SUMMERHAYS MAKES 36 SAVES AS NOTRE DAME SHUTS OUT PROVIDENCE, 3-0
Senior goaltender Steven Summerhays makes 36 saves to record NCAA-leading sixth shutout of season for Fighting Irish

Senior goaltender Steven Summerhays made 36 saves for the Fighting Irish

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Steven Summerhays recorded his sixth shutout of the season for 20th-ranked Notre Dame as the Irish posted a 3-0 win against the Providence College men's hockey team on Saturday night at Schneider Arena.

The Irish scored once in each period, but the opening goal from David Gerths at 5:59 of the first period proved to be the game winner. Bryan Rust and Jeff Costello each tallied a goal in the game, including Costello's late empty net tally.

Providence (15-9-6, 7-7-1 HEA) goaltender Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine) made 24 saves in the game.

Gerths' first goal of the season gave the Fighting Irish a lead in the first period. Mike Voran won a puck battle along the boards and connected a pass from the boards to Gerths, who was streaking through the middle of the neutral zone. Gerths' blast from between the face-off circles came at 5:59 of the first period.

At 13:12 of the second period, the Friars deficit was doubled as Notre Dame grabbed a 2-0 lead. Rust finished off a tic-tac-toe play for the Irish while the team was on a power play. Shayne Taker passed the puck from the blue line to Costello. Costello, then sent a cross-ice pass to Sam Herr, who was standing on the doorstep of the goal. Herr finished off the power play by sending a pass through the crease to Rust. Rust ended the play when he tapped the puck into an open net.

With Notre Dame up 2-0 midway through the third, the Friar offense had several quality chances including a Nick Saracinobreakaway, but Summerhays turned in 15 saves in the third.

Notre Dame then secured the win when they scored an empty net goal at 19:21. Costello netted the goal after skating down the ice with the puck safely putting it across the goal line. Steven Fogarty and Peter Schneider were awarded the assists.

Notre Dame went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Friars were 0-for-4 with the man advantage. The Friars outshot Notre Dame, 36-24 in the game.

Next weekend on Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22 the Friars play a home-and-home series with UMass. The series starts on Friday at 7:05 p.m. at Schneider Arena, which will be Providence's final regular-season home game of the season and it will be televised locally on CoxSports.

Notes

By wearing throwback uniforms and recognizing the team in an on-ice ceremony Saturday night, the Friars honored the 1963-64 Providence College men's hockey squad, which became the first team in program history to advance to the NCAA Frozen Four ... That team went 19-7-0 on its way to a fourth-place finish at the National Tournament and won the program's first ECAC title with a 3-1 victory over St. Lawrence ... After the 1963-64 season, Head Coach Thomas Eccleston was named New England Coach of the Year and defenseman Larry Kish became the program's first All-American ... The players honored included Bob Bellemore, Andy Branchaud, Frank Brander, Bob Buonaccorsi, John Corbett, Paul DeCarlo, Chuck Gaffney, Jack Gately, Dan Griffin, Grant Heffernan, Jake Keough, Larry Kish, Joe Monahan, Joe Sullivan, Fred Sullivan, Bill Warburton, Peter Norwell representing his brother Bruce Norwell and Betty Heximer representing her husband Rick Heximer ... Providence is 9-5-2 on home ice this season (4-4-1 in HEA) ... Derek Armyskated in the 140th-straight game of his Friar career ... The Friars killed off 12 consecutive opponent power play opportunities before Bryan Rust's second period power-play tally.