Just a few thoughts here about Notre Dame in their season debut against
Western Ontario:
ND was without a couple of its starters, Benoit Cotnoir and Steve Noble, due
to injuries. This left ND with a Freshmen filled roster, and without some
offensive power.
Western Ontario forechecked beautifully during the game, and was very strong
defensively. ND had a rough time breaking in, and even harder time getting
puck to the net in the first two periods. Grieve, for WOU, scored the first
goal of the game and it would stand for quite a while. Matt Eisler looks
to be playing more aggressively this year and I'm not sure if I like it.
Darren Pang (ND's new goalie coach) might be trying some new things with him;
fine, but I hope he doesn't mess Matty up. He's been a very solid goalie for
the Irish.
ND finally buried the puck twice in the third period. Freshman Joe Dusbabek
notched the first of his career, and Ben Nelson scored an unassisted goal.
Both came in the third period. ND hung on to win 2-1.
Ben Simon is amazing! This kid was all over the ice. He finishes his checks,
skates remarkably well (has speed, something ND hasn't had in a long time),
and is feisty. He works the corners, the boards, the middle of the ice --
let's say he works everything. Whenever he's on the ice something's going to
happen. ND got themselves a great hockey player with this kid.
Tyson Fraser is smooth. Once he's set on defense, the defensive squad will have
its own version of Leetch/Coffey. Cotnoir and Fraser can move the puck, and
also hold the Blue Line. He didn't show much in this game overall. But he did
carry the puck through the Neutral Zone a couple of times, and played the
forechecker extrmemely well. Smart. Well coached.
Dusbabek stared on RW, and impressed me with his size, strength, and good
skating. He's going to be a star for ND. He works hard.
The rest of the freshmen also looked like hard workers. Bagne had a good
game. Molina had a couple freshmen miscues, but played an otherwise good
game. And Borega is huge. He can also move. But it's going to be hard to move
him. (I think he's about 6'3", 225.)
Overall, the Freshmen class for the Irish looks as though it may live up to
its billing as among the tops for DI. They are very fast, very well coached,
and all work hard out there.
As for the Fighting Irish, Poulin is making progress in many areas. But the
offense will struggle until it finds itself. With the return of Noble and
Cotnoir, the offense will have playmaking and scoring threats. However, the
rest of the team will need to gel. The defense looks solid. Ben Nelson should
be a forward, in my opinion. He adds another offensive-defenseman back there,
and at his size he gets blown off the puck too much. Putting him on the
front may help the offense. Anyway, the team looks better than last year.
WOU played a very smart defensive game. I will be curious to see ND in action
against Western Michigan this weekend. It should be a good game.
ND may not win many more games than last year, but this team will be exciting
to watch. Poulin is working in some interesting facets to his team, and it
shows in the precise play of the guys on the ice.
GUYS TO WATCH IN YOUR HOMETOWN RINK:
Aniket Dhadphale
Ben Simon*
Terry Lorenz
Matt Eisler
Benoit Cotnoir
Joe Dusbabek*
Tyson Fraser*
Troy Bagne*
Steve Noble
*=Freshman
Peace,
John-Andrew Murphy
Coordinator
International Studies Resource Center
Hesburgh Library
University of Notre Dame
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