Fighting Irish Hockey bounced back from an ugly Friday defeat with a big 6-1 win on Saturday in their trip to Madison against the Badgers.
Photo via Notre Dame Athletics
Saturday’s tilt was highlighted by 18 penalty calls, nine against each team, leading to 63 total penalty minutes and three players ejected.
Notre Dame got on the board under five minutes into the game when Niko Jovanovic scored his first career collegiate goal to give the Irish an early 1-0 advantage. Axel Kumlin and Henry Nelson were credited with assists on the game's opening score.
With 52 seconds remaining in the first period, Notre Dame was granted a power play opportunity following a roughing call against the Badgers. Justin Janicke converted this man advantage for the visitors with just five seconds left in the period to give the Irish a 2-0 lead heading into the second frame. Blake Biondi and Cole Knuble were given assists on Janicke’s 13th goal of the season.
At the 13:55 mark in the second, Biondi got intertwined with a Badger, and both players were sent to the box, setting up two minutes of four-on-four action. With the extra space on the ice, Knuble connected on a backhander to put the Irish up 3-0 with 12:16 on the clock. Nelson and Kumlin, like the game’s first score, earned assists on this goal.
Wisconsin finally responded with 3:25 remaining in the period when Anthony Kehrer beat the Irish goalie, Owen Say, to cut the Badgers deficit down to two, 3-1.
This score held for all of seven seconds as Notre Dame’s Danny Nelson responded immediately with a goal of his own to hand the Irish their three-score lead back. Brennan Ali and Michael Mastrodomenico were credited with assisting on the goal that gave the visitors a 4-1 lead with 3:18 left in the period.
The first half of the third period was relatively quiet until Ian Murphy’s goal extended Notre Dame’s lead to 5-1 with 12:24 to play. Biondi and Janicke earned assists on this goal, marking the second point of the night for both of these leaders.
Henry Nelson’s night ended early as he was assessed a game misconduct following a spearing call with 9:31 on the clock. Notre Dame played a stellar five minutes on the penalty kill, with Grant Silianoff adding a shorthanded, empty-net goal to secure the Irish’s 6-1 win with 4:44 remaining. Mastrodomenico added his second assist of the night on Silianoff’s six-on-four empty-netter.
Irish Stars:
Cole Knuble: 1 goal, 1 assist, +2
Justin Janicke: 1 goal, 1 assist, +2
Owen Say: 31 saves, 1 goal against
Key Team Stats:
Shots: UW (32) - ND (24)
Power Play Success: ND (1-9) - UW (0-8)
Penalty Minutes: ND (37) - UW (26)
Faceoffs: UW (28) - ND (24)
Blocked Shots: ND (19) - UW (10)
Notre Dame ends their regular season at home next weekend against top-ranked Michigan State.
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