SOUTH BEND, Ind.- Energy and emotions were high in the Joyce Center hockey arena Saturday night as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish tried to repeat their previous night’s win against Lake Superior State University in CCHA league play. Following a close shootout win Friday night, the Irish took control of the puck and delivered a solid 5-2 win in front of a sold-out crowd.

Notre Dame was eager to re-establish themselves at home after two loses to Miami (OH) during their last home weekend. The Irish started off a little slow in the first period, but stayed in the game, matching Lake Superior State for its two goals in the only period the Lakers scored. Five different Irish players scored in the win, moving Notre Dame to 8-2 on the season.

Lake Superior State scored first, just five minutes into the game with a shot by senior Josh Sim. The Irish answered a few minutes after with freshman Billy Maday’s fifth goal of the season. The Lakers continued with an aggressive offense throughout the first period, scoring again around the fifteen minute mark. In the final minute of the period, the Irish took advantage of the power play opportunity with senior Erik Condra’s shot on goal to tie up the game 2-2.

The Irish regrouped before the second period and maintained control of the game throughout the second and third periods.

“Coach came in, he said we were playing all right but we were just a little too loose with the puck," said Senior Christian Hanson. "We weren’t coming back hard to the net and there were a couple things we could good tighten the ship up on and I think just going out in the second did it."

Hanson and junior Brett Blatchford were in on the assist for the second period goal by junior Christiaan Minella. The Irish were again able to out-shoot the Lakers, with 26 Lake Superior's 16 after two periods.

Emotions continued to fuel the play, resulting in many penalties as this incredibly physical game continued. At one point in the third period the Lakers had four players and the Irish had two players in the penalty box.

“Any time you have two hard games like that emotions are going to get in it and I think there was a little frustration let out from them but like I said, they played hard for six solid periods so you know when the outcomes not going to come your way a little frustration is going to leak out,” Hanson said.

The Irish continued to dominate the floor, however, closing out the game with two more goals by sophomores Teddy Ruth and Calle Ridderwall.

Hanson and Blatchford paired up again for the assist on Ridderwall’s goal.

“I was just coming across and I saw Hanson’s stick, his big body in front, so I was just shooting for his stick, maybe a tip," Blatchford said. "He didn’t tip it on goal – he made a real nice play to Calle back door."

Juniors Kevin Deeth and Ryan Thang, sophomore Ben Ryan, and Ridderwall also had assists on the Irish’s five goals.

“Our guys came much better prepared to play tonight the way they needed to play," Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said. "Lake Superior is a really good team – they clog up passing lanes and they do a great job getting down low defensively and it’s really hard to generate a lot of offense versus them. But our guys did a much better job tonight of controlling the puck.”

The team was pleased with their ability to perform at home in a way they hadn’t yet this season.

“We just needed to establish what kind of team we wanted to be at home during the season," Blatchford said. "We had some big road wins coming into this weekend but we hadn’t performed the way we’d wanted to at home and I think now that we have these two wins – and they are big wins because Lake Superior State is a very good team and they play a tough system.

"Our forwards were battling a little bit yesterday with their pressure down low and their floor check coming under defense caused some problems too. So it was a big weekend against a very good opponent.”

Said Hanson, “It felt great. We came out with the "W” last night but it wasn’t the way we wanted to win. Any time you get a win in the league you’ll take it, but truth be told that’s not how we wanted to get a win. So I think to be able to bounce back tonight, especially after the mediocre first period, having a strong second and really controlling the tempo, and then finishing them off on the third was just huge for us.”

The Irish will turn their focus in practice this week to preparation for a home-away series next weekend versus Bowling Green another tough CCHA opponent.

Said Jackson: “Hopefully we can have a good week in practice and do the same thing next Friday night.”