SOUTH BEND – With the COVID-19 pandemic hopefully behind him and his hockey team, Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson decided that for the 2021-22 season starting with an exhibition game at the Compton Family on Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. , a new look hip is Ice Arena against the U18 national team of the United States National Team Development Program.
The 66-year-old Jackson, who started his 17th season on the Irish bench at the Lefty Smith Rink as the school’s most successful coach at 348-219-66, sported a neat goatee.
“Just like ‘Slap Shot,'” Jackson said of the 1977 sports comedy starring the late Paul Newman. “Makes me look mean.”
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Of course, Jackson is one of the true gentlemen of college hockey in the profession and the Michigan State graduate’s record is impressive – two national championships and a runner-up in Lake Superior State from 1992-94 and four Frozen Four appearances at Notre Dame, including runners-up in 2008 and 2018.
The goal for Jackson and his co-head coaches Andy Slaggert and Paul Pooley remains the same each year – to hang an NCAA championship banner on the rafters of the 5,022-seat Compton, which was largely empty last season because of the pandemic and a reason why the Irish struggled through a 14-13-2 season that included a 12-10-2 fourth place in the Big Ten race.
The Irish, who ranked 18th in USCHO.com preseason poll, were one of a handful of teams who completed their entire regular season schedule without missing a game due to COVID, but then received an NCAA offer to Boston College had the Albany (New York) Regional, they had positive tests and the game was declared a no contest.
This season it is planned to welcome the fans back – with masks – and at the beginning the exhibition will have free entry on Sunday against the US U18 national team.
“It was fun again, working out without a mask and worrying about social distancing,” said Jackson. “All of our boys are vaccinated except for one. So it’s a very different environment when you coach and practice – more back to normal. Of course we are still a little cautious in some situations, but this year it was certainly a completely different environment than a year ago. “
The Irish will start the season without three strikers expected to help ND improve their offensive performance. Last year, Notre Dame averaged 2.90 goals per game (26th of 51 teams). But the expected newcomer Sasha Pastujov, who led the US U18 national team with 30 goals and 65 points last year, opted for a contract with the NHL Anaheim Ducks.
Junior Michael Graham, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound forward who scored 18 goals and 52 points in 87 career games and was a mainstay in Notre Dame’s power game, decided to close his Irish career because of a history of concussions break up. A native of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, will continue studying and supporting the program as a volunteer student coach.
Senior Jake Pivonka, one of the team’s top faceoff players, is currently rehabilitating from an Achilles tendon torn during summer training. Pivonka said he was hopeful to be back on the team after the first of the year.
“Michael made a conscious decision that it was time to stop playing; he made the right choice, ”said Jackson. “We will miss him because he was a very skilled and gifted offensive player. Jake was training with his father’s old club (Michal Pivonka, a former Washington Capitals player) in the Czech Republic when he was injured. He is obviously leaving.” also a small hole in our lineup. “
But Jackson’s 2021-22 team is bringing the Slaggert brothers – senior Graham and sophomore Landon – back to the strikers along with junior Max Ellis, and the defense is anchored by seniors Spencer Stastney and Nick Leivermann, with goalkeeper Ryan Bischel for its junior season is returning.
The Irish may also have on the transfer portal with goalkeeper Matt Galajda (Cornell), defenders Adam Karashik (Connecticut) and Chase Blackmun (UMass Lowell), and 6-foot-6, 218-pound forward Jack Adams (Union and Providence). Galajda was a two-time finalist for the Mike Richter Award, which former Irish All America goalkeeper Cale Morris won in 2017/18. Karashik was the Huskies captain last season, Blackmun showed his offensive skills on the blue line and Adams appears to have recovered from a knee injury sustained at a Detroit Red Wings camp that cost him his 2019-20 Union season to have.
“Andy did a great job keeping track of who was available on the portal,” said Jackson. “They were a big influence on our team in the locker room and I think they probably will on the ice too.”
After the exhibition on Sunday, the Irish are preparing for their opening game of the regular season on Saturday 9 October against the visit to Long Island. The match at Compton for this game is 6pm. It is the first of 20 home games at home. The Irish, selected fourth in the Big Ten, will begin conference play October 29-30 in preferred Minnesota, which ranks fourth.
NOTRE DAME HOCKEY
Who: No. 18 Notre Dame vs. United States U-18 National Development Program on display.
confrontation: Sunday 5 p.m.
Where: Lefty Smith Rink at Compton Family Ice Arena (5,022) in Notre Dame
Entry: Free (Must have mask)
US U18 team: Three future Notre Dame players – strikers Maddox Fleming and Logan Cooley and defenseman Tyler Duke – are expected. … US team is 3-1 and will play host to Michigan State at their home in Plymouth, Michigan on Saturday night.
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