They may not have won the national championship Saturday night in Denver, but they have put a college hockey program on the map and one the Maine Black Bears may just come up against in the postseason in years to come.

Notre Dame is about football, and not particularly good football of late. The Irish hockey team has directed attention away from that for the moment and gained national attention by being the surprise team in the NCAA Frozen Four.

Their win Thursday against heavily favored Michigan moved the Irish to the title game Saturday night where they were beaten by Boston College 4-1.

The Irish are coached by Jeff Jackson. He was out of college hockey for nine years before taking the Irish job three years ago. As head coach at Lake Superior State in the 1990s, he won two national titles, three visits to the finals and six CCHA title games.

He left to work as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders (and former Maine goalie Garth Snow), the U.S. Developmental Program and time as coach of the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League.

He has another Maine connection at Notre Dame in athletic director Kevin White, who held the same position at Maine from 1987-1991. Some of that hockey success White saw at Maine has rubbed off on the Irish.

“I’ve always thought that Notre Dame could be a great hockey program,” said Jackson. He cites the natural rivalries that have developed through football and he said, “I don’t know if it’s a good thing, but in recruiting today, most kids playing hockey come from strong financial backgrounds. Those kids are going to good schools, good schools translate into good grades and we can get them into school [at Notre Dame].”

The Irish played in the title game without their leading scorer, Erik Contra, who was injured six games ago. Defenseman Kyle Lawson echoes his teammates in saying their success comes from Jackson’s “attention to the small details.”

Forward Christian Hanson said, “I’ve never played for a coach who is more dedicated to the game of hockey.” Perhaps the highest compliment to Jackson came from Contra, who told me, “His passion for the game is contagious.”

Notre Dame’s success, because it is Notre Dame, brings added attention to college hockey.

The New York Times ran a story Friday entitled “Hockey Emerges From Football’s Shadow in South Bend.” It ran because Notre Dame sports attract attention.

The fact that attention comes from a hockey program that plays its games on a rink in the middle of a field house next to the golden dome where college football history has been written is just that much better for all of college hockey.

After I interviewed Jackson for a TV spot Thursday, he smiled when I asked about the efforts to build a new rink.

“We still need to raise five million,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to note that in the broadcast and I’ll give you the phone number for donations.”

After this year’s performance, there will be calls.

bdnsports@bangordailynews.net