SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A new season opens for the University of Notre Dame hockey program this weekend as they head to the postseason with a trip to No. 3/3 Minnesota on deck in the Big Ten Playoff Quarterfinals. The best-of-three series will take place at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis. Puck drop for the first two games is set for 7pm local time before a 6pm start Sunday, March 9, if necessary. All games will air locally on Fox9 while also being streamed to B1G+ and Fox9+.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: Minnesota Golden Gophers | March 7-9*
Location: Minneapolis, Minn.| 3M Arena at Mariucci
Schedule: 7p.m. CT (Fri./Sat.) | 6p.m. CT (Sun.)*
TV: Fox9 | Fox9+ | B1G+
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/
Game Notes: Notre Dame
*Sunday, March 9 if necessary
QUICK HITS
- The Irish and Golden Gophers are set to clash for the third weekend series this season as Notre Dame treks to Minneapolis, Minnesota for the Big Ten Playoff Quarterfinals. The best-of-three series is set to get underway Friday, March 7, at 7p.m. CT inside 3M Arena at Mariucci.
- The Irish closed out the regular season at home against Michigan State last weekend. They opened the weekend festivities by honoring 14 members of the program, including 11 graduating players and three student-managers.
- As part of senior night tradition for the Irish, the team donned their green jerseys with the script Irish on the front. Friday night’s jersey combination marked the seventh sweaters the Irish have worn this season, adding to their two unique jerseys made for the 2024 Friendship Four and the 2025 Frozen Confines.
- Prior to their tilts at Minnesota earlier this season, Justin Janicke was appointed captain by his teammates, as announced by Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach on Jan. 18.
- The Irish team returned 19 student-athletes from the 2023-24 roster, including 11 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders. The forwards include graduate senior Grant Silianoff and seniors Justin Janicke, Hunter Strand and Tyler Carpenter. Returning defensemen include four who appeared in the final series of the 2023-24 season in Michael Mastrodomenico, Paul Fischer, Zach Plucinski and Henry Nelson.
- Notre Dame returned two 20+ point scorers from a season ago as Danny Nelson (9-14-23) and Cole Knuble (9-11-20) are now in their sophomore seasons with the Irish.
- In total, eight returners posted double-digit points last season. In addition to Nelson and Knuble, Hunter Strand (4-15-19), Justin Janicke (4-12-16), Paul Fischer (2-14-16), Brennan Ali (3-10-13), Maddox Fleming (3-9-12) and Grant Silianoff (4-7-11) look to improve upon their double-digit performances a season ago.
- At the last line of defense, the Irish return Jack Williams in goal and added two new netminders to the mix in Nicholas Kempf (USNTDP) and Owen Say (Mercyhurst).
- The Irish added 10 new faces to the squad in 2024-25, including five freshmen and five transfers. The 10 newcomers consist of five forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders.
NOTRE DAME vs. MINNESOTA
- In their last meeting, Blake Biondi sent the Irish packing with a weekend split following his overtime game-winner on the road. After possessing the puck the entirety of overtime, the Irish combined for 3:46 of offensive possession before Biondi picked up a pass from Cole Knuble for the game-winning tally back in his home state.
- All-time, the Irish are 28-46-6 against the Golden Gophers, including a 17-24-3 clip on the road in Minneapolis.
- During the regular season the Irish were 1-3-0 against the Big Ten foe.
- With five goals in four games against Minnesota this season, Axel Kumlin leads the Irish in the category. His goal and four assists ranks most among all Irish skaters against the co-Big Ten regular season champions.
- In game two of the weekend series when the Irish hosted the Golden Gophers, Kumlin’s three points off a goal and an assist was his first multi-point game in an Irish sweater and set his career high in points.
- Two Irish skaters recorded their first collegiate goals against Minnesota this season including Jack Larrigan and Jimmy Jurcev. Carter Slaggert, who net his first career goal against Minnesota on the road a season ago, also had one against the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis this season.
- Blake Biondi’s two goals against Minnesota this season, including the overtime game-winner in January, leads the team while nine individuals boast multiple points against the Golden Gophers thus far.