NCAA: Scorings His Thang

One of the top ranked teams out of the CCHA, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are relying on veteran scoring from players like sophomore Ryan Thang and strong defense from a pair of impressive freshman defenders and NHL draft picks, Ian Cole and Theo Ruth. McKeen's has notes on several Fighting Irish making an impact this season.

Ian Cole (StL), D, Notre Dame

Highest drafted Notre Dame player ever is a big and strong, mistake-free-two-way defenseman .. crisp skater with swift all-access mobility, great recovery speed, and powerful legs that stimulate his rapid acceleration .. makes quick and good decisions with the puck, as he knows where he needs to move the puck before he receives it while making a hard, tape-to-tape first pass .. underrated offensively, as this side of his game is beginning to blossom .. moves the puck hard with some creative passes off the rush when he decides to jump and displays the instincts to know when to join the offensive attack to create an odd-man rush .. an absolute horse with phenomenal strength .. physical presence that out-muscles the opposition with ease along the wall and is capable of devastating the opposition with thunderous bodychecks in the open ice .. anticipates the game well and makes good defensive reads, as well as covering his crease with tenacity .. already a first-pairing defenseman that logs a lot of minutes in his freshman season, as he's on the ice late in the game when his team needs a goal or needs to prevent one.

Teddy Ruth (Wsh), D, Notre Dame

Character defenseman that is effective on both sides of the puck .. strong skater with a compact stride that gives him vigorous acceleration and crisp edge work .. his quick feet allow him to skate out of trouble but he is also a poised and confident puckcarrier that can make the first pass .. not a powerplay-quarterback type, however, he will pinch down low and join the rush when appropriate, as well as get his heavy shot on net effectively .. not overly tall but he's a real physical presence thanks to his great strength throughout his thick trunk .. an aggressive defender that likes to challenge his man at the blueline and land heavy, open-ice hits .. character guy that stands up for his teammates and covers his crease with conviction while on the penalty kill .. type of defenseman that has pro written all over him.

Erik Condra (Ott), RW, Notre Dame

Creative and poised winger that leads the Fighting Irish in scoring .. owns a quick first step with an efficient short-ice game thanks to his swift lateral mobility, however, he lacks the third gear to separate in the open ice .. instinctive offensive player that anticipates the play soundly, as he always seems to be in the right place at the right time .. poised and patient with the puck, Condra is a playmaker that uses no-look passes to creatively set up his linemates .. scores most of his goals through his hard work and smarts that get him in position, but he does own a quick shot that he can finish with .. character player that competes and is wiry in the corners .. his defensive reads are adequate and his time on the penalty kill this season is helping his defensive game develop .. impact collegiate athlete that must continue to add strength and improve his top speed before taking the next step.

Kyle Lawson (Car), D, Notre Dame

Smart and skilled puck moving defenseman that is one of the better prospects in the Hurricanes system .. smooth skater with a deceptively quick first step that needs to improve his foot speed .. keeps himself out of trouble despite lacking explosiveness, as his standout attribute is his ability to move the puck .. Lawson sees the ice so well and is a poised puck distributor that makes smart first passes and creative ones, while quarterbacking the powerplay .. makes good reads offensively, as he pinches and joins the rush appropriately .. finesse defender that despite his slender frame, is not pushed around that easily .. utilizes his above-average lateral mobility to stay with his man off the rush and angle them to the outside.

Ryan Thang (Nsh), LW, Notre Dame

Goal scorer with adequate strength and speed .. owns a deep and aggressive stride that gives him a deceptive burst of speed to the outside and the ability to separate in the open ice .. natural goal scorer with a nose for the net, Thang owns a heavy shot that he releases well at full speed .. he is a big kid that is greasy in the corners, although a nastier physical edge would complement his game well .. defensive game still needs improvement, as does his ability to see the ice .. prospect with intriguing qualities and is developing well during his sophomore season.

Ben Ryan (Nsh), RW, Notre Dame

Freshman that has been moved from his old position at center to now playing on the right wing .. Ryan has quick feet with impressive acceleration in tight spaces, however his stride lacks length, which prevents him from having prevailing top speed .. hard working, two-way player that gives full effort every shift .. small but sturdy on his feet and physically aggressive .. not seeing much icetime but is a player that is counted on in the lineup on the third line and is producing adequately .. projects as a two-way-grinder type and he is displaying those qualities in his freshman season.