Nov. 6, 2005
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish got a lesson in power-play hockey in their weekend series versus No. 3 ranked Michigan.
The Wolverines scored on 3-of-6 power play chances in the game, getting two power-play markers from Chad Kolarik and one from Andrew Cogliano on the way to a 4-2 win over the Irish Saturday night at Yost Arena.
In the two-game series, Michigan converted on 7-of-12 power play chances on the way to a weekend sweep of Notre Dame. Conversely, Notre Dame was shut out on five power-play chances Saturday night and was just 1-for-15 on the weekend.
The loss drops Notre Dame to 1-5-0 on the year and 0-2-0 in the CCHA. Michigan improved to 7-1-1 overall and 3-1-1 in league play.
T.J. Hensick rounded out the Michigan scoring while Matt Amado and Michael Bartlett had Notre Dame’s goals.
Michigan got the game started with a pair of first-period power-play goals.
Cogliano gave the Wolverines a 1-0 lead at 4:57 of the opening stanza when his shot from the right wing circle went through a screen in front of Irish goaltender Jordan Pearce just inside the far post.
Notre Dame evened the score less than two minutes later. Tim Wallace picked off an errant pass in the neutral zone and carried over the Michigan blue line. He left the puck for Matt Amado who carried the biscuit down the slot and lifted a back-hander on goaltender Billy Sauer. The freshman made the first save but Amado followed to tuck the rebound home for his second of the year at 6:34.
The Irish would take the lead at 11:24 off a face off from the left wing circle. The Irish controlled the puck to Garrett Regan who moved it back to Tom Sawatske at the left point. Sawatske passed the puck to Michael Bartlett near the left wing boards. Bartlett’s hard wrist shot beat Sauer just inside the left post for his first goal of the season.
The Wolverines used the power play to even the score at 2-2 with just five seconds left in the first period.
Jack Johnson’s shot from the center point was stopped by Pearce with the rebound going to Chad Kolarik on the left side of the goal. The Michigan sophomore flipped the puck into a wide-open net for his second of the season at 19:55.
Michigan’s power-play fired for the third time late in the second period to snap the 2-2 tie. Kolarik again had an open net after he took a cross-rink pass from Cogliano to beat Pearce from the bottom of the left-wing circle at 15:10 for his second goal of the night and third of the season.
The lead would go to 4-2 just 1:22 later when the Wolverines worked the puck down low behind the Notre Dame goal. Jason Bailey moved the puck to T.J. Hensick who walked out from behind the net and slid the puck under Pearce at 16:32 for his fifth goal of the year.
After being out shot 20-12 through the first two periods, Notre Dame got its’ offense in gear in the third period, pouring 17 shots on Sauer but failed to dent the Michigan goal.
For the night, the two teams traded 29 shots on goal. Pearce made 25 saves for the Irish in his third career start. Sauer made 27 saves on the night for Michigan.
The Irish return home to face the Bowling Green Falcons in CCHA play next week. The two teams will play on Thursday and Friday nights, Nov. 10-11, at the Joyce Center. Game time both nights is 7:35 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY 1 2 3 - FNotre Dame (1-5-0/0-2-0) 2 0 0 - 2Michigan (7-1-1/3-1-1) 2 2 0 - 4
ScoringFirst Period: UM: Andrew Cogliano 7 (Andrew Ebbett), PPG, 4:57; ND: Matt Amado 2 (Tim Wallace), 6:34; ND: Michael Bartlett 1 (Tom Sawatske, Garrett Regan), 11:24; UM: Chad Kolarik 2 (Jack Johnson, Kevin Porter), PPG, 19:55.Penalties: ND: 3 for 6 minutes; UM: 1 for 2 minutes.
Second Period: UM: Kolarik 3 (Cogliano, Johnson), PPG, 15:10; UM: T.J. Hensick 5 (Jason Bailey, Porter), 16:32.Penalties: ND: 2 for 4 minutes; UM: 2 for 4 minutes.
Third Period: No Scoring.Penalties: ND: 2 for 4 minutes; UM: 5 for 10 minutes.
Shots On Goal:Notre Dame 10 - 2 - 17 - 29Michigan 8 - 12 - 9 - 29
Goaltender Saves:ND - Jordan Pearce (60:00) 6 - 10 - 9 - 25UM - Billy Sauer (60:00) 8 - 2 - 17 - 27
Power Plays:ND: 0 for 5UM: 3 for 6
Attendance: 6,814