CANADA:
Sophomore defenseman Wes O’Neill was one of 44 players invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Development Camp that was held in Calgary, Alberta from August 12-19. O’Neill is the lone collegiate player invited to the camp in hopes of being selected to Canada’s World Junior team this December. The 6-4, 217-pound blueliner was a member of Canada’s Under-18 team last April at the Under-18 World Championships in Belarus. He also played for Team Ontario at the Under-17 World Championships in February of 2003. As a freshman at Notre Dame, O’Neill played in all 39 games with two goals and 10 assists for 12 points. His +7 plus/minus rating was tops among Irish defensemen.
FOUR OF FIVE:
Notre Dame has advanced to Joe Louis Arena and the CCHA finals in four of the last five seasons (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004). Only two other CCHA teams – Michigan and Michigan State – have been there all four years since the 1999-2000 campaign. The Irish also are one of five teams, joining Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Northern Michigan, to make it to the CCHA Super Six in each of the last three seasons.
NCAA ACTION:
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish hockey team had a season to remember in 2003-04. The Irish advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the program’s 36-year history with a 20-15-4 overall record. In their first trip to the tournament, the Irish dropped a 5-2 decision to two-time NCAA defending champion Minnesota in the Grand Rapids Regional.
FROZEN TUNDRA:
Notre Dame has had a steady flow of players in recent years that played their junior hockey with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United State’s Hockey League. Six members of the current Notre Dame team have played in the Land of Lombardi. Senior defenseman Joe Zurenko (Palatine, Ill.) played there during the ’00-’01 season and sophomore blueliners Noah Babin (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) and Wes O’Neill were teammates there in ’02-’03. Second-year assistant coach Layne LeBel also spent two seasons (’01-’03) with the Gamblers. Joining the Irish this season is right wing Victor Oreskovich and defenseman Dan VeNard (Vernon Hills, Ill). In 58 games with the Gamblers, Oreskovich had 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points and played in the league’s Top Prospects all-star game. VeNard spent three seasons in Green Bay. His 2003-04 campaign was cut short by injuries as he had two goals and two assists for four points in 22 games. During the 2004-05 season, the Irish will play a game in Green Bay as they will face Michigan Tech on Tuesday, Jan. 18 at the Resch Center.
STORM WARNINGS:
Three members of the Notre Dame freshman class saw action with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm during the ’03-’04 season. Defensemen Brian D’Arcy (Western Springs, Ill.) and Luke Lucyk (Fox Point, Wis.) were members of the Storm’s highly ranked defense. Forward Mark Van Guilder (Roseville, Minn.) was a key contributor to the USHL’s regular-season champions. Van Guilder was fifth on the team in scoring with 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points in 60 games. In 11 playoff games, Van Guilder added three goals and two assists for five points. D’Arcy saw his season cut short due to injuries, playing in 32 games with no goals and two assists to go with 36 penalty minutes. Lucyk was a regular on the defense with a goal and nine assists for 10 points in 60 games.
THE IRISH AND THE U.S. DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAM:
Notre Dame’s current roster includes four players who have past experience with USA Hockey, as members of the National Team Development Program (NTDP). Since the program began, the Irish have had a total of 13 NTDP alums grace their roster. The current contingent includes junior Tim Wallace and sophomores Noah Babin, Michael Bartlett (Morton Grove, Ill.) and Josh Sciba (Westland, Mich.). Other former NTDP players who played at Notre Dame and their years in the national program include: Brett Henning (1997-98), Michael Chin (1997-98), Connor Dunlop (1997-99), Paul Harris (1997-99), John Wroblewski (1997-99), Neil Komadoski (1998-2000), Brett Lebda (1998-2000), Rob Globke (1998-2000) and Derek Smith (2000-01).
INTERNATIONAL LEADER:
Notre Dame assistant coach, Andy Slaggert, served as the head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Select Team that finished second at the Five Nation’s Tournament from Aug. 24-28 in Halle, Germany. The U.S. Team’s lone loss came to the Czech Republic (the eventual winners). This was Slaggert’s second international appearance with USA Hockey as he served as assistant coach on the 2003 gold-medal winning team at the World Under-18 Select Tournament held in the Czech Republic. The 12-year assistant at Notre Dame has been involved in coaching with USA Hockey since the 1996-97 season.
ALL-CCHA:
For the first time since as a member of the CCHA, Notre Dame placed three players on the all-CCHA postseason team. Defenseman Brett Lebda and forwards Aaron Gill and Rob Globke were selected second team all-CCHA for the 2003-04 season. Prior to this season, the Irish have had two players named twice. In 1998-99 Benoit Cotnoir (first team) and Ben Simon (second team) were named to the team and in 1981-82, Dave Poulin and John Schmidt were second team selections.
PRESEASON CCHA POLLS:
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) announced the results of it’s coaches and media preseason polls at Media Day in Detroit on Sept. 28. In the annual polls, Notre Dame was picked to finish sixth by the coaches and fifth by the media.