Tag: Alex Steeves

Notre Dame’s Max Ellis, Graham Slaggert make pro debuts for same team

A proud day for the Irish.

Max Ellis and Graham Slaggert gave all they could to Notre Dame. Now, it’s time for them to move on and begin their professional careers. As luck would have it, they both remain teammates with the Toronto Marlies, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate. As further luck would have it, they made their pro debuts on the same day. The Marlies made sure to document the moment on social media:

Neither player, nor fellow former Irish teammate Alex Steeves factored into the Marlies’ 4-1 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins. However, Ellis had a few scoring chances that were worth documenting:

Slaggert played in a role in setting up another chance:

All three former Notre Dame players will hope to contribute as the Marlies continue their push for the Calder Cup playoffs. With Steeves having been around the entire season except for three games with the Maple Leafs, he is sure to show his former-turned-current teammates the ropes. It should be fun for all of them.

Former Notre Dame forward Alex Steeves to make NHL debut

Some new Irish blood is coming to hockey’s highest level.

After no former Notre Dame player made an NHL debut last season, there was nowhere to go but up in 2021-22. This season already is an improvement because Alex Steeves has been recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Steeves was placed on the fourth line during the morning skate that was held ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets:

Steeves made his professional debut earlier this season with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. He scored 12 points in 12 games, which gave the Leafs reason to send for him. All of this has come only months after he wrapped up a three-year career with the Irish. During his 104 career games with the Irish, he accumulated 69 points, including 33 goals. After last season, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Leafs.

Steeves earned many honors with the Irish, including team MVP, an All-Big Ten selection and two Academic All-Big Ten selections.

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Notre Dame has five players among Big Ten Distinguished Scholars

There are some smart players on the Irish’s hockey team.

Notre Dame continues to add to its reputation of having some of the smartest student-athletes in the nation. The latest proof of that is five hockey players being named 2020-21 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars. Those players are accounting majors Alex Steeves and Charlie Raith, business analytics majors Pierce Crawford and Trevor Janicke, and finance major Christian DiCesare. So yeah, chances are you’re going to get on this list if you’re good at working with numbers.

To qualify for the award, a player must be an Academic All-Big Ten selection, be a full-time season for all of the previous academic year and have at least a 3.70 GPA during that academic year, excluding summer grades. The Big Ten gives out this honor for student-athletes in every sport it has teams for. As Notre Dame only is in the conference for hockey, this is the only opportunity for the university to be represented on this list.

Notre Dame to open Big Ten tournament hosting Penn State

Can Notre Dame win a third-straight game against Penn State?

  • As the No. 4 seed (based on conference winning percentage), Notre Dame will play fifth-seeded Penn State for the third consecutive game at noon on Sunday, March 14 in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
  • It will mark Penn State’s fifth consecutive game against the Irish.
  • The winner will play top-seeded Wisconsin at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 15 as there is no re-seeding at the 2021 Big Ten Tournament (see page 22 for the bracket).
  • The teams have met twice previously in the Big Ten Tournament at Compton Family Ice Arena.
  • In 2018, Notre Dame’s first season in the league, the Irish eliminated the Nittany Lions with a 3-2 semifinal win as Jack Jenkins scored the game winner with 31 seconds left in the third (current NHL defensemen Jordan Gross and Andrew Peeke also scored for the Irish in that win).
  • Current seniors Matt Hellickson (one assist) and Colin Theisen played in that game, while Dylan St. Cyr was on the bench with Cale Morris getting the start.
  • Then in 2019, the teams met in the championship game with the Irish once again posting a 3-2 win.
  • Spencer Stastney opened the scoring in that game with his first career goal, while Theisen and Graham Slaggert added assists.
  • The Fighting Irish are 7-2-0 all time in Big Ten Tournament games (6-0-0 at Compton Family Ice Arena) and captured the 2018 and 2019 Big Ten Tournament Championships.
  • Notre Dame carries a five-game unbeaten streak into the tournament (4-0-1), tied for the fourth-longest active unbeaten streak in the country.

