SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The dawn of the postseason is upon the Notre Dame hockey program as they embark on a best-of-three series in Ann Arbor, Michigan against storied foe the Michigan Wolverines. The weekend series marks the second consecutive road trip to lower Michigan for the Irish skaters, having concluded their regular season at Yost Ice Arena just over 10 days ago.
Each game of the series is set for a 7 p.m. puck drop on B1G+ with Friday and Saturday guaranteed.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: Michigan Wolverines
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.| Yost Ice Arena
Schedule: March 8-10* |7 p.m. | *Sunday if necessary
TV: B1G+
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/
Game Notes: Notre Dame | Michigan
QUICK HITS
- The Irish head into the Big Ten Playoff Quarterfinals after closing out the regular season at Michigan, February 23-24.
- Danny Nelson scored his ninth goal of the season in the weekend series at Yost and leads all Irish rookies in goals, assists (14) and points (23).
- After clinching a point in overtime in their final home game of the season, the Irish won the season series with the Gophers, earning seven of a possible 12 points for the conference standings.
- A night before the team honored its seniors, the rookie class led the Irish to victory over Minnesota, notching four of Notre Dame’s six goals and combining for 10 points on the night.
- The freshmen had a hand in all six of the team’s goals in the game one win, including two all-rookie tallies. The series’ opening goal came from the all-freshmen second line of Carter Slaggert, Danny Nelson and Brennan Ali while D Nelson and C Slaggert later connected again on a goal late in the second period to take the 5-1 lead in the final minute of the second stanza.
- Cole Knuble’s two goals led the team in the Friday night win. The freshman center tallied his sixth multi-point game with his two-goal performance and now boasts 15 points in his last 16 games played.
- With goals from both Slaggert brothers Friday against Minnesota, the freshman/senior duo recorded their second time both recording a goal in the same outing (prev. January 6 vs. Wisconsin). Carter Slaggert now boasts three career goals and two against Minnesota.
NOTRE DAME vs. MICHIGAN
- In 165 all-time meetings between the two programs the Irish trail the series 72-87-6.
- Most recently, the team fell for the first time in a regular season game at Yost Ice Arena since 2018 as the Wolverines took the series with 4-0 and 2-1 wins.
- Prior to that the Irish were 8-0-1 in their last nine regular season meetings in Ann Arbor, with the lone tie ending in a shootout win for the visiting Notre Dame squad (2023).
- Since the 2019-20 season, 11 games have been decided by a single goal with the Irish boasting an 8-3 record in those games.
- Earlier this season, the Irish and Wolverines split a weekend series in December to close out the first half home slate. Notre Dame jumped out in front early in game one of the series earlier this season with a 6-1 victory to mark Coach Jackson’s 400th win behind the Irish bench.
IRISH HEADED HOME
- The University of Notre Dame, in conjunction with The Odyssey Trust, announced the Irish would participate in the 2024 rendtion of the Friendship Four men’s college ice hockey tournament.
- The annual tournament is set to be played in Belfast, Ireland, next November (2024) with the Irish joining Harvard, Merrimack and Boston University as participants competing for the coveted Belpot Trophy.
- The tournament was last played in 2022 with Quinnipiac reigning victorious that fall before winning the national championship at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.
- The tournament first began in 2015 and is designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interation.
- Over the course of six previous tournaments, 24 games have been played dating back to the inagural games in 2015.
- Northern Ireland remains the only destination outside of the United States to host consequential NCAA Divison I ice hockey games.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
- The 2022-23 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year was one of two unanimous selections for 2023-24 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams. He was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team ahead of the coming season. Bischel was also a Mike Richter Award semifinalist and a Hobey Baker nominee a season ago.
- Drew Bavaro made an immediate impact at the blueline last season after joining the Irish and will look to continue that success this season as a senior. He was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team for the preseason. Landon Slaggert also picked up preseason honors from the Big Ten when he was named an Honorable Mention heading into the season.
- Following his performance against Mercyhurst, which included a nation’s best four goals on the weekend, Landon Slaggert was named the Big Ten’s Third Star of the Week October 31.
