This past weekend the Falcon hockey team learned a lot about themselves and what type of team they can be.
Having struggles with finding the net in the first three weeks of the season after averaging 3.2 goals a game a season ago, the Falcons (2-4-1, 2-2-1) realized they were the offensive team they thought they could be and a team that was capable of scoring 11 goals in a weekend as they did against Nebraska-Omaha.
They also realized one line wasn’t going to have to carry the scoring load each weekend as other players aside from Mike Falk, Alex Foster and Jonathan Matsumoto were able to find the net. Then that life after Jordan Sigalet in net wasn’t going to be that bad as Jon Horrell and Jimmy Spratt have combined for a goals against average of 2.50 in the last four games.
Finally, they realized that coach Scott Paluch still has some power in his legs as he jumped in the air several times and pumped his fist when the horn sounded Saturday night in a 4-3 BG win that gave the Falcons the second of two very important league wins in a sweep of the Mavericks after winning 7-3 on Friday night.
Though the emotions are up and the team is feeling a boost of confidence, Paluch knows this weekend can’t be treated any differently than the previous weekends. He and the Falcons will travel to Notre Dame tonight for game 1-of-2 at the Joyce Center in Notre Dame, Ind. The series will conclude tomorrow night as both face-offs are set for 7:05 p.m.
“This past weekend reminded me so much of the first few weekends of the season,” Paluch said. “You always got to prepare for the next weekend. We’re excited with what happened this last weekend, but it doesn’t mean much if we don’t execute next weekend.”
Execution is something the Falcons have done quite well this season on the penalty-kill as they’ve killed off 43-49 power-plays they’ve faced. That included a 15-of-16 penalty-kill effort this past weekend ranking them 12th nationally and third in the league.
“The real important thing about special teams is that you’re able to get it done at the right times in games,” Paluch said. “We were forced into two key situations down the stretch there on Saturday in the last three minutes and we got it done.”
Once again Foster and Matsumoto were able to get it done as well as Foster had seven points on the weekend and Matsumoto ended with four points. Foster now ranks 11th nationally in points with 13 and fourth in assists with 11. Matsumoto ranks 15th nationally in points with 12 and is second in power-play goals with five.
The Falcons as a team are averaging 3.43 goals a game which is third best in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
“We’ve been preaching in practice that any time you get over the blue line and get a chance get to the top of the circles and get a shot,” Falk said. “They’ve been screaming at guys for turning the puck over and passing up shot opportunities.”
One who didn’t pass up a shot opportunity was senior Ryan Barnett, who notched the game-winner Saturday night for his first goal in two seasons after missing much of last season with mononucleosis. He was able to knock in a shot off a sharp pass from Jon Erickson in the left corner.
“It was huge with Barnett getting the game-winner,” Falk said. “It was great for him and it was boost for the whole team.”
ND: The Irish (1-5-0, 0-2-0) come into the season with a new coach in former Lake Superior State coach Jeff Jackson after going 5-27-6 last season. Jackson comes to Notre Dame from being an assistant coach with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League, but while at LSSU (1990-96) he and Lakers were able to win two NCAA titles along with two CCHA championships and four playoff championships.
“He’s had so much success at the college level,” Paluch said. “I think the staple of Jeff’s teams are somewhat similar to what makes our team successful – a lot of energy, a lot of contact and being able to play the game with a lot of emotion.”
Up front the Irish are lead by Erik Condra (1-6-7), Tim Wallace (3-3-6) and Josh Sciba (2-2-4). On defense they return one of the CCHA’s best defensemen in Wes O’Neill. The 6-foot-3 inch fourth round draft choice of the Islanders in 2004 led the Irish in scoring a season ago with 20 points off six goals and 14 assists.
David Brown then returns for the Irish in net this season and in the past has proven to be a problem for BG in net recording two career shutouts against the Falcons.
“Unfortunately we haven’t found the score sheet that much against him (Brown),” Paluch said. “He’s been terrific against us.”
