UNH one and done again

Wildcats sent packing by the Fighting Irish

Notre Dame's Jordan Pearce (32 saves) covers up in the first period, helping the Fighting Irish upset New Hampshire. (Jack Dempsey/Associated Press)

COLORADO SPRINGS - Senior leadership, young talent, experienced goaltending. None of it appeared to matter for No. 4 New Hampshire last night. The Wildcats were throttled by 12th-ranked Notre Dame, 7-3, in an NCAA West Regional semifinal at the World Arena.

The last two Notre Dame goals were scored into on an empty net as Wildcats coach Dick Umile pulled Hobey Baker Award candidate Kevin Regan to try to close the gap. The win sends the Fighting Irish into tonight's regional final against Michigan State.

It was the third consecutive first-round exit for UNH, the 2007 and 2008 regular-season Hockey East champion. Regan and fellow seniors Matt Fornataro, Brad Flaishans, Mike Radja, and Craig Switzer ended their careers with a lone NCAA Tournament victory - from their freshmen season.

"Obviously, congratulations to Notre Dame," Umile said. "Obviously, it wasn't our best performance. It is disappointing, but there are no excuses."

Umile became emotional when he spoke of his team, which finished 25-10-3.

"This takes nothing away . . . this was a special team," he said. "They've been a special team to coach and they were led by a great senior class. I feel for this team. It was a special team and things didn't happen the way I thought things would happen."

Umile gleaned no production from his top line of Radja, Fornataro, and freshman Danny Dries, and UNH was repeatedly outmanned because of penalties. The Fighting Irish (25-15-4) converted their first two power plays to tie it, 2-2, in the first period.

Exacerbating the situation, the Wildcats did not score despite a five-on-three advantage, instead allowing a goal by Notre Dame's Dan Kissel on a hustle play. UNH went 0 for 4 on the power play.

"We just didn't get enough shots," said Umile of the two-man advantage. "We didn't move it as well as we're capable of. That was a key moment. And they came down and went ahead, 4-2. That was a key moment of that whole exchange."

Another factor was goaltending. Although Umile said he never considered replacing Regan, the Hockey East Player of the Year allowed some rebound goals.

"It's disappointing," said Regan. "It wasn't my best game. I wasn't getting to all the bounces."

Umile defended Regan's efforts on the power-play goals, and Flaishans noted the penalty-killing unit allowed Notre Dame to execute.

"Those two power-play goals definitely hurt because we were playing well and they ran the exact same play two times," he said. "That's a stupid mistake on our part to not pick that up."

Flaishans hurt UNH's comeback chances with a checking-from-behind penalty, a five-minute major and game misconduct, late in the third period.

"Obviously, I'm not a dirty player," he said. "I was not intending to hit him from behind. This is a tough way to go out. This is a very, very special team. That's easy to say, but it is true, especially the five seniors really wanted it."

Fornataro, the captain, was overcome with emotion afterward.

"This is the closest team I've ever been a part of," he said. "It's disappointing not playing as well as we should have and could have at the end of the year."

The Wildcats' last game was a triple-overtime loss to Boston College in the Hockey East tournament semifinals, but Umile and his players said that game had no bearing on this one.

It looked easy in the early going with Jerry Pollastrone cleaning up a rebound with a backhander just 64 seconds into the game.

After Notre Dame tied it on a power play, Pollastrone broke free on the left side after a faceoff near the Irish net and scored easily off a pass from Flaishans for a 2-1 lead 5:41 into the first period.

The Wildcats went back to penalty killing and were nearly successful, but with 20 seconds left in Mike Sislo's slashing penalty, the Irish converted, tying it, 2-2, on only the fifth goal of the season by sophomore defenseman Kyle Lawson.

Shortly after the Wildcats killed off a penalty early in the second period, the Fighting Irish took their first lead as Christian Hanson buried a rebound.

In the nightcap, Jeff Lerg made 41 saves and Michigan State erupted for three second-period goals - two in the final 1:57 - to oust Colorado College, 3-1.

Tim Kennedy, Jeff Dunne, and Chris Mueller scored for the Spartans (24-11-5).

Colorado College (28-11-1) didn't break through against Lerg until 8:53 remained in the game on Derek Patrosso's score.