Irish Earn First-Ever Trip To Frozen Four
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Notre Dame hockey team earned its
first-ever trip to the Frozen Four with a 3-1 victory over Michigan
State on Saturday night in the championship game of the NCAA West
Regional at the Colorado Springs World Arena.
The Fighting Irish became the first fourth seed to advance to the
national semifinals and they avenged a 2-1 loss to the Spartans in
last year's Midwest Regional Final. Notre Dame will face Central
Collegiate Hockey Association rival Michigan on April 10 in Denver.
The Wolverines advanced to Frozen Four with a 2-0 victory over
Clarkson.
"Obviously we are thrilled," said head coach Jeff Jackson, who won a
pair of national championships at Lake Superior State University.
"This was a step forward from last year. It's part of the process of
building a great program.
"I'm extremely proud of the kids for what they handled. There was a
lot of adversity in the second half of the season. They still stayed
strong as a group, and it gives us the opportunity to continue our
season and play in the Frozen Four for the first time in Notre Dame
history."
Mark Van Guilder scored what proved to be the game winner with 5:54
remaining in the third period, taking a pass from Ben Ryan off his
leg, regaining control in the slot and beating Spartan netminder Jeff
Lerg inside the near post with wrist shot from the slot.
Notre Dame's senior captain had three assists in Friday's 7-3 victory
over top-seeded New Hampshire.
The Irish picked up an insurance goal 1:14 later when Teddy Ruth put
a slapshot from just outside the right circle past Lerg high on the
glove side. Justin White and Christian Hanson cycled the puck out of
the right corner, leaving Ruth alone at the point.
Michigan State dominated early in the first period, launching seven
shots to ND's one, but was unable to solve Irish goaltender Jordan
Pearce. The Irish began to seize the momentum in the second half of
the period, but there was no score after 20 minutes for the sixth
consecutive game between the CCHA rivals.
Hanson put the Irish on the board 2:43 into the second period when he
stuffed the rebound of his own wrap-around past Lerg. Hanson finished
the weekend with three goals and an assist to earn a spot on the
all-regional team.
Justin Abdelkader banged a laser off the crossbar three minutes
later, then tied the game with 10:55 to play in the period when he
put a one-timer from the left circle behind Pearce for his third
point of the weekend. He worked a perfect give-and-go with Tim
Kennedy after the Spartan's cycled the puck out of the left corner.
The Irish appeared to tie the game with just over five minutes
remaining in the second period when Evan Rankin found the puck in a
scramble and put it past Lerg, but the goal was wiped off because
Kevin Deeth was in the crease and prevented Spartan goalie from
playing the puck.
"It was another tough call," Van Guilder said, "but we have had that
happen a few times to us. We were real calm on the bench just sitting
there waiting for the call. What ever the decision, we had to keep
coming. You can't let something like that kill your momentum."
While eight different players scored for the Irish, the Notre Dame
defense played a huge in both victories. The Irish blocked 12 shots
in the victory over MSU and killed all four Spartan power plays and
all nine in their two games.
Pearce allowed just one goal on 21 Michigan State shots and had 32
saves in the victory over New Hampshire, posting back-to-back
victories over Hobey Baker semifinalists Lerg and Kevin Regan.
"It's such a fun experience to play in both games, being out there
and getting the win," Pearce said. "Last year I learned you got to
play your best games at the biggest moments. I just wanted to go out
there and play my game and make save after save. And just worry about
the next shot."
On April 12, the Irish will get shot at the tournament's top seed,
Michigan.
Post-Game Press Conference
Michigan State Spartans
Head Coach Rich Comley opening statement
Congratulations to Notre Dame. I thought they did a great job. I knew
exactly what type of game they would play and Jeff had them ready. It
was a very good hockey game and I thought we started well, they took
over and then we settled down. At 1-1 you knew that the next goal was
going to be a critical goal and unfortunately we turned the puck over
and they converted it. We did it to them last year and they did it to
us this year.
