ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The eighth-ranked Fighting Irish hockey team was edged by fourth-ranked Michigan 2-1 in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals at sold out Yost Ice Arena on Saturday night.
Jack Adams scored for the Irish, while Matthew Galajda made 29 saves.
“I thought we battled, we played hard and put ourselves in position to win the game but they scored the key goal in the third period,” head coach Jeff Jackson said. “Their top guys made the difference and scored both goals.”
Notre Dame (27-11-0), which is now 4-1-0 on the season against Michigan, will await the NCAA Tournament selection show on Sunday, March 20.
How It Happened
Hunter Strand worked a quick give-and-go from the far circle with Jack Adams to generate Notre Dame’s first good look of the game, but it was fought off by Wolverine goaltender Erik Portillo with nine minutes to play in the first period.
A minute later, Trevor Janicke tested Portillo, but his shot was blocked aside.
With 3:25 left in the first, Adam Karashik was whistled for the game’s first penalty. Then with 1:34 left on that minor, Jake Pivonka was called for a trip. The Notre Dame penalty kill would go to work, killing off the 5-on-3 and then finishing off the remainder of Pivonka’s penalty to keep it a 0-0 game after the first.
Matty Beniers gave the Wolverines a 1-0 lead at 3:46 of the second, finishing off a 3-on-2 chance from just outside the goal crease.
Ellis nearly tied it with 7:28 to play in the second, diving to get to a rebound in front, but Portillo was able to get his left pad on the chance. Leivermann then sent a wrister that went just wide.
The Irish continued to pressure as the second period moved along and it paid off at 12:04 when Jack Adams worked his way to the front of the net and deflected an Adam Karashik feed high past Portillo’s blocker for his sixth goal of the season. Justin Janicke earned the second assist on the play. The possession started after Solag Bakich had a big shot block on a Luke Hughes chance at the other end.
The teams headed to the locker room, tied at 1-1, after two periods of play.
Michigan’s Brendan Brisson made it a 2-1 game at 3:59 of the third with a wrist shot from the faceoff circle to the left of Galajda.
Landon Slaggert nearly tied it back up with 13 minutes left in the third, but his backhander in front was blocked by a Michigan defender.
With two minutes left in the game, Galajda was pulled in favor of a sixth Irish skater, but Notre Dame would be unable to secure the game-tying goal.
Next Up
- Notre Dame will now wait for the NCAA Tournament field to be announced on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 20.
– ND –