ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The 2025-26 hockey season comes to a close for the University of Notre Dame hockey team as they fall at top-ranked Michigan, 6-1, in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals Wednesday evening at Yost Ice Arena.
The Irish had the first true shot on net of the contest when Cole Brown connected with Evan Werner in the slot but his shot was denied by the pads of the Wolverine netminder, Jack Ivankovic. Michigan countered with a chance of their own but Nicholas Kempf sealed the five-hole chance for the home team a the game remained scoreless at the halfway point of the opening period.
At the first media timeout of the night the Irish were outshooting the Wolverines, 5-2, but neither team had been able to convert in a scoreless first few minutes.
The Wolverines broke the stalemate at 11:52 of the first period when a race up ice beat a changing Irish skater and the Wolverine forward fired a shot over the glove of Kempf.
The Notre Dame penalty kill unit was tested first Wednesday night when the Irish were called for interference with 2:30 left in the first period.
The Irish managed to kill off the duration of the penalty with Carter Slaggert making a big defensive stop on a four-on-two chance for the Wolverines in the final seconds of the special teams play to keep it a one-goal game.
The score remained stagnant through the horn signaling the end of 20 minutes as the Irish skated to the locker room trailing by one after one.
The Wolverines extended their lead with just under five minutes gone in the second period when a rebound attempt from a low-angle shot beat Kempf at the right post to make it a 2-0 game.
A scrum in the Michigan crease after an Irish skater was knocked into the Wolverine netminder from behind caused a stir inside Yost Ice Arena at the 13:39 mark and saw the ND player removed from the game for charging the goaltender.
The Irish managed to kill off the final three minutes of the major after a two-minute stint four-on-four as the Wolverines were penalized for their retaliation. With just over a minute left on the Irish infraction, Jaedon Kerr stepped up in the near circle, blocking a Grade-A shot opportunity for the Wolverines and keeping the look off net and finishing off the rest of the penalty unscathed.
A delayed slashing call against the Irish with under seven to go in the second stanza gave Michigan a chance six-on-five briefly but the Irish reclaimed possession with 6:22 to go and were tasked with their third kill of the evening.
Michigan would convert on that man-advantage as the Irish faced a 3-0 deficit heading into the final period of regulation.
Some extracurriculars behind the Michigan net lead to four-on-four and the first media timeout of the third period as a skater from each side was sent to the box for roughing with 11:55 to go in the frame.
Werner and Paul Fischer each had chances on the special teams affair but the four-on-four play was cut short when the Irish were called for contact to the head and assessed a five-minute major.
The two teams earned a skater back with 9:55 left to play and the Irish were tasked with a lengthy penalty kill as they attempted to close out the third period major. With 10 ticks left on the penalty, the Wolverines snuck a shot past Kempf in the crease after the sophomore netminder had made a series of saves, making it 4-0.
Notre Dame opted for the extra attacker following the final media timeout of regulation as they searched for four goals. It took the Irish just 25 seconds to capitalize with the extra attacker when Evan Werner found the back of the net in his former barn.
The Irish won the ensuing draw and Kempf raced to the bench in favor of the extra attacker once more but the Wolverines capitalized with a shot down the center of the ice to make it a 5-1 contest with 2:45 left in the third.
Kempf returned to the ice after the Wolverines’ took advantage of the empty net and a scramble in the final minute beat the Irish netminder for the 6-1 final.