Jan. 13, 2001
Kalamazoo, Mich. –
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish faced a formidible task this weekend as they faced the fifth-ranked Western Michigan Broncos in a home-and-home series.
The Irish were in last place in the CCHA and had lost four in a row while Western Michigan had a five-game winning streak and was one point behind first place Michigan State in the league. On paper, it looked like a long weekend for the Fighting Irish.
So much for statistics and paper as Ryan Dolder’s (Sr., Hutchinson, Minn.) shorthanded goal at 6:04 of the third period and stellar goaltending by Tony Zasowski (So., Darien, Ill.) gave Notre Dame a 3-3 overtime tie at the Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich. in front of a sellout crowd of 4,005.
The tie gives Notre Dame three points on the weekend against one of the country’s highest scoring team as Western has scored 100 goals in 23 games this season.
The Irish are now have a 5-16-3 overall record and a 3-10-3 mark in the CCHA. Western is 16-4-3 on the year and 9-3-3 in league play.
The Broncos struck first as their highly-ranked power play cashed in. Defenseman Dave Cousineau’s slapshot from the left point beat ND’s Tony Zasowski high to the glove side just under the crossbar at 10:19. The goal was Cousineau’s third of the season.
Hard work by Dolder and Dan Carlson (Sr., Edina, Minn.) evened the score for Notre Dame at 14:42. Dolder fought off a check in the right wing corner and fed Carlson in front.
Carlson, one of the CCHA’s hottest players, deked the defenseman, cut across the front of the net and slid the puck between WMU goaltender Jeff Reynaert’s pads for his ninth of the season. The goal marked the third consecutive game that Carlson has scored and extended his scoring streak to seven games (6-7-13).
Notre Dame took a 2-1 lead in the second period as defensive specialist Matt Van Arkel (Sr., Richton Park, Ill.) turned on the offense.
The senior left wing chipped the puck off the boards to center Connor Dunlop (So., St. Louis, Mo.) who broke into the Western zone with right wing Rob Globke (Fr., West Bloomfield, Mich.) on a two-on-one. Dunlop pulled the defenseman toward him and slid the puck to Globke in the slot who buried a wrist shot under the crossbar for his ninth goal of the season at 18:21 to give the Irish the 2-1 lead heading into the intermission. For Globke it was his second goal in two games since returning from his stint with the U.S. Junior National Team.
With its backs to the wall, Western came out hitting in the third period and scored twice in the first 3:16.
The Broncos big line of Steve Rymsha, Jeff Campbell and David Gove finally broke through as Gove got his 18th goal of the season as Rymsha found him from the left wing corner cutting to the net at 1:25. Gove one-timed a shot from the bottom of the right wing circle and the game was tied at 2-2.
Campbell and Rymsha then put Western ahead, 3-2, at 3:16. Campbell moved the puck behind the goal to Rymsha who found defenseman Austin Miller cutting to the net. Zasowski stopped Miller’s first shot, but Miller stuffed the rebound under the Irish goaltender for his second of the season.
The Irish penalty killers who had a strong game killing nine of ten Western powerplays, came up with the tying goal. Dolder, who also had an assist in the game, broke up a pass at the Notre Dame blueline and raced in on Reynaert. The senior left wing deked the Western goaltender and fired a wrister over him for his 10th goal of the season.
The two-point night for Dolder extended his scoring streak to seven games (4-6-10). His goal also preserved Notre Dame’s streak of protecting second period leads.
The Irish are now 40-0-7 in their last 47 games dating back to the 1997-98 season when taking a lead into third period. ND is 5-0-2 this season when taking a lead into the third period.
Notre Dame was outshot in the game, 29-24 as Zasowski turned in his second strong game of the weekend making 26 saves. Reynaert made 21 saves for the Broncos.
The Irish return to CCHA action on Jan., 19-20 at the Joyce Center when the Irish play host to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Both games start at 7:05 p.m.
Game Summary: 1 2 3 OT F Notre Dame (5-16-4/3-10-3) 1 1 1 0 3 Western Michigan (16-4-3/9-3-3) 1 0 2 0 3
Scoring
First Period: WMU: Dave Cousineau – 3 (Brent Rumble, Brett Mills), PPG, 10:19, ND: Dan Carlson – 9 (Ryan Dolder), 14:42.
Penalties: ND: 5 for 10 minutes, WMU: 4 for 8 minutes.
Second Period: ND: Rob Globke – 9 (Connor Dunlop, Matt Van Arkel), 18:21.
Penalties: ND: 4 for 8 minutes, WMU: 3 for 6 minutes.
Third Period: WMU: David Gove – 18 (Steve Rymsha, Jeff Campbell), 1:25, WMU: Austin Miller – 2 (Campbell, Rymsha), 3:16: ND: R. Dolder -10 (unassisted), SHG, 6:04)
Penalties: ND: 6 for 25 minutes, WMU: 7 for 25.
Overtime: No Scoring.
Penalties: ND: 1 for 2 minutes, WMU: 0 penalties for 0 minutes.
Shots On Goal:
Notre Dame 9 – 8 – 7 – 0 – 24
Western Michigan 12 – 4 – 13 – 0 – 29
Goaltender Saves:
Notre Dame – Tony Zasowski (65:00) 11 – 4 – 11 – 0 – 26
WMU – Jeff Reynaert (65:00 ) 8 – 7 – 6 – 0 – 21
Power Plays:
Notre Dame: 0 for 7
Western Michigan: 1 for 10
Attendance: 4,005