Zasowski blocks 40 Bulldog shots in 4-3 win over Yale
By JEFF BALTRUZAK
Sports Writer
On Sunday, all the Yale Bulldogs could see was a determined human wall with "Notre Dame" emblazoned across the chest.
Irish goalie Tony Zasowski turned away 40 Yale shots in route to a Irish 4-3 win over Yale in New Haven, Conn., the Domers' first win ever against the Bulldogs. Yale won Saturday's game 8-2.
The sophomore Zasowski avenged his Saturday performance, where he gave up all eight goals in the Irish loss. "Really, he played well on Saturday," said Notre Dame head coach Dave Poulin. "That's why he got the start on Sunday."
Zasowski channeled his coach's confidence in him into an outstanding performance.
"It was a big confidence boost for me when I got the start despite letting in eight goals on Saturday," he said. "That helped me out more than anything."
Sunday's game had a less-than-auspicious start for Zasowski. The Ivy Leaguers scored in the first 24 seconds of the game on a long-range shot by left wing Nick Deschenes, and for a second it appeared as though the Irish could be in for another long afternoon in New Haven.
But three freshmen, Rob Globke, Aaron Gill, and Brett Lebda stepped up for Notre Dame, and each put a goal past Yale's Dan Lombard in the first period. Gill was first, firing a shot at Lombard and then starting the siren when he slipped in the rebound at 6:29.
"We didn't flinch after the first goal," said Poulin. "The team responded effectively."
Lombard continued to have problems with rebounds later in the period when Notre Dame center Connor Dunlap's shot rebounded directly to Globke, who clanged it off the post for a 2-1 Irish lead and his 11th score of the season.
"Those goals really took the pressure off me," said Zasowski.
Defenseman Lebda provided some offense for Notre Dame when he put a slapshot past Lombard at 14:14 to cap off a period where the Irish abused Yale to take a 3-1 and the momentum.
But Yale proved to be pesky. Dennis Nam shot the puck by Zasowski on a rebound, and the Bulldogs were right back in the hunt with a period and half to play and a 3-2 score.
But Lebda had different ideas. He hit Globke with a pass, and the freshman fooled Lombard for his 12th goal of the season and second of the contest.
Yale's Evan Waz put another past Zasowski in the third period to make the score 4-3, and the Bulldogs looked for a power play goal when the Irish were hit with three penalties late in the game. But the equalizer would never come, as both the Irish defense and Zasowski played flawlessly to close out the match.
Poulin had his own list of factors contributing to the Irish victory on Sunday.
"Instead of waiting and reacting, like we've done too much this season, we played very aggressive," he said. "Our forechecking and hitting up ice were as good as they've been all season."
He singled out Dunlap as having played his best hockey of the season.
The previous day's game was a completely different game from Sunday. Zasowski was pounded with 43 shots, saving only 35. The Irish have started games slow all season, having scored only 13 of their total 67 goals, while allowing 30 first period goals up to this weekend's series. Saturday would be no exception, as Yale jumped the Irish for three scores in the first.
Globke netted one for Notre Dame in the first, and junior center David Inman added a goal in the second, but the Irish would go scoreless for the final 23:14 of the game as Yale scored evenly throughout, with three goals in the first and second periods and two in the final 20 minutes.
"I don't know how much Saturday was a hangover from Michigan," said Poulin, referring to the 9-0 shellacking the Irish received at the hands of the Wolverines on Jan. 23.
In addition, Gill suffered a back injury in a fall outside Debartolo before the weekend, and it kept him out of action on Saturday, forcing Poulin to shuffle the lines.
Yale's Jeff Hamilton was the star for the Bulldogs, with two goals and an assist. Four other Yale players, Ben Stafford, Jeff Dwyer, Adam Suave and Dechenes had multiple-point games on Saturday.
"I think we're starting to forget about Michigan" said Zasowski. "We've been up and down all season. We're hoping this will be a turning point."
This weekend's non-conference contests bring Notre Dame's record overall season record to 6-19-5, but will not impact their standing CCHA. Their win on Sunday should provide some fuel for the rest of the conference schedule, as Notre Dame looks to squeeze into the CCHA playoffs.
The Irish have games coming up against Bowling Green and Alaska-Fairbanks, two squads very close to Notre Dame in the standings. As for practice this week, Poulin and the Irish will concentrate on defensive zone coverage and forechecking.
The Irish return to conference play this weekend against Ohio State in Columbus.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, January 30, 2001
