Dear Fighting Irish Students:
First of all, many thanks to the over 1,700 of you that attended last Friday's game versus Minnesota at the Compton Family Ice Arena. I hope you found that experience as exciting and enjoyable as it was for your classmates who played the game for Notre Dame that night.
The energy you created in the building served as a sixth skater/seventh man for the Irish in an important game. Special thanks goes to Matt Merten and the Notre Dame hockey band for all that they do to help create such a great atmosphere for our games all season long.
With that said, our upcoming Hockey East games, beginning with two against Merrimack this weekend, are actually far more important than those games against the Gophers.
My challenge to you is to come and create that same energy for your Fighting Irish hockey team regardless of our opponent. When you do so, it gives your team the best chance to succeed in Hockey East and to compete for championships. For a couple of hours on a few Friday and Saturday nights this winter, that is your mission - if you choose to accept it.
I am sure that Coach McGraw and Coach Brey, among others, also would appreciate the support at Purcell Pavilion when they start play in the ACC.
Go Irish!
Jeff Jackson
Notre Dame
Hockey head coach
Nov. 12
