SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Irish improved to 3-0-0 to start the season after a convincing 4-1 victory over Alaska Friday night in the 2024-25 home-opener.
The Irish jumped out to the early lead when Cole Knuble net his team-best fourth goal of the season to give Notre Dame the 1-0 lead at 12:48 of the opening period.
Alaska was whistled for too many men late in the first period but the Irish could not convert on the man-advantage at the end of the frame.
The Irish carried over 43 seconds of powerplay opportunity into the second period but did not capitalize and maintained the 1-0 lead into the first few minutes of second period play.
Notre Dame extended their lead on a delayed penalty just under six minutes into the second period. Hunter Strand drew the penalty while crashing in on net and passed the puck out to the blue line to settle it. With Owen Say on the bench for an extra attacker before the puck was blown dead, Henry Nelson buried a feed from Michael Mastrodomenico for his first collegiate goal.
The Irish carried the 2-0 lead into the second intermission with the home team outshooting the visitors 29-13 through 40 minutes played.
Alaska got one back at 5:01 of the final frame but the Irish answered shortly after with Justin Janicke splitting defenders and lifting the puck over the blocker of the UAF netminder to make it 3-1 Irish.
Minutes later, Grant Silianoff scored his first goal of the season for the 4-1 final. The graduate buried a shot from the hashes with assists to Hunter Strand and Henry Nelson.
The Irish finished the night holding the edge in shots, 38-26, with Owen Say making 25 saves between the pipes.
KEY STATS
- The Irish had four multi-point scorers Friday night, including sophomore Henry Nelson who had a goal and an assist.
- After recording just one assist as a rookie a season ago, the elder Nelson scored his first collegiate goal in Friday’s victory before adding an assist for the two-point night. His goal which came on a delayed penalty at 5:41 of the second period was the eventual game-winner.
- Cole Knuble and Justin Janicke also recorded a goal and an assist each to help lift the Irish to the win Friday night while Hunter Strand tallied two assists.
- A graduate transfer who scored an unofficial goal in the exhibition earlier this month, Ian Murphy’s assist on the opening goal Friday was his first point in an Irish sweater.
- After picking up an assist last weekend on the road, Grant Silianoff scored his first goal of the season to cap off the night for the Irish in the 4-1 win.
UP NEXT
The Irish and Nanooks close out their season series Saturday night with a 6:05pm puck drop. The Irish are now 3-0-0 on the season and boast wins of at least a three-goal margin in each contest for the first time since 1969.