QUICK HITS

  • Senior goaltender Dylan St. Cyr was named the Big Ten’s Second Star of the Week for the second consecutive week after helping the Irish sweep Penn State to close out the regular season.
  • St. Cyr led Notre Dame to wins of 5-2 and 7-1 as the Irish improved to 14-12-2 on the year. For the weekend, St. Cyr stopped 75 of the 78 shots he faced for a .962 save percentage to go along with a 1.56 goals against average.
  • St. Cyr has started 14 of Notre Dame’s last 15 games dating back to the 2-1 win at Minnesota on Jan. 16 while posting a 2.00 goals against average and a .939 save percentage during that span.
  • Notre Dame finished the regular season tied with Wisconsin, Bowling Green and Michigan Tech for the most games played at 28 (both Notre Dame and Wisconsin were able to play each game on their schedules).
  • Alex Steeves leads the Irish with 15 goals and 31 points and has at least one point in 21 of 28 games this season.
  • Steeves’ 15 goals rank tied for fifth nationally, while his 14 goals in Big Ten play rank second to Cole Caufield (24).
  • Steeves’31 points rank sixth nationally.
  • Steeves enters the tournament with a six-game point streak (5-4-9), as does Landon Slaggert (3-6-9).
  • Graham Slaggert leads the Irish with 18 assists and ranks second on the team with 25 points while his 18 assists ranks tied for ninth in the country.

Notre Dame Dominates Ohio State in Weekend Series Opener

Notre Dame had an opportunity to get back to .500 with Friday’s series opener at Ohio State. It did so with authority.

Notre Dame had an opportunity to get back to .500 with Friday’s series opener at Ohio State. It did so with authority. After a start that made some Notre Dame fans nervous, the Irish let them know in no uncertain terms that this was their game. Their 6-1 win represented the most times the Buckeyes have been scored upon this season.

Although it took about half the first period for the Irish (9-9-1, 7-7-1) to even record their first shot on goal, they drew first blood on a Spencer Stastney goal from the left faceoff circle. A couple of minutes later, Nate Clurman was whistled for checking from behind and, after a review, received a game misconduct. With plenty of time still on the five-minute Buckeyes power play, Landon Slaggert was sent to the box for hooking, forcing the Irish to skate two men down. Incredibly, the Irish’s penalty kill, helped by some nice saves from Dylan St. Cyr, got the job done and kept Ohio State (5-13-1, 5-12-0) off the scoreboard that entire time.

With momentum on their side, the Irish seized control in the second period, outshooting the Buckeyes, 18-5. They most of it by getting goals from Matt and Alex Steeves, Jesse Lansdell and Landon Slaggert, who scored 25 seconds into a power play. Nick Leivermann added a goal in the third, but all action was a formality at that point.

Alex Steeves was the Irish’s best player with three assists to go with his second-period tally. Graham Slaggert picked up two assists, and Lansdell and Leivermann also got into the assists column. St. Cyr stopped 23 of 24 shots for his sixth win of the season.

Notre Dame’s Alex Steeves Up For Hobey Baker Fan Vote

Notre Dame and Team USA Hockey forward Alex Steeves is up for a national award in the collegiate ranks.

Notre Dame star hockey forward Alex Steeves is up for a national award based on fan voting.  Details can be found the University of Notre Dame’s official release below:

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Junior forward Alex Steeves has been selected to Phase One of the Hobey Baker Award’s fan ballot.

To vote, visit the website www.hobeybaker.com.

Awarded annually to college hockey’s top player, the Hobey Baker award includes candidates exhibiting the exceptional character traits of the award’s namesake, Hobey Baker, with consideration given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.

Steeves has scored nine goals and added six assists for 15 points in 18 contests this season for the Irish, including a six-game point streak from Dec. 4 – Jan. 9. Steeves’ nine markers lead the team and are currently tied for the third-most in the Big Ten. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota, native has earned at least one point in 13 of 18 games in the 2020-21 campaign.

The Fan Balloting (Phase I) of the Hobey Baker award calendar will continue until March 7. On March 17, the Top 10 Finalists will be announced, at which time Phase II Fan Balloting will begin and run through March 28, 2021. The Hobey Hat Trick Finalist Announcement will be made on April 1. The 2021 Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced from a field of three Hobey Hat Trick finalists on Friday, April 9, 2021.

Up Next For The Irish

  • Notre Dame stays on the road to take on Big Ten foe Ohio State this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 5-6) in Columbus, Ohio.
  • Friday’s contest is set for 4:30 p.m. ET before the teams wrap up the weekend series on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
  • Both games will be televised on BTN.

