Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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ND SPORTS Junior netminder Steven Summerhays saw action in 20 games last year, including 17 starts, and posted a 10-8-0 record, 2.43 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. Distractions disappear and expectations drop for the Irish hockey team BY DAN MURPHY answered. The heavy No. 1 ranking that hung around their necks last fall has been removed. The path is clear for the Notre Dame hockey team to post another bounce-back year. The Irish start their regular season T Oct. 12-13 at the Ice Breaker Tourna- ment in Kansas City. They open the year ranked 14th and 10th in college hockey's two major polls, USCHO. he shiny new rink is broken in. The conference questions have all been An Easier Road PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND for us. Last year there was a lot of stuff going on," head coach Jeff Jackson said at the team's official media day on Oct. 1. "It's an excuse to say it was distractions, but I think our emotions showed it in some ways. … The excite- ment level is going to be high regard- less, but it won't be to an emotional level that we have that sugar high and then we have the low." Jackson, entering his eighth season com and USA Today, respectively. Af- ter a disappointing 19-18-3 record a year ago, the Irish stumbled out of the conference playoffs in the second round and missed a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Now, a suddenly veteran Notre Dame team with much less buzz surrounding it has a lot to prove. "I think it's going to be a lot easier at Notre Dame, is hoping he finds a more consistent group on the ice this