Monday, November 12, 2007

Around the Country - 11/12

Each week, the WCHA Blog will take a look at action from around the nation that doesn't involve WCHA teams.

In the key series of the weekend in all of college hockey, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish was able to go on the road and gain a split with the Miami Redhawks. Notre Dame netminder Jordan Pearce was under siege quite often on Friday night, but managed to turn away 32 of 33 Miami shots in the 2-1 win. The one shot that did get by came from the stick of the Redhawks’ Nathan Davis, who returned to the lineup after missing the last few weeks with a shoulder injury. Miami came out flying on Saturday night, taking a 2-0 lead after the first period and outshooting the Irish by a 16-4 margin. That would be all the Redhawks would need in the 3-1 victory.

In the surprise of the weekend, Providence was able to go into Maine and sweep the Black Bears. On Friday, Maine was outshot by the Friars 39-17 and lost 6-2. Saturday’s game was played much closer to the vest, but Maine still lost by a 1-0 score and was against outshot by a wide margin (34-22).

In the marquee Hockey East matchup of the weekend, the New Hampshire Wildcats took it to the Boston College Eagles in Durham on Saturday night, topping BC by a 5-2 score. The Eagles tied the game early in the third period, but the Wildcats scored three third period goals to gain the win. BC was without junior Nathan Gerbe, who was suspended by Hockey East for an incident in Friday night’s tie versus Merrimack (though Gerbe was not penalized on the play).

Notes: Michigan extended their winning streak to eight games by sweeping Alaska at Yost Ice Arena by scores of 4-0 and 4-2 … Michigan State put up a pair of 6-2 victories at home versus MercyhurstBoston University went winless on the weekend, losing to Massachusetts at home on Friday and tying Northeastern on Saturday … Harvard didn’t allow a goal on the weekend, as they blanked RPI and Union in a pair of wins.