Season Preview Left Wings Nick Condon Sr. ... 5-9 ... 172 0g-0a, 2 GP in '10-'11 Jeff Costello So. ... 6-0 ... 205 12g-6a, 44 GP in '10-'11 Nick Larson Jr. ... 6-2 ... 207 10g-9a, 43 GP in ‘10-’11 Anders Lee So. ... 6-3 ... 227 24-20, 44 GP in '10-'11 Rich Ryan Sr. ... 5-10 ... 186 0g-1a, 8 GP in ‘10-’11
Centers Patrick Gaul Sr. ... 5-8 ... 182 0g-0a, 2 GP in ‘10-’11 David Gerths So. ... 6-0 ... 215 8g-3a, 43 GP in '10-'11 Billy Maday Sr. ... 5-11 ... 183 10g-17a, 44 GP in ’10-’11 Riley Sheahan Jr. ... 6-2 ... 212 5g-17a, 40 GP in ‘10-’11 T.J. Tynan So. ... 5-8 ... 167 23g-31a, 44 GP in '10-'11
Right Wings Kevin Nugent Jr. ... 6-3 ... 198 0g-1a, 6 GP in ‘10-’11 Garrett Peterson Fr. ... 5-11 ... 188 Bryan Rust So. ... 5-11 ... 202 6g-13a, 40 GP in '10-'11 Peter Schneider Fr. ... 5-11 ... 188 Michael Voran So. ... 5-11 ... 199 4g-15a, 43 GP in '10-'11 Austin Wuthrich Fr. ... 6-1 ... 196 face offs and in the defensive end, Sheahan will look to have a break out season on the offensive end in ’11-’12. He has all the tools - size and strength (6-2, 212 pounds), speed and quickness, great hands and a mind for the game. He is definitely a player that his teammates look to on the ice. Larson continued to see his game improve as a sophomore as he turned in career highs in goals (10), assists (9) and points (19) with two power-play goals and two game winners. A hard-working player, the Irish will be counting on bigger and better things from the 6-2, 207-pound portsider who has the ability to be a top power forward. Larson plays a physical style that makes him a force in front of the net and in the corners. Look for him to see time on the power play in front of the net, making things difficult for opposing defenders and goaltenders. Rounding out the forward ranks among the junior class
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is right wing Kevin Nugent (New Canaan, Conn.). The 6-3, 198-pound forward is a competitive player who brings energy and a positive attitude to the Notre Dame roster. As a sophomore, Nugent saw limited playing time, getting into six games, picking up an assist. He will look to see more playing time this season by using his size to play a more physical style especially in the offensive end of the ice. The sophomore class brings six forwards to the lineup, all who played key roles in their rookie years in ’10-’11. The group produced 77 goals and 88 assists for 165 points with 17 power-play goals, four short-handed tallies and 12 game winners in their first season. Leading the group is speedy center T.J. Tynan who had a brilliant rookie season with 23 goals and 31 assists for 54 points to lead the CCHA and the nation’s freshmen in scoring. The Hockey Commissioner’s Association (HCA) national rookie of the year, the CCHA rookie of the year and one of Notre Dame’s two rookies of the year, Tynan can do it all. At 5-8, 167, he is the ultimate competitor with incredible hockey instincts and the ability to play at both ends of the ice. Tynan brings speed and a tenacity to the ice that opens the ice for his linemates. A magician with the puck, he has an incredible knack for finding the open man while also having the ability to score from anywhere on the ice. A third-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011, the biggest obstacle Tynan faces in his second year is the fact that his opponents know who he is this year and will make it a priority to stop the top returning scorer on the Irish roster. While they are keeping an eye out forTynan, the opposition can’t forget left wing Anders Lee who teamed with Tynan to form a dynamic offensive freshman duo for the Irish in ’10-’11. Lee scored a team-high 24 goals and added 20 assists for 44 points. He tied for the team lead in power-play goals (6), added a short-handed goal and tied a Notre Dame single-season mark with seven game-winning goals. A dynamic player, Lee is a prototypical power forward with a blazing shot and a non-stop drive on the ice. At 6-3, 227 pounds he is a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the ice. A talented all-around athlete, he leads by example and will serve as an alternate captain in his second year. Like Tynan, Lee will have a bullseye on his back this year from opposing defenses but that won’t stop a player who has the drive to be one of the top players in the nation. Overshadowed by the success of Tynan and Lee are the four remaining sophomore forwards – right wings Bryan Rust (Novi, Mich.) and Mike Voran (Livonia, Mich.), left wing Jeff Costello (Milwaukee, Wis.) and center David Gerths (Ankeny, Iowa). Rust had a strong rookie season on the right side, picking up six goals and 13 assists for 19 points while seeing action in all situations. A proven scorer and playmaker, Rust brings speed to the lineup and has shown the ability to play in all situations and should be a factor on Irish special teams this year. At 5-11, 202, he will look to add a physical dimension to his game, making plays in the corners and along the boards while chipping in goals from the “dirty” areas around the crease. Voran also had a nice freshman year, notching 19 points on four goals and 15 assists while having the versatility to play anywhere in the lineup from a spot on the top line to a role on a checking line. Blessed with excellent hockey smarts, Voran can score goals or set them up and has the ability to make those around him better. He will look to take the next step in his game this season and become a key factor in the offense. The Irish will look for him to play a more physical style and develop a presence around the goal.
