To the Notre Dame community, on behalf of the Notre Dame hockey team, I would like to thank you for your help in energizing Irish hockey this season. Your support, combined with the hard work of our players, has helped us earn a first round bye in the CCHA playoffs, a goal we set at the beginning of the year.
Our fans have a lot to do with our success this season. The atmosphere that you have created in the Joyce Center has carried us to a 9-0-2 league record at home. The Notre Dame hockey band has been phenomenal and the cheering of JACCO's WACCOs in section 6 has made our rink a feared place for opposing teams. As a result, the second round of the CCHA playoffs will be played at the Joyce Center March 9-11 and although we don't know our opponent, we know we will need our fans to be louder than ever.
I realize that many of you have been looking forward to that weekend because of spring break and the opportunity to leave campus for a few days. Your classmates on the hockey team and I are asking you to hold off on leaving so quickly! The team has appreciated and thrived on your efforts all season long and they need you now more than ever. The hockey band will be there so please join them, wear gold and be loud! We would love to see a sea of gold cheering us on during this important playoff weekend. As with all of the games this season, admission is free to all Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross students with their ID as long as seats are available. As always, I'm sure there will be some great prizes and I can assure you there will be some great hockey.
In closing, this weekend we head to Alaska in pursuit of Notre Dame's first-ever regular season conference championship. Upon our return, we look forward to seeing you for our last home regular season series (including Senior Night on Feb. 24) versus Ferris State, and then again at our CCHA playoff games in March on our "Road to the Joe" and beyond. Go Irish!
Jeff Jackson
Notre Dame hockey head coach
Feb. 12
