Michigan's overtime win in a wild one at Minnesota

gave them some breathing room, moving them to 13th in the PWR. How about we go up to Ann Arbor next week and take away that air.

We have quite a history with Michigan in the post seasons. We've ended their season in a playoff a few times before. A couple times in spectacularly dramatic fashion. On the other hand they have embarrassed us in playoff games on a few occasions.

Most here are familiar with recent history, most of it good. 3 wins in CCHA playoff title games. 2 wins in the FF, in overtime in 2008 and on a last second goal in regulation in 2018. A tough OT loss in a 2016 regional in Cincinnati.

Some here would like to forget some of our earlier playoff tilts. We suffered a total dismembering upon our return to the CCHA in 1993 (13-2 and 8-1 losses), and a 10-1 wipeout in game one of a CCHA playoff series in 2005, Dave Poulin's final season. Strangely enough, they needed overtime to win the series the next night 1-0 after 60 scoreless minutes in regulation. Morgan Cey made 38 saves in regulation to force the extra session. He withstood an onslaught of shots in the opening minute of the OT before surrendering the game-winning goal 2 minutes into the extra session on Michigan's 6th shot of the overtime.

In between those two series we played one of our most exciting post season series in program history. The 1997-98 season saw us drop all 3 games to Michigan, but we played them tough, with a couple of 1 goal losses (one in overtime). The playoff opened with a 4-2 Notre Dame win on Friday. The Irish took a 4-0 lead into the third period in a game and only a goal in the final 90 seconds by Michigan made this one seem closer than it was. The next night Notre Dame scored 1st, midway through the 1st period and protected a 1-0 lead until seconds remained in the 2nd before Michigan scored to send the game to the third period tied 1-all. The teams played a tight checking 3rd period and neither scored, sending the game to an extra session. 19 minutes into the overtime period Irish winger John Dwyer was cross-checked in the neck and crumpled to the ice. Right in front of the CCHA referee. Effectively skating 5 on 4, Michigan moved the puck down the ice and Bob Hayes scored the winning goal with 58 seconds left in the first overtime. It was their only lead during the first two games. In the deciding game on Sunday, Notre Dame built a 2-0 lead on single goals in the first and second periods. But Michigan scored twice in the second to send the game to the 3rd tied. The teams alternated 3 goals in the first 5 minutes of the third period, with Michigan scoring the first and the last. They hung on against a spirited Irish attack.

I really thought that 1998 series was the start of something special for Poulin and Notre Dame hockey. I was wrong.

During the total-goal days the teams met 3 times, our first season in the CCHA and twice in the WCHA days. We swept a pair of games in 1982, winning the series 11 goals to 8 and eventually playing in the CCHA title game. In the WCHA days we traveled to Yost for a series twice, in 1976 and again in 1980. We split the games in 1976 but lost the series 12 goals to 8. In 1980 we returned the favor, again splitting the two games but winning the series 11-8. Both teams were then eliminated in their next series, Notre Dame by North Dakota in 1980 and Michigan by Michigan Tech in 1976. We also played a 2nd round series in the CCHA playoffs in 2012, with Michigan sweeping a couple of close games.

We've ended Michigan's post season 5 times. Let's make it a 6th next week.