CINCINNATI – Notre Dame did what no one had done all season: Silence the CCM line of Kyle Connor, JT Compher, and Tyler Motte. Up until this game, combined for 85 goals, but managed to generate little against the Fighting Irish. But at 8:19 into OT the complete CCM line charged up the ice with determination that this would end it.
Motte scored the winner, assisted by Connor, whose deflected shot when to Compher, who fired a no look pass across Cal Petersen’s net to Motte, who potted the winner 3-2.
Michigan will take on top-seeded North Dakota, a 6-2 victor over Northeastern, in Saturday’s Midwest Regional final.
“They’re going to be a tough team to play against, and they can come at you with as good of a line as we have,” Michigan head coach Red Berenson said of playing North Dakota. “So, it’s going to be a good game tomorrow.”
Michigan took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when Justin Selman beat Petersen from between the circles.
At 15:46, Notre Dame equalized when Anders Bjork skated in on the right of Michigan goalie Steve Racine, and found the back of the net unassisted.
The second period, Notre Dame didn’t hold anything back. With only 24 seconds into the period, Bjork passed to Thomas DiPauli who scored from the top of the near circle.
Third period was an entirely new and refreshed Michigan team, loudly exiting the locker room with excitement to get on the ice. The quick-paced action and an onslaught of shots proved to be to much for the Irish when, at 9:52, Michigan’s Zach Werenski tied the game with a one-timer from near the top of the circles. The fourth period was for speed and endurance. Blue line to blue line action as each team raced to try to win this one. But it was the CCM’s moment of brilliance the separated the two rivals.
“They had a no look pass to win it,” Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson said. “When push came to shove, they made the play that won the game.”
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