Newsstand: Notre Dame alum scores game-winning OT goal in Stanley Cup playoffs
Ian Cole was headed the wrong direction. Stick-handling the puck through the right offensive dot getting closer and closer to his own blue line, the former Notre Dame hockey player stopped exactly at the top of the circle and pivoted to his right.
The left-handed shooter let one fly. It didn’t stop until it hit the back of the net.
Cole scored the game-winning overtime goal that lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to victory over the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was Cole’s first goal of these playoffs and just the second playoff tally of his career in 104 games with six different franchises.
Cole played in 111 games for the Fighting Irish across three seasons from 2007-10. He scored 17 goals and dished out 48 assists for a total of 65 points. He was a hustle player who coaches couldn’t leave off the ice no matter what his point production panned out to be, and he translated that style of gritty, grinding game to the next level.
This is Cole’s 15th season in the NHL. He started with the Saint Louis Blues and stayed there for five seasons. He was with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the next four. He won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in back-to-back seasons in 2016-17. He played in 49 playoff games in those two runs, recording one goal and 11 assists.
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Cole is no stranger to the big stage. He showed it Wednesday night.
Notre Dame tweets of the day
Many Irish recruiting prospects tweeted a video announcing their official visit dates. Here’s an example from Saint Louis (Mo.) Desmet four-star cornerback Christian Gray.
Marcus Freeman essentially said Cincinnati having nine NFL Draft picks while Notre Dame had two was unacceptable. Read more about what Freeman said about that here.
Blake Wesley has hops.
Notre Dame quote of the day
“Don’t think that talent didn’t have anything to do with that. That goes back to why recruiting is so important. Nine NFL players on that team, two on ours.”
— Marcus Freeman on Cincinnati’s nine NFL Draft picks compared to Notre Dame’s two
Headlines of the day
• Notre Dame post-spring position outlook: safety (Patrick Engel, Blue & Gold)
• How one play changed safety Kyle Hamilton’s mindset at Notre Dame (Ashton Pollard, Blue & Gold)
• Former Irish safety Litchfield Ajavon finds transfer portal destination (Tyler Horka, Blue & Gold)
• Kyren Williams, Shaun Crawford rave about how Notre Dame prepared them for the NFL — on and off the field (Ashton Pollard, Blue & Gold)
• Cover 3: Who is the most important Irish official visitor this June? (Blue & Gold staff)
• Four-star WR Joshua Manning ‘shocked’ by Notre Dame offer (Mike Singer, Blue & Gold)
• Lucky Charms: Notes on Notre Dame commit Braylon James & QB recruiting (Mike Singer, Blue & Gold)
• Former Notre Dame women’s basketball star Skylar Diggins-Smith has heated argument with Diana Taurasi (Tyler Horka, Blue & Gold)
• How Notre Dame guard Blake Wesley fared in NBA Draft Combine athletic testing (Patrick Engel, Blue & Gold)
• Notre Dame baseball: May 18 NCAA Tournament projections (Tyler Horka, Blue & Gold)
