KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Notre Dame hockey dropped game two of their weekend series against No. 7/7 Western Michigan, 4-0, inside Lawson Arena Saturday night.
Luke Pearson earned the nod in net Saturday night to close out the weekend series with the Broncos. The start marked his first in an Irish sweater as he picked up a career best 40 saves in the loss.
The Irish were called for the first penalty of the night after a play deep in the Broncos zone. The kill would last just nine seconds before WMU was called for interference after sweeping a defender’s stick out of the zone as he reached for it. Both teams managed to kill off the extra ice to keep it a scoreless contest with just under five minutes to play in the opening period.
Cole Brown nearly had the Irish on the board with just over two minutes to play in the frame as Paul Fischer’s shot was deflected by the freshman at the top of the crease.
After a lengthy shift in the Broncos’ zone, Sutter Muzzatti settled the puck at center ice and found Cole Knuble alone at the blueline who raced in on net. His chance was denied by an outstretched Hampton Slukynsky in the WMU net to keep it a 0-0 game in the final minutes of the first.
With 1:24 to play in the opening frame the Irish powerplay unit returned to the ice after Jayden Davis was sent flying into the boards off the WMU bench. The play was reviewed for a potential major but determined to be a minor and the nation’s top powerplay unit hopped onto the ice looking to capitalize before the end of the stanza.
The visitors were unable to convert on the first 84 seconds of the man-advantage, skating to the first intermission deadlocked with the Broncos, 0-0.
A three-goal second period had the Broncos take the lead through 40 minutes played. Their first two goals were reviewed with the tiebreaker being initiated by the officials just 98 seconds into the frame. The home team then took a 2-0 lead at 11:59 of the frame but the Irish challenged for offsides. A lengthy review ensued before it was deemed a good tally and the Irish were faced with a two-goal deficit.
After the Broncos took the 3-0 lead at 12:30 of the period, Carter Slaggert was caught on a breakaway chance but had his stick slashed from his hands before he got a shot off on the netminder. A powerplay opportunity for the Irish came with 6:55 to go in the second stanza but despite chances, the Irish were unable to convert and continued in their quest for that elusive first goal.
Danny Nelson looked to have the Irish on the board with three minutes to go in the frame after he tapped in a rebound in the paint but the officials waved off the goal as the puck had been between the pads of Slukynsky in the crease before trickling over the line. The two teams skated to the locker rooms for the second with the Irish tasked with overcoming the 3-0 score in the third.
A late goal for the Broncos on the powerplay after a scrum in front of the Irish net sealed the Irish fate Saturday night as they fell to the WMU squad by an identical score to Friday, 4-0.
UP NEXT
The Irish continue their five-game road stretch when they travel back to the mitten state next week for a two night battle against the top-ranked Wolverines in Ann Arbor next weekend (January 9-10). The Notre Dame and Michigan squads last met to open conference play October 31-November 1 with the visiting Wolverines stealing an overtime win in the night two clash.