Oct. 15, 1999
DENVER - Providence College struck for two quick goals
in the second period and rode the strong goaltending of junior Boyd
Ballard the rest of the way, as the Friars hockey team held on for a 2-1
victory Friday over Notre Dame in the opening game of the IceBreaker
Tournament, held at the newly-unveiled Magness Arena.
Providence advances to Saturday's championship game versus the winner
of Friday night's game between host University of Denver and Union
College. Notre Dame will play in Saturday's consolation game (DU will
play in the 7:35 game regardless of the outcome of its game vs. Union,
with the early game slated for a 4:05 start).
Notre Dame held a 31-18 edge in shots on goal but Ballard made 30 saves
while posting his 27th career victory in 55 appearances with the Friars.
Boyd and his PC teammates also stopped five of six Notre Dame power
plays, with the lone Irish score coming on a 5-on-3 chance.
The vaunted PC offense-which led the nation last season with a .254
power-play unit while averaging 4.18 goals per game-failed to rack up
the goals on Friday while totaling just two power-play chances (with one
man-up score).
The Irish-who dropped a two-game series to Michigan last week (5-3,
6-1)-have totaled just five goals in three games this season while going
2-for-19 on the power play (both goals have been 5-on-3).
PC opened the scoring with a pair of goals in a 29-second span of the
second period. Center Peter Fregoe-a former teammate of Notre Dame's
Michael Chin on the Des Moines Buccaneers-collected the first goal of
his PC career at the 9:28 mark, with Chin in the penalty box serving a
slashing penalty. Senior defenseman Jason Ialongo fed senior left wing
Fernando Pisani for an open power-play shot from the top of the left
circle. Irish sophomore goalie Jeremiah Kimento made the save but the
puck kicked out to the right circle, with Fregoe quickly firing a low
rebound shot that beat Kimento to the glove side.
Just moments later, PC freshman center Doug Wright collected the puck
after an Irish turnover in the neutral zone and sent a pass down the
left side for senior defenseman Dave Gendreau. Sophomore left wing Marc
Suderman then took a feed near the left circle and beat Kimento for the
quickly-developing goal (9:57).
The Irish scored less than two minutes later, cashing in a 5-on-3
chance on a goal by senior defenseman Tyson Fraser. Junior left wing Dan
Carlson and freshman center Connor Dunlop worked the puck to Fraser, who
uncorked a shot from the top of the left circle that beat Ballard to the
far glove side (11:21).
Both teams hit the pipes on near-goals in the ensuing minutes of the
game. Pisani broke free in the final minute of the second period and
sent a rifle shot from the top of the left circle. But the puck clanged
off the inside of the far right post and kicked behind Kimento while
sliding through the crease area.
The Irish had a similar chance with 13 minutes to play in the third
period, as junior right wing Ryan Dolder came up with the puck in the DU
zone and slid a pass through the slot. Sophomore center David Inman
skated onto the puck and had an open look at the net, but the rising
shot clanged loudly off the left post and kicked harmlessly across the
crease.
Notre Dame played with senior captain Ben Simon for the final eight
minutes, after Simon was hit from behind by junior defenseman Mike
Farrell near the boards in the PC zone. Simon was helped to the ice and
did not return to the game, with his status to be clarified on Saturday.
Inman slanted in from the right side with six minutes to play but
Ballard showed his quick reflexes for the glove save.
Notre Dame held a 10-5 shot edge in the scoreless first period. The
Irish-who went just 1-for-13 on the power play during the Michigan
series-had a man-up chance early in the first period but could not
convert. Providence also failed to cash in a power-play chance late in
the opening period.
The Irish made several changes to the opening-day lineup, with Simon
sliding to LW of the first line while Dunlop centered the line, with
senior Joe Dusbabek on the RW. Inman returned to his familiar
second-line C spot, alongside Carlson and Dolder (who had centered the
fourth line vs. Michigan). The third line returned junior LW Chad
Chipchase and sophomore C Brett Henning while adding Chin on the right.
Junior Matt Van Arkel centered the fourth line, with freshman John
Wroblewski returning on the RW while versatile senior Andy Jurkowski
skated on the left. Fraser and freshman Evan Nielsen again were paired
on the blue line, while seniors Sean Molina and Nathan Borega skated
together. Junior D Ryan Clark (who hails from nearby Littleton, Colo.)
returned to the lineup after missing the second Michigan game and was
paired with sophomore Sam Cornelius (who saw his first action of the
season).
NOTRE DAME (0-3-0) 0 1 0 - 1
PROVIDENCE (1-0-0) 0 2 0 - 2
2nd: PC 1. Fregoe 1 (Pisani, Ialongo), PP, 9:28, PC 2. Suderman 1
(Gendreau, Wright) 9:57, ND 1. Fraser (Carlson, Dunlop), 5-3, 11:21.
SHOTS: ND: 10-12-9/31, PC: 5-8-5/18.
SAVES: ND (Kimento) 5-6-5/16, PC
(Ballard) 10-11-9/30.
POWER PLAYS: ND 1-for-6, PC 1-for-2.
PENALTIES: ND: 4 for 8:00, PC 8 for
16:00.
