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NCAA on NBCSN: No. 15 Fighting Irish host Alabama-Huntsville

Notre Dame v Massachusetts-Lowell

LOWELL, MA - NOVEMBER 22: Mario Lucia #22 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish gets ready for the puck to drop during NCAA hockey action at the Tsongas Center against the Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks on November 22, 2013 in Lowell, Massachusetts. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mario Lucia

Richard T Gagnon

NBCSN continues its coverage of the 2013-14 college hockey season tonight when the No. 15 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-8-1) host the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers (1-21-0) at the Compton Family Ice Arena with coverage starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. You can also catch the game online at NBC Sports Live Extra.

There’s quite the juxtaposition of circumstances on display in South Bend this weekend. Notre Dame heads into their two-game set with Alabama-Huntsville ranked 15th in the USCHO.com poll and sit eighth in Hockey East. The ranking is nice, but coach Jeff Jackson would certainly like his team to turn things up in the second half.

The Irish are coming off a thrilling loss to Boston College at Frozen Fenway in Boston last week. Having to contain both Bill Arnold and Johnny Gaudreau for a single game is asking a lot and it was Gaudreau who scored the game-winner midway through the third period.

Notre Dame has other issues, however. They have just two wins in their last seven games and one of those was a 5-2 victory against UAH in the Shillelagh Tournament. Losing to BC and UMass-Lowell is one thing, but splitting a weekend set with UMass before winter break doesn’t look so good. Goalie Steven Summerhays has held strong but they’ll need more from T.J. Tynan and Mario Lucia (pictured) if they’re going to storm into the Hockey East playoffs.

Saturday night’s game between these same teams will be streamed on NBC Live Extra on NBCSports.com at 7 p.m. ET.

The Chargers, however, have had a rough go of it in their first season in the WCHA. They have the worst record in college hockey and their lone win came on the road at Bowling Green in overtime. UAH’s top scorer is freshman Matt Salhany with seven points. Their top goal man is sophomore forward Chad Brears with four.

As a team they’ve scored just 22 goals this season. Yes, they’re averaging exactly one goal per game. Ouch.

While goals have been hard to come by, goaltending has been a struggle as well as they split time between a pair of freshmen, Carmine Guerriero and Matt Larose. For first-year coach Mike Corbett, accommodating to life in Alabama has been a struggle. It sure beats having the program being on the brink of being eliminated though.

NHL Draftees

Notre Dame – Forwards: Vince Hinostroza (FR - Blackhawks), T.J. Tynan (SR - Blue Jackets), Austin Wuthrich (JR - Capitals), Bryan Rust (SR - Penguins), Jeff Costello (SR - Senators), Mario Lucia (SO - Wild), Steven Fogarty (SO - Rangers), Thomas DiPauli (SO - Capitals).

Defense: Robbie Russo (JR -Islanders), Stephen Johns (SR - Blackhawks), Kevin Lind (SR - Ducks)

Alabama-Huntsville -- None

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