Dec. 10, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. (12/10/99) - Notre Dame and the University of Massachusetts combined for five goals in the first period but produced just two scores the rest of the way, as the Minutemen held off a late Irish charge for a 4-3 victory in the first game of a non-conference hockey series Friday night at the Joyce Center.

Notre Dame (6-9-2)-which held a 36-23 edge in shots on goal-played yet another close game, as five of the team's last seven games have been decided by one goal (the Irish are 3-2 in those games). Freshman goaltender Tony Zasowski yielded all four UMass goals in the game's first 24 minutes before giving way to sophomore Jeremiah Kimento.

UMass (4-7-2) received a strong effort from its goaltender, as junior Markus Helanen made 33 saves-including 20 in the final period. Ten different UMass players had a hand in the scoring, led by two-point efforts from junior center Jeff Turner and junior center Kris Wallis.

The Minutemen claimed their third lead of the night (3-2) late in the first period, on the third career goal and second of the season from sophomore defenseman Toni Soderholm. Freshman right wing Tim Turner forced the action by intercepting Zasowski's clearing attempt in the right corner and working the puck to junior left wing Jay Shaw near the right circle. Shaw then zipped a pass to the top of the slot for Soderholm, who sent a low shot from just inside the blue line that caught some of the right post before ricocheting around the goal (17:10).

The visitors added some cushion to their lead early in the second period, on the first even-strength goal of the night. Junior right wing R.J. Gates provided the outlet pass and junior left wing Nick Stephens slanted down the right side before sliding a pass from the end line. The puck sailed through the slot area and Wallis lifted the puck back into the upper right corner of net, catching Zasowski going the wrong way (3:44).

Notre Dame set up an exciting finish by scoring just 18 seconds after Wallis' goal. Junior left wing Dan Carlson kept the puck in at the right point and snapped a pass to the left circle for junior right wing Ryan Dolder. Senior center Ben Simon was open at the right side of the crease and Dolder put the puck on his stick, with the lefthanded Simon flicking his fourth goal of the season into the upper right corner of the net before Helanen could recover (4:02).

The Irish had a chance to tie the game with the clock ticking under six minutes, after freshman defenseman Evan Nielsen unleashed a shot from the right point. Helanen made the save but the rebound landed at the stick of Irish leading scorer David Inman, whose quick return shot was saved by a sprawling Helanen. The hosts then had several other chances in the closing minutes, including several open shots after pulling Kimento with 1:13 left to play.

The teams traded goals in the eighth minute of play, with Jeff Turner opening the scoring after converting the Minutemen's seventh shorthanded goal of the season. Sophomore defenseman Luke Duplessis set the play in motion with a pass off the left boards in the UMass zone and Turner then sent the puck towards the center faceoff circle. Senior right wing Jeff Blanchard beat a pair of Irish players to the puck and sent a lunging return pass to his left for Turner, who skated in on the breakaway and faked to his backhand before stuffing a forehand past Zasowski's right leg for his team-leading seventh goal of the season (7:19).

The Irish-still on the power play-answered just 10 seconds later, after senior defenseman Sean Seyferth had picked off a clearing attempt and fired a shot from the right point. Several Irish players were filling the slot area, with junior left wing Jay Kopischke tipping the puck past Helanen for his fourth career goal and second in as many games (7:29).

UMass regained the lead one minute later, on a tip-in goal by sophomore left wing Jedd Crumb. Jeff Turner passed the puck to the top of the slot for Wallis, who then sent a rising shot into a crowded crease area. Crumb was able to get his stick on the puck and redirect it past Zasowski for his fifth goal of the season and a 2-1 UMass lead (8:36).

Notre Dame again tied the game, on a power-play goal from Dolder. Simon led a break down the middle and slid a pass to his left for senior right wing Joe Dusbabek. The righthanded Dolder was crashing the top of the crease and stopped just shy of the arc before one-touching a backhander past Helanen after a perfect feed pass from Dusbabek (13:23).

NOTES: The three first-period goals were the most that the Irish have allowed in a single period in the last 11 games, since Ferris State scored three first-period goals en route to a 4-2 win over the Irish on Oct. 24 ... Simon pushed his career point total to 109 (35G-74A) in 120 games ... with the absence of freshman center Connor Dunlop (arm injury), the Irish shook up their lines be moving Inman from the first-line left wing spot to the third-line center spot, alongside freshmen Michael Chin and John Wroblewski ... Carlson-who had one-third of the Irish shots on goal Friday (12 of 36)-moved up to the first line, alongside Simon and Dusbabek ... Seyferth has three points (1G-2A) in the last four games ... prior to his current two-game goal streak, Kopischke had played 49 games without lighting the lamp ... Dolder has 2G-2A in the last five games, including last week's game-winner vs. Michigan State (1-0) ... Dusbabek has five points (1G-4A) in the last six games and nine (3G-6A) in his last 10 games played ... Simon has six points (2G-4A) in the last four games, after totaling just five points in the first 12 ... Carlson's assist was his first assist and second point in the last eight games.

1st: UMass 1. J. Turner 7 (Blanchard, Duplessis), SH, 7:19, ND 1. Kopischke 2 (Seyferth), PP, 7:29, UMass 2. Crumb 5 (Wallis, J. Turner), PP, 8:36, ND 2. Dolder 4 (Dusbabek, Simon), PP, 13:23, UMass 3. Soderholm 2 (Shaw, T. Turner) 17:10. 2nd: UMass 4. Wallis 2 (Stephens, Gates) 3:44.
3rd: ND 3. Simon 4 (Dolder, Carlson) 4:02.

Shots: UMass 10-8-5/23, ND 7-8-21/36.
Saves: UMass (Helanen) 5-8-20/33, ND 7-7-5/19 (Zasowski 7-2-x/9, Kimento x-5-5/10).
Power Play: UMass 1-for-4, ND 2-for-5.
Penalties: UMass 7 for 14:00, ND 6 for 12:00.