Mario Lucia is healthy again after breaking his left fibula and suffering ligament damage back in late August during a pre-season practice. He’s set to play his 7th game since coming back on November 15th for a series against Michigan. It took him all of one game to get into the point column when he scored his 1st collegiate goal in his second college hockey game! Since then, The Son of Don has had 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 games. He looks well on his way to having a great rest of the season and he could also end up playing for USA Hockey in the 2013 World Junior Championships since he made the preliminary roster that was announced on Tuesday. He still has to make the final roster but so far so good for Mario!
*You can download the roster by clicking HERE!
Notre Dame hockey has taken a step into the elite in the last few seasons getting top recruits (like Mario Lucia) and becoming an annual contender to win their conference and the NCAA championship. I’m mainly interested in watching this game because of Mario Lucia and him being a prospect of and a 2nd round pick of the Minnesota Wild and just the fact that its good hockey and well…who can’t get enough good hockey, especially with an NHL Lockout that seems to get weirder by the day? Tell me that!
Let’s DROP THIS CLUTTERPUCK!!!
All comments are from an offensive point of view unless otherwise noted!
1st Period
- The game looks like it’s in black and white. NBCSports must be having some problems right off the stick!
- Mario Lucia is mentioned by Pierre McGuire on his first shift after he unleashes a wicked shot that goes wide!
- That’s right, unfortunately, we have Doc Emrick and Pierre McGuire doing the play-by-play and commentary in this game. If that’s not an invitation to mute the TV, I don’t know what is!
- I forgot the Michigan State Spartans have a Minnesota Wild draft pick of their own playing defense in #7 John Draeger who was drafted in the 3rd round (68th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft
- He’s getting power play time too!
- Mario Lucia wears #22 which might pose problems if and/or when he gets to the NHL with the Minnesota Wild! Ummm…CLUTTERBUCK!!! 22 Cal! Bring The CLUTTER!
- GOAL! – Nick Larson from Austin Wuthrich & David Gerths at 10:50 of the 1st period –David Gerths takes the puck down the right boards all the way around the Spartans net and he loses the puck near the left corner but the loose puck goes to the left half-wall where Austin Wuthrich makes a backhand pass to Nick Larson in front of the net for a one-time shot into the upper right corner of the net! IRISH 1-0!!!
- Find the open spots when you don’t have the puck. Nick Larson did a great job getting open and being ready for the pass in front of the net.
- Austin Wuthrich gets credit for having the vision to know Larson is open in front of the net.
- Mario Lucia has size at 6’3″ tall and 193 pounds and he’s only going to get bigger and stronger and better.
- He’s a goal scorer and already has 4 goals (& 1 assist) in 6 games
- T.J. Tynan is small at 5’9/165 but man, does he have some speed and some mitts!
- While short-handed, he gets the puck skates through the neutral zone, makes a move around the defenseman and gets in on the goalie. The puck goes behind the net, he follows it, keeps possession and gets another shot.
- Hey, if you lack size, don’t let that stop you from working your ass off because you never know what you might be capable of becoming if you give up because everyone tells you you’re too small to play hockey past a certain level!
- Get strong and keep your head on a swivel, knowing where everyone is on the ice so you can avoid hits and make plays with how you see the ice!
2nd Period
- GOAL – Brent Darnell from Matt Berry at 2:43 of the 2nd period – Matt Berry took a shot from a bad angle (behind the goal line) that was saved by Steven Summerhays but rebounded off his left pad out to Brent Darnell and he put it into the net to the left of Summerhays. TIED AT 1!!!
- Darnell went to the front of the net as soon as he saw Berry get possession of the puck.
- That’s where goals are scored! Get to the net!
- Anders Lee gets thrown out of the game for a boarding penalty that the official believes was worthy of a major penalty!
- I disagree and I’m not sure it should be a penalty at all, let alone a MAJOR penalty!
- REFS? Have you met anyone who has “always wanted to be a ref”? Why would you want to do that?
- GOAL (POWER PLAY) – Mario Lucia from T.J. Tynan & Robbie Russo at 9:53 of the 2nd period – Mario Lucia set up on the 4-on-3 power play to the right of the net (Jake Hildebrand’s left) with Robbie Russo at the point and T.J. Tynan at the left circle. Russo passes the puck to Tynan and he skates in a little bit, fakes a shot and passes it to Lucia for a one-timer into the open net. IRISH 2-1!!!
- Mario Lucia fired a rocket of a shot on that one-timer that went upper left! WOW!
- GOAL (POWER PLAY) – T.J. Tynan from Mario Lucia & Michael Voran at 17:48 of the 2nd period –The Irish work the power play to perfection getting good shots with the help of Mario Lucia. Mario is camped at the right half-wall and first feeds Robbie Russo cross-ice for a one-timer from the top of the left circle. That shot is saved but the puck squeaks out from Jake Hildebrand behind the net where Michael Voran retrieves the puck and feeds Lucia at the right face-off dot. Lucia backs up towards the half-wall giving himself more time and space and sees T.J. Tynan wrap around the net and move to get open to the left of the net and open up for the one-timer.
- Lucia had to wait for a little opening to get the pass through and fed Tynan perfectly for the one-timer goal! IRISH 3-1!!!
- WOW! Doc Emrick just pronounced Lucia’s name as Loot-cha! OOPS!
- COME ON, MAN!!! You’re supposed to be this GREAT announcer and you pronounce Lucia wrong?
- Sorry! I’ve never been a fan of Doc Emrick but, that being said, I don’t think I can deal with many announcers for very long!
3rd Period
- GOAL (POWER PLAY) – Brent Darnell from Kevin Walrod & Travis Walsh at 5:07 of the 3rd period – Brent Darnell just likes shooting the puck! He gets a backhand pass from Kevin Walrod at the top of the slot and, even though he’s got a defender right in front of him, he still finds a way to get a good shot off that gets past Steven Summerhays.
Final Score
Notre Dame 3, Michigan State 2
Some reading material if you’re interested:
Lucia on son, Wild prospect Mario Lucia by Michael RUSSO! – Russo’s Rants
- I think Russo should just change the name of his blog to Russo RULES! – Just a thought!
- Follow Russo on Twitter and on Facebook
Mario Lucia Profile at UND.com
Mario Lucia Profile from Wild.com (including stats)
Mario Lucia NHL Entry Draft Prospect Profile at NHL.com
Scouting Report:
NHL Central Scouting’s Jack Barzee
“He has the hands, head, size and reach that coaches love. He’s unselfish and smart, has good vision and a wicked release. When Mario Lucia has the puck on his stick, he makes everyone else better. When he’s got the puck inside the blue line, he’s a threat to score or set up a picturesque play … he’s that dangerous.”
Wayzata head coach Carl Davis
“He has those things you can’t teach as a coach. His instincts for the game are there … his playmaking ability and puck possession will be a huge part of his game as he matures and grows older. He’s a dynamic playmaker. He protects the puck so well in traffic and uses that size to his advantage. He’s a threat coming out of the corners. He works so hard in the weight room — he’s outworked everyone on my team. This young man has a passion to get better and he wants to get to the next level.”
Video
Mario Lucia Prospect Profile from HockeysFuture.com
Mario Lucia on Twitter – Follow Mario on the Tweet machine!
John Draeger Profile at Wild.com
John Draeger NHL Entry Draft Profile at NHL.com
John Draeger Profile at HockeysFuture.com
John Draeger on Twitter – Follow John on the Twitter
Bring The CLUTTER in the comments, on Google+ on Twitter and on Facebook.
You’ve Been ClutterPUCKED!!!
