Oct. 24, 1999
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Ferris State scored on its first rush of the game before riding another strong night on the power play for a 4-2 victory over Notre Dame in Central Collegiate Hockey Association action Sunday at Van Andel Arena, home of the minor-league Grand Rapids Griffins.
Notre Dame (1-5-0, 0-4-0 CCHA) extended its recent offensive drought versus Ferris State while losing for the sixth time in the last seven road games of the series.
Ferris State (3-3-0, 3-3-0 CCHA)-which beat the Irish 4-1 on Saturday in Big Rapids-entered the weekend having converted on just three of 31 power-play chances during its first four games but the Bulldogs totaled six power-play goals in the weekend series with the Irish (3-of-9 in both games).
Despite the early deficit, Notre Dame had power-play chances throughout the game but failed to convert on any of its four man-up opportunities.
The Irish averted the shutout early in the third period, when sophomore left wing David Inman scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season. Prior to Inmans score, the Irish had managed just one goal in the previous nine periods versus Ferris State (spanning 106 shots on goal).
FSU junior goaltender Vince Owen shook off his shaky start to the season (4.06 goals-against average in two games) by turning in another strong game versus the Irish. Owen-who had a 38-save shutout versus Notre Dame last season-made 22 saves on Sunday, including 21 during the scoreless first two periods.
The Bulldogs wasted little time in scoring the games first goal, as senior center Brian McCullough won the opening faceoff and slapped the puck towards the left corner, with junior center Kevin Swider sweeping the puck behind the Irish net and past sophomore goaltender Jeremiah Kimento. Junior transfer right wing Rob Lightfoot ended up with the pick near the bottom of the right circle and quickly fired into the open net for the early 1-0 lead (0:08).
FSU struck less than two minutes later, after an interference penalty on Irish senior defenseman Tyson Fraser. FSU junior defenseman Jim Dube notched the unassisted power-play goal, on a rising shot from between the circles that beat Kimento to the glove side (1:52).
The Bulldogs struck on the power play later in the first period, with senior center Rob Kozak providing the outlet pass and freshman left wing Chris Kunitz dropping a pass from the right circle. Freshman right wing Phil Lewandowski was trailing on the play and redirected the puck past Kimento for the 3-0 cushion (13:18), with freshman netminder Tony Zasowski then taking the ice.
FSU cashed in another 5-on-4 chance midway through the second period, with Dubes shot from outside setting up the play. Zasowski made the save and stopped rebound shots from senior left wing Brent Wishart and Lightfoot, but Swider stuffed home the third rebound for a 4-0 lead (9:11).
Irish junior left wing Dan Carlson had a shorthanded breakaway chance late in the second period but Owen squeezed his pads for the first save and stopped Carlsons ensuing rebound shot.
Inman put the Irish on the board at the 1:09 mark of the third period, after tipping in a shot from the right point by senior defenseman Nathan Borega.
The Irish cut the lead to 4-2 in the lategoing, with freshman right wing Michael Chin firing a pass from the right corner and senior left wing Andy Jurkowski beating Owen with a high shot to the glove side (16:11).
NOTES: Notre Dame still has managed just one first-period goal this season (in the 4-0 win over Union), while allowing seven first-period goals … Inman remains the only Irish player with multiple goals this season (he has four while the rest of the team has 12) … Notre Dame has totaled just seven even-strength goals in six games this season … stretching back to the consecutive shutout losses to Michigan State and FSU last season, the Irish have totaled just 19 goals in their last 12 CCHA regular-season games (seven in four CCHA games this season) … the Irish penalty-killing unit has stopped just 75 percent of the opponent power plays this season (30 of 40) … Jurkowskis goal is his second in the last 24 games (his only other career goal came as a freshman).
FERRIS STATE 3 1 0 - 4NOTRE DAME 0 0 2 - 2
1st: FSU 1. Lightfoot 1 (Swider, McCullough) 0:08, FSU 2. Dube 2 (unassisted), PP, 1:52, FSU 3. Lewandowski 1 (Kunitz, Kozak), PP, 13:18.
2nd: FSU 3. Swider 2 (Lightfoot, Dube), PP, 9:11.
3rd: ND 1. Inman 4 (Borega) 1:09, ND 2. Jurkowski 1 (Chin) 16:11.
Shots: ND 6-15-3/24, FSU 11-7-3/21.
Saves: ND 8-6-3/17 (Kimento, 33:18, 2-x-x/2, Zasowski 6-6-3/15), FSU (Owen) 6-15-1/22.
Power Play: ND 0-for-4, FSU 3-for-9.
Penalties: ND 15 for 30:00, FSU 10 for 20:00.