March 10, 2012
Ann Arbor, Mich. – Senior center David Wohlberg scored two goals and senior goaltender Matt Hunwick stopped 25 of 26 shots, including 12 in the final period as Michigan defeated Notre Dame, 3-1, in game two of the best-of-three CCHA second round series. The win gives the Wolverines a 2-0 sweep of the series and they will now advance to the conference championship next weekend at Joe Louis Arena.
Freshman Phil Di Giuseppe of Michigan and Irish freshman Peter Schneider scored the other goals in the game.
The Irish outshot the Wolverines, 26-25, in the game. Notre Dame sophomore goaltender Steven Summerhays made 22 saves in the contest.
The loss ends Notre Dame’s postseason with a record of 19-18-3. Michigan advances and is now 23-11-4 on the season. The Wolverines are ranked fifth in the nation and will advance to the NCAA Tournament following the CCHA tourney.
The Wolverines scored the only goal of the first period when Wohlberg snapped a shot from the slot over Summerhays’ blocker at 18:53. The goal was his 14th of the season. Di Giuseppe and Luke Glendening had helpers on the goal.
Michigan out shot the Irish, 11-6 in the period.
The Wolverines upped the lead to 2-0 at 5:53 of the second with A.J. Treais setting up Di Giuseppe for his 11th goal of the season. Treais took the puck in the left wing corner and threw it in front where Di Giuseppe redirected it through Summerhays’ pads.
The Michigan lead went to 3-0 at 12:09 with Wohlberg getting his second of the night of a set up by Alex Guptill and Lee Moffie. The goal was Wohlberg’s 15th of the season.
The Irish offense came to life just 19 seconds later when Schneider took a feed from Riley Sheahan on the left side and whipped by Hunwick before the CCHA second team all-star could get to it. The goal was Schneider’s second of the year with Jeff Costello also assisting and cut the lead to 3-1 with 20 minutes remaining.
In the third, Notre Dame came at Hunwick hard but the 5-7 netminder had all the answers turning away a David Gerths breakaway and a pair of power-play chances in the period. The Irish played six-on-four the final 1:52 as Jon Merrill was called for high sticking and the Irish pulled Summerhays for a sixth attacker but failed to score and ended up on the short end of a 3-1 loss.
Notre Dame is now 27-35 all-time in the CCHA playoffs. The Irish and Wolverines have met in five series with Michigan winning four of them.
GAME SUMMARY 1 2 3 - Frv/#17 Notre Dame (19-18-3) 0 1 0 - 1#5/#4 Michigan (23-11-4) 1 2 0 - 3
Scoring First Period: UM: David Wohlberg 14 (Phil Di Giuseppe, Luke Glendening), 18:53
Penalties: ND: 1 for 2 minutes; UM: 3 for 6 minutes.
Second Period: UM: Di Giuseppe 11 (A.J. Treais), 5:33; UM: Wohlberg 15 (Alex Guptill, Lee Moffie), 12:09; ND: Peter Schneider 2 (Riley Sheahan, Jeff Costello), 12:28
Penalties: ND: 2 for 4 minutes; UM: 0 for 0 minutes.
Third Period: No Scoring.
Penalties: ND: 0 for 0 minutes; UM: 2 for 4 minutes.
Shots On Goal:Notre Dame 6 - 8 - 12 - 26Michigan 11 - 10 - 4 - 25
Goaltender Saves:ND: Steven Summerhays (58:04) 10 - 8 - 4 - 22UM: Shawn Hunwick (60:00) 6 - 7 - 12 - 25
Power Plays:ND: 0 for 3UM: 0 for 5
Attendance: 6,637 (sellout)