Tag: Big Ten Hockey

Notre Dame releases nonconference schedule for 2022-23 season

Which game are you most looking forward to?

As much as Notre Dame is looking forward to playing Big Ten competition, the nonconference schedule is just as exciting. We know this because that schedule for the 2022-23 season has been announced. When you look at quite the number of high-profile opponents the Irish have scheduled, this is the exact measuring stick you want to see what kind of team you have.

The season officially begins with a trip to Colorado and the 2022 Ice Breaker Tournament. The Irish will begin that with a game against defending national champion Denver, followed by one at the Air Force Academy. This will be the Irish’s sixth time in this tournament, which they won in 2012 and 2018.

Of note, the opening home slate against Northern Michigan will be played on two nonconsecutive days so that neither game conflicts with the football team’s home game against Stanford that weekend.

And, of course, it’s always nice to schedule both Boston schools with the rich traditions they have.

Here is the full nonconference schedule:

Notre Dame adds Minnesota defenseman transfer Ben Brinkman

Some winning experience is coming to South Bend.

Notre Dame really is making an effort to use the transfer portal to shore up its depth on the blue line. First came the news of adding defenseman Drew Bavaro from Bentley. Now, the Irish are looking within their own conference. We know this because they have announced the addition of defenseman Ben Brinkman of Minnesota, although his transfer to the Irish has been known since mid-April.

Brinkman, a native of Edina, Minnesota, has been with the Gophers for each of the past four seasons. Over 120 games in the Twin Cities, he scored 21 of his 23 points for assists. Eight of those points came as a senior. He also will bring winning experience to South Bend as this past season, he was part of the Gophers’ first Frozen Four team in eight years.

We don’t know when the Irish and Gophers will play each other next season yet, but we know Brinkman will have those games circled.

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Notre Dame defenseman Chase Blackmun back for 2022-23 season

After three seasons with UMass-Lowell, Chase Blackmun had his most productive college season yet at Notre Dame.

After three seasons with UMass-Lowell, Chase Blackmun had his most productive college season yet at Notre Dame. He set career highs in games played (40) and assists (14). Now, he’s decided he won’t be one-and-done with the Irish. He’ll be returning to them in 2022-23, announcing such in a statement:

That’s right, Blackmun’s getting his MBA. Specifically, he is aiming for a Master of Science in Business Analytics. It’s fair to say the Hudson, Wisconsin native will be set up perfectly fine for employment when the time comes.

During his first season in South Bend, Blackmun had two-assist games against RIT and Wisconsin. His two goals were scored when the Irish won  contests over Penn State and Michigan State. His final assist of the season came during a sweep of Michigan in the last weekend of the regular season.

Blackmun obviously has a lot to prove still, and here’s hoping he’ll be able to do that successfully.

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Notre Dame’s Max Ellis signs contract with Toronto Maple Leafs

Good luck, Max.

With the season over, a few of Notre Dame’s players are being scooped up by professional teams. So far, we’ve seen it happen with Spencer Stastney and Adam Karashik. Now, we’re seeing it with Max Ellis. The junior forward has been signed to a two-way entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he will join the Toronto Marlies of the AHL for the Calder Cup playoffs before the contract kicks in next season.

In 71 career games for the Irish, Ellis scored 45 points, 22 of which came from goals. He was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Notre Dame’s Most Improved Player in 2020-21 and a Hobey Baker Award nominee.

In his third and final season in South Bend, Ellis had career and team highs in goals (16) and points (28) as well as a career high in assists (12). Six of his 39 games were multi-point games, and he was selected as the Big Ten First Star of the Week once.

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Notre Dame gets Nick Leivermann back for fifth season

The Irish have some experience coming back.

Notre Dame is expected to have a lot of turnover on next year’s roster after having many seniors and graduate students this year. Defenseman Nick Leivermann was one of those seniors. However, he’s not going anywhere. That’s because he has decided to come back for a fifth season.

Leivermann, who had 27 points in 2021-22 to tie for second on the Irish, said the following:

““After looking at potential options, I felt returning to Notre Dame would be best for my career development. I’m looking forward to continuing my education and becoming a Double Domer and I’m excited to hit the ice with our returning group.”

Irish coach Jeff Jackson also chimed in:

“We’re very excited to have Nicky returning to our program. He’ll continue to develop his game and strive to become one of the best defensemen in the country. He also has the experience and leadership qualities necessary to help sustain our culture moving forward.”

Congratulations to the 2017 Colorado Avalanche seventh-round pick and three-time Big Ten All Academic Team selection. Let’s hope next season will be his best.

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Notre Dame’s Jake Pivonka is finalist for Derek Hines Award

Congrats to the Irish captain.

