Feb. 9, 2001
Notre Dame, Ind. – The playoffs started a month early for the Notre Dame hockey team.
Coming into Friday night’s game with the Bowling Green Falcons, the Irish were four points out of the final CCHA playoff spot. Bowling Green held that final playoff spot, four points ahead of Notre Dame. A win on Friday was imperative if the Irish planned on playing in the post season.
Freshman center Rob Globke did his part as he scored two goals and added an assist for the first three-point game of his career and goaltender Tony Zasowski stopped 35 of 37 Bowling Green shots as the Irish took a 3-2 decision versus the Falcons at the Joyce Center.
The win improves the Irish to 7-21-5 overall and 4-14-4 in the CCHA, good for 12 points in the playoff chase. Bowling Green goes to 10-15-4 on the year and 5-12-4 in league play for 14 points. Notre Dame is now tied with Lake Superior State for 11th and is two points behind the Falcons for the 10th and final playoff spot with six league games left to play.
“This was do-or-die, playoff hockey for us tonight,” said head coach Dave Poulin following the game.
“We felt the pressure. It’s an uncomfortable feeling. They knew they needed a win. This was an enormous victory for us. It really makes tomorrow’s game that much bigger.”
The Irish took the first lead of the game at 19:18 of the first period scoring via the power play. Left wing Dan Carlson started the play by firing the puck from the left point. Globke, planted about 10 feet in front of Bowling Green goaltender Tyler Masters redirected the shot to the far post where right wing Connor Dunlop banged it home for his fifth goal of the season.
The goal marked just the 10th time in 33 games this season that the Irish have scored the first goal. They are 5-3-2 in those contests.
In the second period, Bowling Green threw everything they had at the Irish in the first half of the stanza outshooting ND, 16-2, but scored just once as Zasowski came up big, time after time.
The Falcons evened the score at one when defenseman Marc Barlow raced in from the right point to get off two shots on the Irish goal. Zasowski stopped the first one, but Barlow put the rebound over him for a power play goal at 3:38.
“For the first eight to 10 minutes in the second, they really dominated us. Our defense was standing around watching. We fell into a lull that we’ve seen before. Tony (Zasowski) really made some big stops on some tough shots. They (Bowling Green) scored the power play goal, but five-on-five we held them off,” said Poulin.
Globke, moved from right wing to center two games ago, got his first of the night on a tremendous individual effort as he intercepted a Bowling Green pass at center and raced into the BG zone.
“Their defense threw me the puck at center. I had speed as I went into their zone and faked wide. I cut across the front and shot it under the goalie’s arm,” explained the 18-year old forward.
The goal was Globke’s 13th of the season and came at 16:01 of the second period. Bowling Green finished the second period outshooting the Irish by a 19-10 margin but the Irish led 2-1.
The Falcons tied the game at 2-2 at the 5:35 mark of the third when Scott Hewson scored on the power play at 5:35 for his sixth goal of the season.
Globke wasn’t done as he answered back with his team-high 14th goal of the season at 12:54. Carlson started the play in his own zone chipping the puck along the left wing boards to center where Globke picked up the loose puck.
“Danny (Carlson) chipped the puck past their defense. I just faked a shot in the slot and pulled the puck to the middle and slid it past the goalie on the left side,” said Globke.
The goal, Globke’s 14th of the year, is the most by an Irish freshman since Jamie Ling had 14 during the 1992-93 season.
“People made plays tonight,” commented Poulin. “We got some big saves from Tony (Zasowski) when we needed them and Globke made two great plays on his goals. We haven’t had people make plays this season, tonight we did.”
Poulin will be looking for more plays on Saturday night when Notre Dame and Bowling Green meet in another crucial game at the Joyce Center. Face-off is set for 7:05 p.m.
SUMMARY:
Bowling Green (10-15-4/5-12-4) 0 1 1 – 2
Notre Dame (7-21-5/4-14-4) 1 1 1 – 3
First Period: ND: Connor Dunlop 5 (Rob Globke, Dan Carlson), PPG, 19:18.
Penalties: BGSU: 3 for 6 minutes, ND: 3 for 14 minutes.
Second Period: BGSU: Marc Barlow 3 (Scott Hewson), PPG, 3:38, ND: Globke 13 (unassisted), 16:01.
Penalties: BGSU: 1 for 2 minutes, ND: 2 for 4 minutes.
Third Period: BGSU: Hewson 6 (Ryan Murphy, Grady Moore), PPG, 5:35, ND: Globke 14 (Carlson), 12:54.
Penalties: BGSU: 2 for 4 minutes, ND: 2 for 4 minutes.
Power Plays:
Bowling Green: 2 for 5
Notre Dame: 1 for 4
Shots On Goal:
Bowling Green: 10 – 19 – 8 – 37
Notre Dame: 9 – 11 – 14 – 34
Goaltender Saves:
Bowling Green: Tyler Masters (59:15) 8 – 10 – 13 – 31
Notre Dame: Tony Zasowski (60:00) 10 – 18 – 7 – 35
Attendance: 2,007