Tag: Cam Morrison

Former Notre Dame Goaltender Cale Morris Signs With Rockford IceHogs

The Chicago Blackhawks really seem to like Notre Dame products.

The Chicago Blackhawks really seem to like Notre Dame products. Over the past couple of months, we’ve seen them sign Cam Morrison and draft Landon Slaggert. Now, former Irish goaltender Cale Morris is joining the organization. More specifically, he has signed his first professional contract with the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.

Morris was Notre Dame’s starting goaltender for three of his four seasons. He played 105 games and earned a 58-35-10 record with a 2.17 GAA, a .932 save percentage and 11 shutouts. He was between the pipes when the Irish made the national title game in 2018. Two years in a row, he was the Most Outstanding Player in the Big Ten tournament.

During the 2019-20 season, Morris earned his third consecutive Academic All-Big Ten selection. He was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten, a Senior Class Finalist and a unanimous selection to the First Team Preseason All-Big Ten. He was one of the conference Three Stars of the Week three times and an NCAA Star of the Week once.

Junior Defenseman Nate Clurman is Notre Dame Hockey’s 2020-21 Captain

With Notre Dame’s 2020-21 season going on as scheduled, the time has come to name the captains.

With Notre Dame’s 2020-21 season going on as scheduled, the time has come to name the captains. Coach Jeff Jackson announced that decision Tuesday. Junior defenseman Nate Clurman will wear the coveted “C”. He’ll be joined by a trio of senior alternate captains: Matt Hellickson, Pierce Crawford and Colin Theisen.

Jackson said the following in explaining the decision to name these particular players captains, all of whom are doing so for the first time with the Irish:

“During these unusual times, our captains and leadership group will be challenged in many different ways. I am confident that our team has selected the right individuals to lead us through any adversity we may encounter. These young men are ready for the challenge and will hold our team accountable to our standards and our culture.”

Clurman, who was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 2016, is the Irish’s second junior defenseman to be named captain in the past three seasons, joining Andrew Peeke in 2018-19. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors last season and recorded nine of his 12 career assists. He also had a +8 rating, which ranked second on the Irish behind Cam Morrison.

Chicago Blackhawks Anticipating Clutch Goals from Cam Morrison

It could be a while before we know if former Notre Dame forward Cam Morrison makes the Chicago Blackhawks’ roster for 2020-21.

It could be a while before we know if former Notre Dame forward Cam Morrison makes the Chicago Blackhawks’ roster for 2020-21. He’ll probably start the season with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. What we do know is that he has a history of performing in the clutch. That’s what the Blackhawks are banking on according to a Chicago Sun-Times feature.

The story cites a few prominent moments in Morrison’s Notre Dame career. In 2017, he scored the tying goal (his second of the game) of the Irish’s overtime victory over UMass-Lowell that put them in the Frozen Four. The next year, he had the overtime goal in the Big Ten title game against Ohio State and later assisted on Jake Evans’ goal with six seconds left against Michigan that put the Irish in the national title game. The year after that, Morrison tormented Michigan again by scoring the game-winning goal in the Big Ten title game and also had an overtime tally against Clarkson in the NCAA tournament.

Irish coach Jeff Jackson agrees that Morrison has a knack to come up big when needed:

“Not every player has that ability to elevate in those key moments. Whatever characteristic that is, I’ve not had many players that have found a way to play their best hockey at the biggest moments. [But] he’s one of those guys that can do that.”

Jackson also assessed how Morrison needs to do to make the NHL and stay there:

“In order to become more than a role guy, he’s going to need to use that body and that reach more effectively on a consistent basis. He did that here at times, but the physical element to his game [needs] a little bit of a nasty streak at times to create more space for himself and be able to get into those dirty areas and compete for that ice.”

Best of luck to Morrison as he continues his hockey career. He’ll have the chance to prove himself. Whether he’s successful in doing that is up to him.

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 Fall to Gophers; Series Tied

Notre Dame’s season will come down to the third and final game of its Big Ten quarterfinal series with Minnesota after losing Game 2, 2-1.

Notre Dame’s season will come down to the third and final game of its Big Ten quarterfinal series with Minnesota after losing Game 2, 2-1, on Saturday. The winner of Sunday’s contest will play top-seeded Penn State in next weekend’s semifinals.

It took only 84 seconds for the Gophers to get on the board when Ryan Zuhlsdorf scored off a high-slot pass from Sammy Walker. The 1-0 score held firm until early in the third period, when Cullen Munson scored his second goal of the season for a 2-0 lead. Halfway through the frame, Cam Morrison tallied a power-play goal for the Irish, the ninth playoff goal of his career, and that was the last time a puck found the back of either net. Cale Morris, who had 18 saves, was pulled with a minute and a half remaining, but nothing came of it.