An Achilles injury put Notre Dame forward Jake Pivonka’s senior season in jeopardy. He was able to return to game action in mid-December after sticking around as a team leader as he went through rehabilitation. Now, the captain and 2018 New York Islanders fourth-round pick is being recognized in a big way. He has been selected as the Big Ten finalist for the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award.

The award, which is presented by the Hockey Commissioners Association, is given to the player who best “displays exemplary sportsmanship, is supremely competitive, intelligent and extraordinarily conditioned with an unmatched work ethic.” It is named after Derek Hines, a former Army player who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan in 2005.

In 126 career games with the Irish, Pivonka has 38 points, nine of which have come on goals. Of those nine, four have been game-winners. One of those came in the deciding game of the Irish’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal win over Wisconsin.

The winner of the award will be announced April 8 during Frozen Four weekend festivities in Boston.

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Notre Dame’s Matthew Galajda earns weekly Big Ten honor again

This is getting to be a regular thing.

Notre Dame really is riding a hot goaltender in Matthew Galajda heading into the Big Ten Tournament. Last week, he was named the Big Ten Second Star of the Week. He has earned that honor for the second consecutive week. Ben Meyers of Minnesota also made the conference’s weekly stars in back-to-back weeks, and rounding out the list is Justen Close, Meyers’ teammate.

Galajda, who also has two Third Stars of the Week this season, was the winning goaltender in both of the Irish’s recent wins over Michigan. Over the two games, Galajda made 59 out of a possible 61 saves, giving him a .967 save percentage to go with a 1.00 GAA. His recent strong play was a key factor in the Irish’s five-game winning streak that ended the regular season.

This season, Galajda is second in the Big Ten in both GAA (1.88) and save percentage (.932). He and fellow Irish goaltender Ryan Bischel are two of four conference netminders to have surrendered less than 40 goals this season.

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Notre Dame’s Matthew Galajda is Big Ten’s Second Star of the Week

Nice honor for the Irish goaltender.

Notre Dame goaltender Matthew Galajda made noise early in the season by being named the Big Ten’s Third Star of the Week twice. Now, he’s taken it a step further by becoming the conference’s Second Star of the Week. His honor was sandwiched between Luke Hughes of Michigan and Ben Meyers of Minnesota. This is the eighth time this season an Irish player has been named a Big Ten Star of the Week.

Galajda and the Irish completed a road sweep of Michigan State over the past weekend. In victories of 3-1 and 4-2, Galajda made 63 out of a possible 66 saves. That calculates to a .955 save percentage and a GAA of 1.50. His 73 career wins are tied for 13th all-time on the Division I men’s list.

Galajda is leading the Big Ten with a 1.99 GAA and is tied for second in save percentage at .927. If the Irish are a tough out in the conference tournament, Galajda likely will be a major reason why.

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Notre Dame’s Ryan Bischel is Big Ten’s First Star of the Week

The Irish are killing it on the ice right now.

For the third week in a row, a Notre Dame player has been named one of the Big Ten’s Stars of the Week. This time, it’s Ryan Bischel taking home the honor, and he’s the conference’s First Star of the Week. This comes after back-to-back weeks of Ryder Rolston and Spencer Stastney getting the Third Star. Bischel is joined this week by Second Star Mason Lohrei of Ohio State and Third Star Carl Fish of Minnesota.

Bischel won both starts against Penn State over the past weekend, making 67 out of a possible 69 saves. The second game saw him make 35 saves for the shutout. That brought him to a 10-4-0 record, a .930 save percentage and a conference-leading GAA of 1.93.

This is the second time an Irish player has been named the Big Ten First Star of the Week. Max Ellis earned the honor Nov. 23.

The Irish continue their season Thursday and Friday at Wisconsin.

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Notre Dame’s Spencer Stastney is Big Ten Third Star of the Week

Congratulations, Spencer!

After Notre Dame earned a weekend split against Minnesota, one of its players has been rewarded. Defenseman Spencer Stastney is the latest Big Ten Third Star of the Week. This is the second consecutive week an Irish player has earned that honor after Ryder Rolston won it last week. Stastney was honored alongside goaltenders Erik Portillo of Michigan and Jakub Dobes of Ohio State.

Stastney, who was an honorable mention on the preseason All-Big Ten Team, led the Irish with three assists in the two games against the Gophers. One of those assists helped Landon Slaggert score the game-winner in overtime of the second game. That increased his team-leading total in that category to 15.

This is the first time Stastney has been named a Big Ten star. In addition to this, he and Irish teammate Graham Slaggert are candidates for this year’s Senior CLASS Award, which is given to a senior or graduate student who excels in competition, character, community and classroom.

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