—ND—

Notre Dame Forward Alex Steeves Makes Scholar List

Even with college hockey the furthest thing from most sports fans’ minds right now, things keep happening in that area.

Even with college hockey the furthest thing from most sports fans’ minds right now, things keep happening in that area. Folks are finding out who on in the ice is smart. Like, really smart.

Notre Dame forward Alex Steeves has been named an American Hockey Coaches’ Association Krampade All-American Scholar for the 2019-20 season. Steeves, an incoming junior, has made the Dean’s List three times and the Big Ten All-Academic team in his first two seasons with the Irish. Steeves majors in Accountancy at the Mendoza College of Business.

Steeves was Notre Dame’s leading scorer in 2019-20 with 28 points, more tripling his total from the previous season. He tied for the team lead in assists (17) with Spencer Stastney and was second in goals (11) behind Cam Morrison (13).

Student-athletes who made the list must have had a 3.75 GPA for the fall semester and played in 40 percent of their team’s games. There was revised criteria this year because of COVID-19.

Notre Dame Hockey: Season Over After Loss to Gophers

Notre Dame’s season came to an end with a 3-2 loss to Minnesota in the third and decisive game of the Big Ten quarterfinals Sunday.

Notre Dame’s season came to an end with a 3-2 loss to Minnesota in the third and decisive game of the Big Ten quarterfinals Sunday. The Irish finished the season with a 15-15-7 record.

After battling Minnesota to a scoreless first period, the Irish got on the scoreboard first in the second frame on a wrister from Alex Steeves. But the Gophers rallied to score three unanswered goals to round out the scoring from that period. Ben Meyers scored twice on the power play, and a tally from Sampo Ranta was sandwiched between Meyers’ goals. Cam Morrison got the Irish closer with his second power-play goal in as many nights in the third period, but that’s where the game’s scoring stopped.

Cale Morris finished his collegiate career with 18 saves. His senior season ended better than the sophomore campaign of Cam Burke, who received a major penalty and game misconduct for checking from behind in the second period. That resulted in what proved to be the game-winning goal for Minnesota.

Notre Dame Hockey: Irish Hope for Win Over Wolverines

After going 0-1-1 at home against Minnesota, Notre Dame will face a Michigan team that had a 9-2 scoring advantage in two wins over Michigan State last weekend. The two games between the Irish (12-12-6, 7-8-5-3) and Wolverines (15-12-3, 10-8-2-1) …

After going 0-1-1 at home against Minnesota, Notre Dame will face a Michigan team that had a 9-2 scoring advantage in two wins over Michigan State last weekend. The two games between the Irish (12-12-6, 7-8-5-3) and Wolverines (15-12-3, 10-8-2-1) will take place Friday and Saturday in Ann Arbor. With the teams separated by seven points in the Big Ten standings and only two weekends of the regular season remaining, now is the time for these teams to make their moves.

These games likely won’t be determined by time spent in the penalty box. Notre Dame’s 7.4 penalty minutes a game are the fourth fewest in the country. Michigan isn’t far behind at sixth (8.2).

Much of Notre Dame’s season has hinged on the offensive success of Alex Steeves and Cal Burke. When Steeves notches a point, the Irish are 8-3-3. That record is 7-2-4 with Burke in the scoresheet. When Burke scores a goal, the Irish have a 6-1-0 record.

Notre Dame Hockey: Irish to Visit Lions

Notre Dame will head to Pennsylvania for a road series Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 against Penn State, one of the first-place teams in the Big Ten heading into the weekend. The Irish (11-11-4, 6-7-3-2) are coming off a stretch in which 20 days went by …

Notre Dame will head to Pennsylvania for a road series Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 against Penn State, one of the first-place teams in the Big Ten heading into the weekend. The Irish (11-11-4, 6-7-3-2) are coming off a stretch in which 20 days went by between wins. They split a December series with the Nittany Lions (17-8-1, 9-6-1-0) in South Bend.

Alex Steeves has been a player to watch since the Irish returned from winter break. In eight games, Steeves has five goals and five assists. His 10 points are the most in the Big Ten since Jan. 3, and they tie for the fourth most in the country.

With the Irish sitting fourth in the Big Ten, this could be a key weekend to determine seeding in the conference tournament. The top seed receives a first-round bye, while the second, third and fourth seeds host best-of-three quarterfinal series. With a month left in the regular season and the Irish five points out of first place in the conference, now is the time for them to make their move.