The Irish outshot the Gophers, 31-20, but were frustrated by stellar play in net from Jack LaFontaine.

Notre Dame Hockey: Irish Complete Sweep of Wolverines

After a 2-1 road win over Michigan on Friday, Notre Dame came out even better Saturday and swept the weekend series with a 3-0 victory over the Wolverines. The game began with 2 1/2 scoreless periods before the Irish (14-12-6, 9-8-5-3) broke through …

After a 2-1 road win over Michigan on Friday, Notre Dame came out even better Saturday and swept the weekend series with a 3-0 victory over the Wolverines. The game began with 2 1/2 scoreless periods before the Irish (14-12-6, 9-8-5-3) broke through in the third. All the Wolverines (15-14-3, 10-10-2-1) could do was endure humiliation on their home ice and watch the Irish jump them in the Big Ten standings.

Midway through the third period, Spencer Statsney opened the scoring in what proved to be his first career game-winner on a wrist shot from the left side. Less than two minutes later, Cam Morrison added an insurance goal, finding the back of the net for the second consecutive night. The Irish’s final goal came on an empty-netter from Tory Dello with less than a minute-and-a-half to play.

Cale Morris recorded 19 saves for the shutout. It was his second of the season and the 10th for his career.

Notre Dame Hockey: Irish Hold Lead, Lose to Gophers

Notre Dame would have liked to come off its Big Ten bye with at least one win over Minnesota. But after tying the Gophers and losing a shootout Friday, the Irish blew a 1-0 lead in the third period of the teams’ rematch Saturday and lost, 2-1. Nick …

Notre Dame would have liked to come off its Big Ten bye with at least one win over Minnesota. But after tying the Gophers and losing a shootout Friday, the Irish blew a 1-0 lead in the third period of the teams’ rematch Saturday and lost, 2-1.

Nick Leivermann scored the lone goal for Notre Dame (12-12-6, 7-8-5-3) at the 8:02 mark of the second period. Colin Theisen was credited with the only assist on the tally.

Ben Meyers tied it for Minnesota (14-11-5, 9-6-5-4) 3:34 into the third period after the Irish turned it over at the blue line. A couple of minutes later, Cam Morrison was sent to the penalty box for elbowing, and Blake McLaughlin made him and the Irish pay by scoring on the ensuing power play. It was the only penalty kill out of eight between the two games this weekend that Notre Dame failed at.

Cale Morris made 24 saves for the Irish.

Notre Dame Hockey: Irish Take Aim at Buckeyes

No. 18 Notre Dame (10-9-3, 5-5-2-1) will look to rebound from last weekend’s sweep against Michigan when it heads to Columbus to battle No. 9 Ohio State (14-6-2, 7-4-1-0) on Friday and Saturday. The Buckeyes will be looking for revenge against the …

No. 18 Notre Dame (10-9-3, 5-5-2-1) will look to rebound from last weekend’s sweep against Michigan when it heads to Columbus to battle No. 9 Ohio State (14-6-2, 7-4-1-0) on Friday and Saturday.

The Buckeyes will be looking for revenge against the Irish, who swept two games in South Bend on Nov. 8 and 9. Both of those wins required third-period comebacks. And with four points separating the second- and fourth-place teams in the Big Ten standings, don’t expect either side to give an inch if they can help it. In Notre Dame’s case, that means upholding the second-lowest penalty average in the nation (7.5).

A couple of Notre Dame players have had quite a bit of success against Ohio State. Cam Morrison has seven points (four goals, three assists) in 11 career games in the series. Over the same number of games, Cale Morris has a 7-4-0 record and a 1.83 GAA to go with a .940 save percentage. Morris will try to continue a stretch in which he’s stopped 166 of his past 172 shots faced (.965).

Notre Dame Hockey: Morris is Week’s First Star

Cale Morris’ stellar play in Notre Dame’s two games against Western Michigan (one win and one tie) earned him Big Ten First Star of the Week honors. The senior goaltender and alternate captain made 42 and 40 saves, respectively, in the Irish’s …

Cale Morris’ stellar play in Notre Dame’s two games against Western Michigan (one win and one tie) earned him Big Ten First Star of the Week honors. The senior goaltender and alternate captain made 42 and 40 saves, respectively, in the Irish’s matchups with the Broncos.

Minnesota goaltender Jack LaFontaine was the conference’s Second Star of the Week, and Ohio State forward Tanner Laczynski was named the Third Star.

This is the third time this season Morris has been named a Big Ten Star of the Week and second time he’s been named the First Star. Other Notre Dame players who have been part of the conference’s weekly honor this season are Mike O’Leary, Cal Burke, Matt Hellickson and Cam Morrison.

Morris has been the First Star of the Week eight times in his career and the Second and Third Star of the Week three times apiece.

Morris and the Irish, ranked 14th in the latest poll, return to the ice Friday and Saturday against Michigan.