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Playing on the left side is Jeff Costello who scored 12 goals and chipped in six assists for 18 points last season. He tied for the team lead with six power-play goals and had three game winners. The Milwaukee native plays a tough, hard-nosed physical game and doesn’t shy away from contact. Many of his goals come from around the front of the net. His style of play makes him an excellent candidate for time on the Notre Dame power play. The last member of the six-man sophomore class is Gerths who had a strong freshman year at center. He plays the game with an edge and doesn’t stray from the physical play. He gave the Irish a scoring threat on the fourth line as a rookie, notching eight goals with three assists for 11 points. Gerths works hard and wants to get better. He will look to play with more poise to avoid getting frustrated during games, taking him out of his style of play. He showed good hands around the net and is definitely a player who makes himself at home in front of opposing goaltenders. After having six rookie forwards a year ago, just three dot the roster this season. Garrett Peterson (Manhattan, Ill.), Peter Schneider (Vienna, Austria) and Austin Wuthrich (Anchorage, Alaska) will look to break into the lineup as freshmen and all three are right wings. Peterson is a high-energy player who plays a physical, nasty game. A strong skater with excellent speed, he’s a player who has the ability to get under the opposition’s skin. A product of the Lincoln Stars in the USHL, Peterson had 21 goals with 17 assists for 38 points while racking up 130 penalty minutes in 43 games. He plays an effective style with big hits that disrupt the opposition. Look for him to play a role on the Irish penalty killing unit. Schneider, a native of Austria, becomes the third European to play for Notre Dame, joining Swedes Calle Ridderwall and Robin Bergman. He’s a gifted-goal scorer with great wheels and an excellent shot. Schneider played last season for the Indiana Ice in the USHL where he had 30 goals and 24 assists for 54 points in 55 games. Like all goal scorers, he has great instincts and knows how to make plays. He can be a factor in 2011-12 if he can adapt quickly to the college game and learn to play at both ends of the ice. Wuthrich rounds out the Notre Dame roster. He’s a young player who came through the U.S. National program but missed most of last season with a broken leg suffered early in the season. He finished with three goals and five assists in 18 games, splitting time between the Under-17 and Under-18 teams. The Alaska native will look to work his way into the lineup this season and continue to develop all aspects of his game. He caught the eye of the Irish coaching staff while playing for Team Illinois two years ago. Wuthrich is a strong skater with good instincts on the ice and the ability to make plays. He will just need to be patient but be ready to go when his time comes. As usual, the Irish play an ambitious schedule that includes 28 CCHA contests with non-league tilts versus MinnesotaDuluth, Boston College, Northeastern, Boston University and Minnesota on the docket. Jackson and his staff are ready to get the season started. “We will need to be more consistent this year and learn to deal with adversity better than we did last season,” says Jackson. “Playing with poise when things aren’t going our way is something that we need to work on. We learned that the hard way last year when penalties hurt us in key situations.” “Our youth and enthusiasm made this a special team a year ago. I want to keep that feeling around the team and use our experiences to make us a better team. I really liked the way we played last year and believe we can be an even better team this season.” 10/24/11 1:31 PM