Dec. 10, 1997
Notre Dame Hockey Defeats Wisconsin 4-2
MADISON, Wis. - The Fighting Irish hockey team extended its win
streak to three games on Wednesday night with a 4-2 victory, in front 7,382
fans, over the University of Wisconsin. The win upped the Irish record to
9-6-2 on the season, and dropped the Badgers to 7-6. The twenty points the
Irish have earned this year eclipses last year's total of 19 (9-25-1).
Notre Dame jumped out to an early lead when senior center Lyle
Andrusiak tallied his sixth goal of the season, and his first in seven
games at the 5:00 mark of the first period. Andrusiak picked up the puck in
the slot from Aniket Dhadphale and slid it past Wisconsin goaltender Mike
Valley. The Irish then extended their lead at the 16:42 mark of the first.
Captain Steve Noble came out of the penalty box, and took a lead pass from
Joe Dusbabek who was along the left wing boards. Noble skated into the
Badger zone, cut at the top of the right circle and skated to the middle
where he let loose a wrist shot that beat Valley.
Notre Dame took a 2-0 lead to the second period, and kept the pressure
on as goal scoring leader Aniket Dhadphale scored his eleventh goal of the
season on the power play at 5:40. Defenseman Tyson Fraser skated to the
center line and found Steve Noble on the left wing, who skated the puck in
the zone and fed Dhadphale in the slot. Dhadphale then fired a snapshot
into the top right corner of the net. The Badgers had a chance to turn the
momentum of the game when Steve Reinprecht scored at the 9:34 point of the
second period. The Irish responded quickly when just :57 later, Ben Simon
scored his third shorthanded goal of the season, more than the entire
'96-'97 Irish squad had for the season (2). Simon took a cross ice pass
from Brian Urick, who had drawn the lone Badger defenseman to him, and put
the puck past Valley. The Irish dominated the first two periods, out
shooting the Badgers 24-10.
Irish goaltender Forrest Karr stood his ground throughout the game to
preserve the Irish lead. In Karr's last two starts, he has faced just 26
shots, turning away 23 of them. The Badgers gave one last gasp effort late
in the third, and Erik Raygor's goal at 18:35 brought the Badgers to within
two goals, but that was as close as they would get.
The win makes the Irish 6-3 on the road this season. The same two teams
will battle again on Friday night in the Joyce Center at 7 p.m.