I do want to thank Colorado College for hosting this. It was a great
site and we enjoyed it very much. We knew that it was going to be a
very tough region. The experience was tremendous and we're not
leaving here with any bad feelings.
I would also like to say that at this place this game is so close and
teams are so even. If you look back to a year ago in Grand Rapids,
Notre Dame plays a double-overtime game against Alabama Huntsville
and we come out of a not real difficult 5-1 game against BU; it had
an effect on Notre Dame the following night. This weekend Notre Dame
has a relatively easy game against New Hampshire and we had to fight
for our life against a really good CC team and it did take a lot out
of us. I don't think we ever got to where we were last night; but
that's just hockey.
Did Notre Dame have extra motivation this year:
Jeff Lerg
You could tell they were pretty hungry out there and that's what
happens when it's the playoffs and it's down to desperation time.
Their captain just executed in the last five minutes and that was
really the difference. We had chances and they had chances, and they
just capitalized on a good turnover. They just played a good game. We
know how it feels on the winning side and how it feels on the losing
side. It's part of the game.
What is your assessment of Notre Dame's defense?
Justin Abdelkader
We knew coming in that they were a really defensive team and they
didn't give us too much. We struggled early cycling the puck; we
didn't really maintain possession like we wanted to. We have to give
credit to Notre Dame's defense.
What will you take away from this season?
Justin Abdelkader
It was a really good season. For the most part it was a solid season
and not too much of a roller coaster. Obviously it is disappointing
not making it to the Frozen Four for the CCHA but I think beating
Colorado College last night on their home ice was pretty huge. I
don't know if that game took some out of us for today, but it was
tough. Colorado College had only lost two games on their home ice all
year so it was good beating them. You have to give Notre Dame credit
because they really wanted it; we wanted it too, but they played with
desperation from last year after what we did to them.
Post-Game Press Conference
University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Head Coach Jeff Jackson opening statement
Obviously we are thrilled. This was a step forward from last year.
It's part of the process of building a great program. I'm extremely
proud of the kids for what they handled. There was a lot of adversity
in the second half of the season. They still stayed strong as a
group, and it gives us the opportunity to continue our season and
play in the Frozen Four for the first time in Notre Dame history.
It seemed like Michigan State had a lot of jump the first five
minutes"
Jordan Pearce
They came out strong, but we expected them to come out hard. We just
had to stay focused and weather the storm. I made some big saves and
I had to do what I had to do to get the win. My forwards came through
for me at the end of the game for me, so it worked out.
What does it mean to play in this game?
Jordan Pearce
It is such a fun experience to play in both games, being out there
and getting the win. Last year I learned you got to play your best
games at the biggest moments. I just wanted to go out there and play
my game and make save after save. And just worry about the next shot.
What did you think about the no goal call in the second period?
Mark Van Guilder
It was another tough call, but we have had that happen a few times to
us. We were real calm on the bench just sitting there waiting for the
call. What ever the decision, we had to keep coming. You can't let
something like that kill your momentum.
Talk about the lost of Erik (Condra) and what you had to do in this
tournament?
Christian Hanson
Erik was our best player, when he went down he told me that I was
going to have to pick it up. I was just fortunate to have some good
wingers this weekend.
Just talk about the program and what this means to you:
When the Notre Dame job became available it was something I knew that
if I had the opportunity that's where I wanted to go. It was some
place that I wanted to go when I was seventeen years old and couldn't
afford to. I love the storied tradition. I've always been a huge
Knute Rockne fan and obviously some of the great football coaches. I
have a good relationship with Charlie Weis.
Did you know that Jordan Pearce was capable of being a big game
goalie?
Coming in I knew Brad Phillips was going to take some time cause he
is a young kid right out of high school. Jordan (Pearce) over the
last two years worked really hard, he didn't complain. I think David
Brown as good of goaltender as he was he had the ability to play
every night, and that's the only thing I didn't know about Jordan
(Pearce).
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