Michigan
7-7-6, 3-4-4-2B1G
Notre Dame
12-6-1, 5-4-0-0B1G
Wolverines Take Down Rival No. 6 Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium
1/5/2019 9:00:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Michigan's three first-period goals are its most in the opening period this season.
» Hayden Lavigne recorded 30 saves in his 10th start of the season.
» The Wolverines improved to 4-3-1 all-time in outdoor games.
Site: South Bend, Ind. (Notre Dame Stadium)
Score: Michigan 4, #6 Notre Dame 2
Records: U-M (7-7-6, 3-4-4-2 Big Ten), ND (12-6-1, 5-4-0-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Jan. 8 -- vs. Merrimack (Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m.
• Kornacki: How Wolverines Used an Early Three-Goal Surge to Win at Notre Dame Stadium
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team scored three first-period goals and held off a late charge from No. 6-ranked Notre Dame to capture a 4-2 victory on Saturday (Jan. 5) at Notre Dame Stadium. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 4-3-1 all-time in games played outdoors.
"I thought it was a great event and hard-fought game," said Michigan head coach Mel Pearson. "Overall, I was pleased with our team, and those are huge points for us in the standings."
The Wolverines struck first when senior captain Joseph Cecconi dumped a puck into the Notre Dame zone from just outside the left faceoff circle of the Michigan defensive zone. Cecconi's dump-in skipped off the ice once and past Cale Morris to give Michigan a 1-0 lead at the 4:42 mark of the opening period.
"We're excited that we got the win," said Cecconi. "We all know that it's time to turn this ship around, and all it takes is one win. That's three big points for us, and that's huge."
Sixteen seconds later, Michigan struck again when junior forward Nick Pastujov found classmate Will Lockwood with a touch pass as he streaked through the neutral zone to put Lockwood one-on-one with an Irish defenseman. As Lockwood skated in from the left faceoff circle, he deked and got to the slot, where he fired a wrist shot that beat Morris to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead at 4:58 in the first period.
After both teams incurred penalties, the teams played four-on-four for 49 seconds before the Wolverines went on an abbreviated power play. The Maize and Blue power play was unsuccessful, but seconds after the Irish returned to full strength, the Wolverines scored again. Junior defenseman Luke Martin skated behind the net and dumped a backhand pass to sophomore forward Dakota Raabe to keep the puck on the same side of the ice. Raabe carried the puck from the end line as freshman forward Nolan Moyle positioned himself in the slot. Raabe found Moyle in the right faceoff circle, where he was able to get off a wrist shot that found the back of the net for a 3-0 lead.
The Wolverines looked to increase their lead in the second period, but an early tripping penalty gave the Irish a power-play opportunity. Notre Dame capitalized 22 seconds into the man advantage, when Cam Morrison got his stick on a Andrew Peeke shot from the point and deflected it into the net, cutting the U-M lead to 3-1.
The Wolverines and Fighting Irish went scoreless for the rest of the second period, as Michigan went into the final intermission with a two-goal advantage.
With just over five minutes to play in the third period and U-M leading 3-1, the Wolverines' penalty kill unit went back out onto the ice after an interference call. Notre Dame's best look on its power play was when the Irish ripped a one-timer from the left circle that junior goaltender Hayden Lavigne kicked away for one of his 30 saves.
The Irish pulled Morris with four minutes to play in regulation. The extra skater paid off, as Notre Dame cut the lead to 3-2 with 2:48 left when Alex Steeves beat Lavigne.
The Irish pulled Morris again with 1:15 left. Notre Dame fired a slap shot from the point with 45 seconds remaining that Raabe got in front of and knocked away. Seconds later, Raabe got his stick on the puck and knocked away another shot to the boards. The sophomore forward collected the puck and skated up the boards toward an empty net before sailing a shot in front of the Notre Dame bench to seal the 4-2 victory.
The Wolverines will return home to host Merrimack on Tuesday (Jan. 8) on Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
