#4 Dan VeNard 2006-07 Hockey Roster

Three-time monogram winner for the Irish … hard-working defenseman who will serve as a leader of Notre Dame[apos]s young defensive corps along with Brock Sheahan … tough, gritty defender who has battled injuries throughout his Irish hockey career … tough, tenacious player with a great attitude and tremendous work ethic … defensive-minded defenseman who is strong on his skates and makes good decisions with the puck … strong in transition game, making quick first pass out of the defensive zone … strong off ice leadership skills … was selected to serve as president of Notre Dame[apos]s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as a senior … saw action in 17 games in 2006-07, picking up four assists on the year … has now played in 71 career games with two goals and six assists for eight points … played three seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Green Bay Gamblers … one of two former Gamblers on the Notre Dame roster along with sophomore Kevin Deeth … one of 20 Irish players to play in the USHL … one of five Illinois natives on the Notre Dame roster, joining fellow senior Brian D[apos]Arcy (Western Springs), sophomores Dan Kissel (Crestwood) and Tom O[apos]Brien (Mokena) and freshman Teddy Ruth (Naperville) … signed a national letter-of-intent in early-signing period (Nov. `02) along with Luke Lucyk and Brock Sheahan.

AS A JUNIOR: Played in 17 games, recording four assists on the season … called for two penalties resulting in four penalty minutes … took 12 shots on goal … was +9 for the season … held scoreless in first four games he played before going on a personal-best three-game point streak (0g, 3a) from Nov. 10 to Nov. 17 … set up first-period goal by Ryan Thang in 5-2 win versus Bowling Green … set up Erik Condra[apos]s game-winning goal the following night in 4-0 win over Falcons … final assist came on Justin White[apos]s first career goal in 4-1 home win against Michigan State on Nov. 17 … final assist of the season came on Jan. 5 when he helped set up Condra short-handed goal in 6-2 win versus Robert Morris in Pittsburgh.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Played in 29 of Notre Dame[apos]s 36 games on the season … missed first three games of the season due to a stress fracture suffered during the summer … scored one goal with one assist for two points … recorded 12 penalties for 24 minutes … had 18 shots on goal … had a -1 rating for the year … picked up lone assist in a 2-2 tie at Miami on Jan. 13 … scored Notre Dame[apos]s only goal of the post season when he gave the Irish a 1-0 lead at 13:31 of the first period in an eventual 3-1 loss to Alaska Fairbanks.

AS A FRESHMAN: Played in 25 of 38 games in 2004-05 … recorded a goal and an assist for two points … whistled off for 11 penalties for 22 minutes … had 23 shots on goal … played in the first 11 games of the season with one assist versus Western Michigan in 2-2 tie on Nov. 12 … suffered a separated right shoulder the following night versus the Broncos and missed the next seven weeks (seven games) … returned to the lineup on New Year[apos]s Day and played in the next 10 games … scored first career goal on a breakaway versus Michigan Tech in Green Bay, Wis. … suffered another shoulder injury on Jan. 29 versus Bowling Green and sat out the month of February, missing six games … returned for the final two regular-season games versus Michigan State and the two CCHA playoff games versus Michigan.

PREP & PERSONAL: Graduated from Ashwaubenon High School in Green Bay … spent his freshman year in high school at Adlai Stevenson High school in Illinois … played three years with the USHL[apos]s Green Bay Gamblers …. alternate captain for the Gamblers in 2003-04 … had two goals and two assists for four points to go with two minutes in penalties … named to the USHL[apos]s Viking Cup all-star team made up of Under 20 Tier I players … in 2002-03, injured his knee in opening game of the season, but returned in February to play in final eight games of the season, notching a goal and an assist … as a 16-year old in 2001-02, played in 60 games for the Gamblers, scoring three goals with nine assists for 12 points … named to Central District Select 16 and 17 teams and was a member of the U.S. Select Under 18 team that played in the Eight Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic …full name is Daniel J. VeNard … son of Jim and Joanne VeNard … has one sister … father played college hockey at St. Nobert[apos]s … grandfather Vincent Manna played college football at Holy Cross (Worcester, Mass.) … is the nephew of former Boston Celtic player and coach Tom Heinsohn who played his college basketball at Holy Cross … born Oct. 5, 1985, in Winfield, Ill. … history and political science major in the College of Arts and Letters.

VeNard[apos]s Career Statistics