Feb. 1, 1997

Irish Drop Fourth Straight Game

Lake Superior Ices Irish, 4-0.

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich.– If the members of the NotreDame hockey team ever wondered what the travel of a gruelingNHL schedule was like, they’ve got a pretty good idea now.

Playing their fifth game in the last eight days, all againstnationally ranked teams, the Fighting Irish lost theirfourth consecutive game. The latest being a 4-0 shutout atthe skates of the Lake Superior State Lakers.

The Lakers (18-9-4, 14-5-3 CCHA) got on the scoreboard with a shorthanded goalwith :50 seconds remaining in the first period. LakeSuperior forward Ben Keup led an odd-man rush down the rightside but his centering pass wound up along the left boards.Bryan Fuss tracked it down and fired the puck into the slotwhere it looked as if Notre Dame defenseman Terry Lorenzwould be able to get control. However, as he tried to sendthe puck out of the middle, he inadvertently swept it intothe upper right corner of the net past stunned Irishgoaltender Matt Eisler.

Fuss was credited with his 17th goal of the season.

The Lakers made it 2-0 early in the second period on JocBlaznek’s 20th goal. From a near impossible angle at thebottom of the right circle, he fired the puck past ascreened Eisler into the upper left corner.

The Lakers weren’t finished.

Darcy George and Mike Kucsulain scored :52 seconds apartlate in the period to put the game on ice.

The Irish (18-9-1, 5-14-1 CCHA) were held scoreless for the second time in thelast three games.

The win allowed Lake Superior to remain three points behindfirst place Michigan in the CCHA.

Notre Dame’s hosts a crucial two-game series against OhioState Feb. 7-8.

NOTRE DAME  (8-19-1, 5-14-1 CCHA)            0    0    0    -    0LAKE SUPERIOR STATE (18-9-4, 14-5-3 CCHA)    1    3    0    -    41st - LS 1. Fuss 17 (Keup, Battaglia) SH 19:102nd - LS 2. Blaznek 20 (Sessa, Fuss) 3:34      LS 3. George 4 (Fuss) 17:24      LS 4. Kucsulain 4 (Pulente) 18:163rd - NoneShots on goal: ND 7-9-6/22, LS 18-13-14/35. Saves: ND (Eisler) 7-10-x/17,ND (Karr) x-x-14/14; LS (Grahame) 7-9-6/22.  Power Play: ND 0-for-8, LS 0-for-4.  Penalties: ND8 for 24:00, LS 12 for 32.