Michigan
Notre Dame
Montoya Posts Career-High 35 Saves in Win Over Irish
11/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team defeated Notre Dame 4-2 on Friday (Nov. 22) at Yost Ice Arena to become the CCHA's lone unbeaten team in conference play (6-0-1). Seven different Wolverines recorded a single point and freshman goaltender Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) made a career-high 35 saves in the U-M victory. The penalty-ridden affair saw Michigan receive 28 total penalty minutes and Notre Dame take 26 of its own.
| | Montoya made 29 of his career-high 35 saves in the game's final 40 minutes. |
With just 11 seconds remaining in the period Michigan capitalized on another Fighting Irish miscue when freshman forward Andrew Ebbett (Vernon, B.C.) stole a pass from goalie Morgan Cey along the right boards. With Cey shuffling back to his crease Ebbett snapped a shot from the lower edge of the right circle through a defender's legs and past Cey to give U-M a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission. The Maize and Blue defense was solid in the first 20 minutes, giving up zero shots on goal during Notre Dame's two power-play opportunities.
To start the second period UND had two quality scoring bids from less than 10 feet out turned aside by Montoya on back-to-back shots. At 2:44, Michigan extended its lead to 3-0 when sophomore forward Michael Woodford (Westford, Mass.) turned a slap shot by sophomore defender Nick Martens (Ann Arbor, Mich.) into a rebound goal by wrapping the loose puck around the stick of the outstretched Cey.
Notre Dame had its best chances to score during a two-man advantage that spanned 30 seconds during the middle of the stanza. Montoya made a glove save on a one-timer from the slot, then stopped the rebound with his skate while lying on his back. Another point-blank shot came from Montoya's right just seconds later but he held the puck between his pads to end the flurry.
The remaining minutes of the period were highly spirited and littered with penalties as, at one point, the U-M penalty box was filled with five Wolverines and the UND box was loaded with seven skaters. Following a single scuffle at 14:08, 10 players in all were saddled with penalties. Notre Dame's Brett Lebda got the Fighting Irish on the board at 16:33, however, the Wolverines responded 21 seconds later with a tally from senior forward Mark Mink (Livonia, Mich.) to give Michigan a 4-1 lead.
Just 58 seconds into the final period Notre Dame pulled to within two goals when Jake Wiegand grabbed a bouncing puck at the left of the crease and slid it through Montoya's legs. A Notre Dame power play that began with 10:47 left was controlled entirely by the Irish, however, numerous shots were fired wide of the net and only one shot was on goal during the two minutes.
With 7:24 remaining sophomore forward Milan Gajic (Burnaby, B.C.) was awarded a penalty shot after he was hauled down from behind in between the circles. Gajic's ensuing opportunity went awry as his backhanded shot from the left side of the crease was stopped by Cey's right pad. Notre Dame attempted to close its two-goal deficit in the final minutes of play but Montoya held strong in net and stymied all of the Fighting Irish scoring chances, giving Michigan the 4-2 victory.
Michigan will conclude the season series against Notre Dame on Saturday (Nov. 23). Game time is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Red Berenson
On goaltender Al Montoya ... "Montoya was our best player and he had to be. We just did not play well and Notre Dame outplayed us, particularly in the second and third periods. They were desperate, they were down and Montoya was the difference."
On Montoya's impact on the team ... "Well, he's given us the kind of goalkeeping that you usually expect from an experienced goalie. Well, I shouldn't say he's not experienced, but he's not a Division I experienced goalie but he is now. Just with the games he's played and the way he's played, I think he's getting a lot of confidence, but our team has to give him better support than they gave him tonight."
On the game ... "We played well in the first (period) and then we slowly eroded. We did not play well after that in all areas with power plays and penalty killing. We were lucky to have the lead we did after the second period. I mean, the puck went in for us a couple of times that probably wouldn't have gone in. It was a different game than the score showed. I think the shots were more indicitive of the game."
On the team's play tonight ... "We were just totally out of synch, we turned the puck over. I can't tell you how many times we gave the puck away. We didn't get it out, we didn't get it in and you've got to give them credit; they're a good team."
On what to take from tonight's game ... "Obviously you take out some things you need to do better. Sometimes you win a game, look around and say well, we played pretty well and you just play the same way. We'll be in a whole different situation than tonight."
N O T E S
U-M has won seven straight home contests to begin the 2002-03 campaign and has stretched its home unbeaten streak to 11 games dating back to the 2001-02 season. Overall, U-M is on a nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1), which is currently the fourth longest in the nation.
Michigan is the only CCHA team that is unbeaten in conference play. The Wolverines, who are now 7-0-1, were tied for third place in the conference with 13 points heading into tonight's game.
Michigan has gained at least one point against the Fighting Irish in each of the past seven meetings (5-0-2). Dating back to Oct. 22, 1982, the Wolverines have not lost a regular-season home game to Notre Dame, good for a 15-game span (14-0-1). The only home loss to UND during the 20-year stretch came in the CCHA Tournament in the 1997-98 season (4-2, 3/13/98).
With a first period, power-play goal, the Wolverines have scored in three straight games while on the man advantage.
The last penalty shot taken by U-M came on March 10, 2002, and was taken by Dwight Helminen against Lake Superior State in the third game of a CCHA Tournament first-round series.
Michigan has outscored its opponents 21-4 in the second period of play, including 2-1 tonight against Notre Dame. The Wolverines have notched at least one marker in the second period of every game this year.
Michigan was outshot, by a margin of 37-24, for just the second time this season. The other game U-M was outshot came against North Dakota on Oct. 12.
Michael Woodford became the ninth different U-M player with a game-winning goal this season out of nine total wins.
Andrew Ebbett is on a career-long, three-game scoring streak (2-1-3). He has scored a goal in each of the last two contests.
Al Montoya set a career high in saves with 35 stops. His previous high of 29 saves had been reached twice, most recently against Bowling Green on Nov. 16.
Nick Martens' assist ended his five-game scoreless streak. He now has a 1-2-3 line this season.
Danny Richmond equaled his longest career point-scoring streak of two games with his assist. He is also now tied with Eric Werner for most assists by a defenseman with six.
Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423
