Michigan
8-2-1, 7-1-1CCHA
Notre Dame
9-2-2, 7-2-1CCHA
Michigan Blanks Irish, Moves into Tie for First
11/21/1998 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
The game's only goal came at 10:40 of the second period when a Scott Matzka (Port Huron, Mich.) shot to the front of the net deflected off of Sean Ritchlin's (Conseco, N.Y.) leg and slid past Notre Dame goaltender Forrest Karr's left leg to give Ritchlin his second goal of the season.
Michigan had a second goal disallowed during a five-minute power play in the third period when Josh Langfeld (Coon Rapids, Minn.) deflected the puck into the net with his stick above the crossbar.
Blackburn stopped 16 shots for his eighth win (8-1-1) of the season. He received some help with the shutout when freshman Jay Vancik (West Bloomfield, Mich.) made a defensive save in the goal crease after the puck slid through the legs of Blackburn, and when Notre Dame's Brian Urick hit the right post with 13 minutes remaining in the game. Karr stopped 25 shots in the loss.
Michigan takes the ice next Friday (Nov. 27) in St. Paul, Minn., against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first game of the College Hockey Showcase. The Wolverines wrap up the weekend against the Wisconsin Badgers at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 29).
GAME SUMMARY
| Goals By Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
| Notre Dame | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
1st period
PENALTIES - Brett Henning, NOTR (HOOKING) 05:48; Dan Carlson, NOTR (SLASHING) 09:17; Mike Van Ryn, MICH (HOLDING) 12:00; Jay Kopischke, NOTR (HOOKING) 13:48; Jay Vancik, MICH (HIGH STICKING) 17:16; Tyson Fraser, NOTR (HIGH STICKING) 17:16; Dale Rominski, MICH (INTERFERENCE) 17:57.
2nd period
1, MICH, Sean Ritchlin 2 (Scott Matzka) 10:40.
PENALTIES - Troy Bagne, NOTR (INTERFERENCE) 03:20; Mike Van Ryn, MICH (ROUGHING) 08:16; Jeff Jillson, MICH (HOOKING) 15:09; Dale Rominski, MICH (ELBOWING) 16:54; Ben Simon, NOTR (HIGH STICKING) 19:55.
3rd period
PENALTIES - Jay Vancik, MICH (INTERFERENCE) 02:07; Nathan Borega, NOTR (CHECK FROM BEHIND) 10:23; John Dwyer, NOTR (ROUGHING) 19:56; Geoff Koch, MICH (ROUGHING) 19:56; David Inman, NOTR (ROUGHING) 19:56; Sean Peach, MICH (ROUGHING) 19:56.
Shots on goal: NOTR 4-6-6-16; MICH 10-8-8-26.
Power plays: NOTR 0 of 5; MICH 0 of 6.
Goalies: NOTR, Forrest Karr 9-2-2 (26 shots-25 saves); MICH, Josh Blackburn 8-1-1 (16-16).
Referee: Brent Rutherford
Linesmen: John Nowostka, Jon Gosger
Attendance: 6,564
Time: 2:27
QUOTES
HEAD COACH RED BERENSON
On the weekend's games ...
"They were both close games. Last night (in a 2-1 win over Michigan State), (Josh) Langfeld's goal went off a skate and ended up being the game-winner. Tonight, you can hardly call that (Matzka's shot off Ritchlin's leg) a shot."
On Jay Vancik's performance ...
"Vancik is going to be a solid defenseman. He's going to be a defensive defenseman ... he is reliable."
On these wins in the grand scheme of things ...
"It doesn't mean a lot now, but down the road it may mean more. It gives us confidence. I like our position going into Thanksgiving."
SENIOR SEAN RITCHLIN
On his goal ...
"It was a weird goal. Matzka threw it out, it hit my shin pad, then it may have hit a Notre Dame shin pad and then it went in."
FRESHMAN JOSH BLACKBURN
On the shutout ...
"Everybody rose to the challenge. Everyone played their best, and we played great team defense."
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
