Notre Dame Stuns Wildcats In NCAA Hockey Tournament

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The University of New Hampshire hockey team
has suffered some major disappointments in the NCAA Hockey Tournament,
but this one may be the most painful of all.

Junior left wing Jerry Pollastrone gave the top-seeded Wildcats a 2-1
lead 5:41 into the first period, but Notre Dame scored six of the next
seven goals to defeat UNH, 7-3, on Friday night in the opening game of
West Regional at the Colorado Springs World Arena.

Hobey Baker finalist Kevin Regan allowed five goals before being
pulled for the extra attacker with 16:24 remaining in the game and the
Fighting Irish scored twice in an open net to bounce the Wildcats in
the first round for fourth time in five years.

"It was not our best performance," said head coach Dick Umile, "But I
don't want to take anything away from Notre Dame. This is a special
team and that is the disappointing part for me. As a coach I had the
opportunity to coach this special team led by a great senior class. I
feel for this team because they are a special group."

New Hampshire dominated the first period, outshooting ND 13-5.
Pollastone scored 1:04 into the game and again 4:37 later, but each
time the Wildcats took a one-goal lead, the fourth-seeded Irish
countered with a power-play goal to tie the game. 

Notre Game took its first lead 2:39 into the second period when
Christian Hanson scored the first of his two goals.

UNH had an opportunity to regain control of the game when the Irish
took a pair of penalties just over four minutes later, giving the
Wildcats a two-man advantage for 48 seconds.

New Hampshire managed just three shots during the power plays, then as
the second penalty expired, Dan Kissel worked the puck off the left
boards and beat Regan with a wrist shot inside the near post from the
left circle. 

"We just didn't get enough shots on net," Umile said about the two-man
advantage. "That was a key moment in the game after we had fallen
behind. Right after we didn't score on that 5-on-3, they came down and
scored the fourth goal to go up. So that was a key moment in that
whole exchange."

Phil DeSimone cut the deficit to 4-3 when he scored with from the
right circle on a delayed penalty, but that was the final highlight of
the season for the Wildcats.

Ryan Thang restored Notre Dame's two goal advantage 23 seconds into
the third period and any hopes of a UNH comeback were dashed when Brad
Flaishans was given a major penalty and a game misconduct for checking
Thang from behind.

Umile pulled Regan after Notre Dame took a penalty with 3:06
remaining, giving the Wildcats two minutes at equal strength to cut
into the deficit, but it took the Irish just 30 seconds to add their
sixth goal.

UNH went 0-for-4 on the power play, while Notre Dame converted on two
of eight opportunities. 

"In the first period I thought we were very aggressive, but then in
the second period the momentum changed," Umile said. "They did a great
job and we obviously didn't do a great job on the penalty kill." 

Regan finished with 27 saves on 32 shots. Jordan Pearce had 32 saves
for the Irish.

It was the first victory for Notre Dame over New Hampshire in five
tries.

"We want to be like Colorado College, we want to be like UNH, we want
to be like Michigan and Minnesota," said Notre Dame head coach Jeff
Jackson. "They are in the tournament every year. If you are in the
tournament you have a chance to win."

The Wildcats made their 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. UNH
has advanced to the Frozen Four seven times, including two trips to
the national championship game in 1999 and 2003.

New Hampshire dropped to 12-22-0 all-time in the NCAA Tournament,
including a 4-8-0 record in the first round - all at neutral sites. 

"Obviously this is disappointing," said senior captain Matt Fornataro.
"This was a special group this year and with four other seniors. This
is disappointing and I don't have much to say. We didn't play as well
as we should have and could have at the end of the year." 



Opening Statements:
Dick Umile: Congratulations to Notre Dame, to Jeff and his team.
Obviously it wasn't our best performance. I thought we came out ready
to go but our penalty kill didn't go a great job. It's disappointing
and there is no excuse. It was not our best performance but I don't
want to take anything away from Notre Dame. This is a special team and
that is the disappointing part for me. As a coach I had the
opportunity to coach this special team led by a great senior class. I
feel for this team because they are a special group. 

Did Notre Dame surprise you:
Dick Umile: They obviously did a good job. In the first period I
thought we were very aggressive, but then in the second period the
momentum changed. They did a great job and we obviously didn't do a
great job on the penalty kill. 

Was there a hangover from the game last weekend (triple overtime loss
to BC):
Dick Umile: I don't think so. We came out early on and played well in
the first period. We had some good shots in the first period and
executed well on the power play. The second period was back-and-forth.


Where did the momentum turn: 
Matt Fornataro: Like coach said, we came out well and got a couple of
goals early. They got some good power plays and were able to excute. I
think it was kind of up and down until the middle of the third. I
don't think it was onesided at any point in the game. They got some
breaks and were able to capitalize on them. We had a five on three
chance and didn't bury it and that kind of hurt us. 

Follow up for the 5-on-3:
Dick Umile: We just didn't get enough shots on net. We got a couple
but we didn't move it as well as we can and didn't execute as well as
we should have. That was a key moment in the game after we had fallen
behind. Right after we didn't score on that 5-on-3, they came down and
scored the fourth goal to go up. So that was a key moment in that
whole exchange.

Playing teams from the west:
Dick Umile: We can play with those teams. We didn't have our best
performance tonight but there is not question we can. I can't prove
that tonight with the outcome. Tonight we didn't play as well as we
are capable of, but I am not trying to take anything away from Notre
Dame. They executed in key situations and that was the difference in
the game.

UNH lack of success in the postseason:
Matt Fornataro: Obviously this is disappointing. This was a special
group this year and with four other seniors. This is disappointing and
I don't have much to say. 

What this group of seniors meant:
Matt Fornataro: this was the closest team I have ever been a part of
and that is the most disappointing part. We didn't play as well as we
should have and could have at the end of the year. 





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