- Two Irish were recognized for their play in the weekend sweep of Ohio State to open conference play at home. Bischel picked up First Star of the Week honors with a .984 save percentage in two games played. The graduate netminder stopped 60 of 61 shots faced and earned his 10th career shutout. With his third blanking of the season, Bischel leads the nation in blankings.
- Landon Slaggert also picked up conference honors following the weekend against OSU, being tabbed Third Star of the Week by the Big Ten behind a goal and three assists.
- After a weekend split against then-No. 13/12, Ryan Bischel was named Big Ten Third Star of the Week for his .953 save percentage and 1.50 goals against average.
- Following a four goal weekend which included the team’s first hat trick performance in nearly two years, freshman Cole Knuble was named Big Ten Second Star of the Week. The honor came as Knuble’s first of his career and it was the fifth weekly award for the Irish this season.
FAMILY TIES
- The 2023-24 Notre Dame roster features quite a few family connections to the program and hockey world.
- Three sets of brothers are currently on the roster, including Justin and Trevor Janicke, Landon and Carter Slaggert, and Henry and Danny Nelson.
- With the addition of the Nelsons this season, the Irish have had 17 sets of brothers lace up their skates together for the Irish.
- Carter Slaggert also joins the Irish in 2023-24, becoming the third Slaggert brother to appear in a game for the Irish and joins his older brother Landon, who is a senior. Oldest brother Graham currently plays in the Buffalo Sabres organization and skated two years alongside Landon before graduating.
- Senior forward Brady Bjork is the younger brother of former Irish All-American and current Chicago Blackhawk Anders Bjork.
- Brady’s father, Kirt, played for the Irish from 1979-83 where he appeared in 141 and tallied 161 career points (76-85). When older brother Anders played for the Irish, they became the fourth set of father-son combinations within Notre Dame hockey.
- The Slaggerts are part of the fifth set of father-son combinations to suit up for the Irish, joining their father and associate head coach Andy Slaggert.
- Justin and Trevor Janicke are the sons of Curtis Janicke, who played for the Irish from 1989-93, appearing in 125 games while scoring 46 goals and adding 98 assists for 144 points.
- Justin, Trevor and Curtis represent the sixth father-son duo to play for the Irish.
- Freshman Paul Fischer is the nephew of Mike Gearan, a member of the first varsity hockey team at Notre Dame. Fischer will honor his uncle by wearing his number during his career with the Irish, No. 16.
- Freshman forward Cole Knuble is the son of former NHLer Mike Knuble, who spent 16 seasons in the NHL, including stints with Detroit, New York Rangers, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington. Cole was recently drafted by the Flyers’ organization where his father played during his early childhood. He will wear No. 22 with the Irish to honor his father.
- Four current Irish skaters have siblings playing at the collegiate level, away from South Bend.
- Cole Knuble’s brother, Cam, is a senior at Western Michigan University.
- Ryan Siedem’s brother is a freshman at the University of New Hampshire.
- Jayden Davis’ brother Matthew is a junior on the Denver Pioneers’ hockey team.
- Maddox Fleming’s sister Delaney is a freshman on the Ohio State University women’s hockey team.
CURRENT IRISH AND THE NHL DRAFT
- The 2023-24 roster features nine NHL draftees, including Jake Boltmann (CGY ‘20), Justin Janicke (SEA ‘21), Danny Nelson (NYI ‘23), Brennan Ali (DET ‘22), Paul Fischer (STL ‘23), Patrick Moynihan (NJD ‘19), Landon Slaggert (CHI ‘20), Cole Knuble (PHI ‘23) and Trevor Janicke (ANA ‘19).
- The 2023 NHL draft saw three Irish rookies selected, the most since 2020, and 15th time in program history that at least three Irish icers were selected in a single draft class.
- The trio of skaters selected in 2023, Danny Nelson (2nd Rd., 49 overall), Cole Knuble (4th Rd., 103 overall) and Paul Fischer (5th Rd., 138 overall) join fellow rookie Brennan Ali (DET ‘22) as draftees in the ND freshmen class.
- When D. Nelson was selected in the second round of this year’s Draft, Notre Dame extended its streak of players drafted to 21 years (2004-present).