As posted previously, Michigan defeated Notre Dame in the first round
of the CCHA playoffs, 13-2 and 8-1.  If anyone is interested in the
scoring summaries, let me know.
 
Friday: I expected much more of a battle from the Irish, but Michigan
scored early and often and both teams seemed to go through the motions
after that.  The score was 7-1 at the first intermission.  It's the
first game that I can remember seeing six different goaltenders.  Notre
Dame used Louder (~12:00), Lothrop (~28:00) and Picconatto (20:00) while
Michigan countered with Shields, Gordon and Loges for 20:00 each.  It
also marked the first game that I heckled a couple of the Irish players.
(Sorry, Coach.)
 
Saturday: Following a suggestion of Coach Schafer's, I wore my Notre
Dame practice jersey to the game.  However, I wore a Michigan sweatshirt
over it.  To avoid walking home (about 35 miles), my plan was to keep
the ND jersey concealed until I felt comfortable that Michigan would win,
then take off my sweatshirt and support the Irish for the rest of the
game.  To Notre Dame's credit, I didn't feel secure enough to unvail the
jersey until past the midway point of the third period.  (Coach, did you
see the jersey?)
 
Unlike the previous night, Notre Dame seemed to play with confidence
early.  The shots in the first period heavily favored Michigan, but I
didn't get the feeling the Wolverines had played that well.  The Irish
played much more agressive defensively, and looked like a completely
different team.  Notre Dame freshman defenseman David Dal Grande
actually hit a few people, something I had waited 6 games to see him
do.
 
As the game wore on, both teams got a little chippy but nothing escalated
as it probably would have had Michigan been playing OSU or UIC.  I did
notice that Curtis Janicke (Notre Dame's lone pre-season All-America
candidate) was more obnoxious this weekend than in the previous four
encounters.
 
For the weekend, the officiating was routinely so-so.  On Saturday night,
I thought that both teams received a couple of bad calls and no-calls.
I gave Notre Dame's Bankoske a 9.5 for a beatiful dive resulting in a
penalty on Michigan's Patrick Neaton.  (Sorry, Coach, but it was probably
the best plunge taken at Yost by an opposing player this season.  Maybe
he's been watching Michigan's Aaron Ward --a master diver-- too much.  :-)
 
As Michigan heads to the Joe, they close the 1992-93 season with a 6-0-0
record versus the Irish.  Yes, I'm enjoying it now because with Coach
Schafer's program continually improving it won't be like this for long.
 
  John H
  U Mich