Oct. 8, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Sophomore center Mike Comrie collected the first hat trick of his career and his classmate Josh Blackburn stopped 12 of the 13 shots he faced, as visiting Michigan completed a two-game sweep of Notre Dame, 6-1, in Central Collegiate Hockey Association action Friday night at the Joyce Center Fieldhouse.

Michigan-which downed the Irish 5-3 on Thursday in the CCHA opener for both teams-dominated the play for the entire 60 minutes, with a 37-15 edge in shots and a 43-23 advantage in faceoffs won. The Irish were guilty of 11 penalties, with the visitors cashing in two of nine power-play chances.

The Wolverines opened the scoring in the seventh minute of the first period, as junior right wing Scott Matzka showcased Michigan’s team speed for a breakaway goal. Matzka collected a loose puck in the Michigan zone and banked a pass to himself off the left boards before jetting by Irish senior defenseman Sean Molina. Matzka then broke into the clear and beat Irish sophomore goaltender Jeremiah Kimento with a low shot to the glove side (6:40).

The visitors stretched to a 2-0 cushion shortly before the first intermission. Freshman defenseman Brad Fraser sent a pass down the left boards for junior right wing Josh Langfeld, who redirected the puck into the slot. Molina was unable to clear the bouncing puck and it kicked to the right side of the crease for the waiting Comrie, who flicked a shot between Kimento’s skate and the far left post (16:07).

The Irish had a 5-on-3 chance for a span of 1:37 midway through the first period but managed just one shot on goal (Blackburn saved senior center Ben Simon’s shot from the right circle).

The Wolverines quickly claimed a 3-0 lead in the third period, with sophomore defenseman Jeff Jillson and Comrie working the puck down the right side of the Irish zone. Junior center Mark Kosick then took the puck near the end line and slanted towards the right circle before snapping a shot under Kimento’s outstretched left leg (00:21).

The Irish answered with their only goal of the night 18 seconds later. Senior defenseman and Ann Arbor, Mich., native Sean Seyfeth dropped the puck to Simon behind the Irish net and Simon skated up ice before firing a pass ahead to sophomore left wing David Inman, who unleashed a shot from the top of the right circle over Blackburn’s left shoulder (00:39).

Giveaways led to Comrie’s final two goals. Sophomore center Brett Henning lost the puck near the Irish blueline and Comrie collected the loose puck before skating through traffic and firing a shot from the left side of the slot over Kimento’s left shoulder (8:36), with freshman goalie Tony Zasowski then entering the game.

Just seconds later, Comrie took the puck away from the Irish defense in the right corner and sent a shot from the right circle between Zasowski’s skates (8:59).

Michigan capped the scoring in the final two minutes, after freshman center Andy Hilbert took a pass from senior defenseman Kevin Magnuson and skated from behind the UM net into the Irish zone. Hilbert slid a pass to his left for freshman left wing Mark Mink, who beat Zasowski with a shot from the left circle (18:08).

NOTES: Notre Dame seniors Nathan Borega and Tyson Fraser opened the game as the starting defensemen, marking the 67th career game that they have skated together … Michigan owned a combined shooting edge of 31-12 over Notre Dame during the first-period of both games this week (15-5 on Thursday) … Michigan held Notre Dame scoreless for 53:04 of game time, since Connor Dunlop’s shorthanded goal at 7:35 of the third period on Thursday night … Comrie’s hat trick was the first of his career (he has 5G-3A in five career games vs. ND) … Friday’s game was the biggest differential in the last 10 games of the series, since Michigan’s 7-2 win at Notre Dame in the first meeting between the teams in 1997-98 … Notre Dame was just 1-for-13 on the power play during the two games (0-for-6 on Friday).

MICHIGAN 2 0 4 ? 6

NOTRE DAME 0 0 1 ? 1

1st: MICH 1. Matzka 1. (unassisted) 6:40, MICH 2. Comrie 2 (Langfeld, Fraser) 16:07.

3rd: MICH 3. Kosick 1 (Comrie, Jillson), PP, 00:21, ND 1. Inman (Simon, Seyferth) 00:39, MICH 4. Comrie 3 (unassisted) 8:36, MICH 5. Comrie (unassisted) 8:59, MICH 6. Mink (Hilbert, Vancik), PP, 18:08.

SHOTS: MICH 16-10-11/37, ND 7-5-3/15.

SAVES: MICH 7-5-2/14 (Blackburn 7-5-x, O’Malley x-x-2), ND 14-10-7/31 (Kimento 14-10-1/25, Zasowski 0-0-6/6).

POWER PLAY: MICH 2-for-9, ND 0-for-6.

PENALTIES: MICH 8 for 16:00, ND 11 for 22:00.