Jan. 28, 2001
NEW HAVEN, Conn.- There’s nothing like getting a second chance. Just ask Notre Dame goaltender Tony Zasowski.
After giving up eight goals in Saturday’s 8-2 loss to Yale, Zasowski came back with a career-best 40-save performance as Notre Dame downed Yale, 4-3, Sunday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd at Ingalls Rink on the Yale campus.
Zasowski also got help from his teammates, especially the freshman class as Rob Globke (2 goals), Aaron Gill and Brett Lebda provided all the offense.
“Coach showed a lot of confidence in me to bring me back in this game, ” said Zasowski.
Starting Zasowski was never a question for Irish head coach Dave Poulin. “I had no hesitation in going with Tony today,” said Poulin. “Despite giving up the eight goals yesterday, I really think he played pretty well. He was outstanding for us this afternoon.”
Zasowski’s 40 saves are the most by a Notre Dame goaltender in nearly four years, dating back to Matt Eisler’s 44-save effort in a 3-1 loss at then-No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 14, 1997. The last time an Irish netminder had 40-plus saves in a winning effort likewise came in that 1996-97 season, when Eisler stopped 40 shots on Jan. 24, 1997, in a 5-2 win over then-No. 8 St. Cloud State.
Things didn’t start out well for the sophomore goaltender as Yale wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard, scoring just 24 seconds into the game when left wing Nick Deschenes whistled a 40-foot shot past Zasowski for his 10th goal of the season.
“I saw it all the way. He just beat me. It was a good shot. I had to forget about it and just get ready for the next one,” commented Zasowski.
The final result this afternoon would be different, as Notre Dame answered with three goals of its own as the Irish freshmen took over.
Gill, a center who sat out Saturday’s game with a back injury, tied the contest at 6:29 with his ninth goal of the season. Gil and left wing Dan Carlson worked a give-and-go at the top of the left wing circle that put Gill in on Yale goaltender Dan Lombard, who stopped the first shot but Gill jammed the rebound in to even the score.
“Aaron is so important to this team. It was great to have him back in the lineup,” said Poulin. “That goal was a big one. It gave us a chance to stay in the game. I thought his line with Ryan Dolder and Dan Carlson had a great game,”
Exactly two minutes later, the Irish took a 2-1 lead. Center Connor Dunlop burst down the middle and fired a quick shot from between the hash marks. Lombard got his blocker on it but the rebound went to Globke, who fired a wrist shot off the far post for his 11th goal of the year (9:28).
Lebda, a defenseman, joined the freshman scoring show at 14:14 when he drove a slapshot from the blue line past Lombard for his fifth of the year.
Yale’s Dennis Nam cut the lead to 3-2 halfway through the second period as he took a rebound off the boards behind Zasowski and fired it into an open net for his third goal of the season.
The Irish restored the two-goal lead just 1:18 later, as Globke and Lebda combined on a 2-on-1 while both teams were skating 4-on-4. Lebda fed Globke with a drop pass in the slot and the right wing wristed the puck past Lombard’s glove hand for his second of the game and 12th of the year.
The 12 goals by Globke are the most by an Irish freshman since 1996-97, when Joe Dusbabek lit the lamp 13 times.
The Bulldogs cut the lead to 4-3 on a power-play goal at 11:18 of the third period. Defenseman Jeff Dwyer took a slapshot from the left point that Carlson stopped with his glove. The puck rolled right to Evan Waz, who one-timed it past Zasowski for his sixth of the season.
From there, Zasowski and the Irish defense tightened as Notre Dame killed three penalties in the final seven minutes of the game.
Yale outshot Notre Dame 43-26 on the afternoon, with Lombard making 22 saves for the Bulldogs.
The win was the first ever for Notre Dame against Yale in four tries. Notre Dame now stands 6-19-5 for the season while Yale fell to 10-9-0.
The Irish return to CCHA action next weekend at Ohio State (Feb. 2-3).
Game Summary: 1 2 3 F
Notre Dame (6-19-5) 3 1 0 4
Yale (10-9-0) 1 1 1 3
Scoring
First Period: Yale: Nick Deschenes – 10 (Jeff Hamilton, Ben Stafford), :24, ND: Aaron Gill – 9 (Dan Carlson, Ryan Dolder), 6:28, ND: Rob Globke – 11 (Connor Dunlop, Jake Wiegand), 9:28, ND: Brett Lebda – 5 (Gill, Evan Nielsen), 14:14.
Penalties: ND: 1 for 2 minutes, Yale: 1 for 2 minutes.
Second Period: Yale: Adam Sauve – 3 (Donald Nam, Lee Jelenic), 10:00, ND: Globke – 12 (Lebda, Dunlop), 11:18.
Penalties: ND: 4 for 8 minutes, Yale: 1 for 2 minutes.
Third Period: Yale: Evan Wax – 5 (Jeff Dwyer), PPG, 11:18
Penalties: ND: 5 for 18 minutes, Yale: 2 for 4.
Shots On Goal:
Notre Dame 9 – 5 – 12 – 26
Yale 15 -14 – 14 – 43
Goaltender Saves:
Notre Dame – Tony Zasowski (60:00) 14 – 13 – 13 – 40
Yale – Dan Lombard (58:45 ) 6 – 4 – 12 – 22
Power Plays:
Notre Dame: 0 for 3
Yale: 1 for 8
Attendance: 3,486