SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame hockey is set for its final home series of the calendar year when they host No. 4/4 Minnesota, Nov. 22-23. Last season the two teams split the season series 2-2-0, with the Irish taking four of six conference points (1-1-0, overtime loss) to close out the home slate on senior weekend.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: #4/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers | Nov. 22-23
Location: South Bend, Ind. | Compton Family Ice Arena
Schedule: Fri. 7pm | Sat. 6pm
TV: Peacock
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/
Game Notes: Notre Dame | Minnesota
QUICK HITS
- The Irish return from a two-week road trip to host Minnesota this weekend.
- All-time, the Irish are 27-43-6 against the Golden Gophers and split the season series in 2023-24 with a 2-2-0 record, including one overtime contest.
- In their most recent outing, Blake Biondi recorded a goal and two assists for his career-best point total in an Irish sweater. The graduate forward now owns seven points on the season off three goals and four assists. The three points from the Hermantown, Minnesota native tied his previous best set twice at UMD.
- Jack Larrigan recorded an assist Friday night at Michigan State to notch his first collegiate point.
- Henry Nelson scored his second collegiate goal to open the scoring in game one against Wisconsin. His younger brother Danny notched the primary assist on the play, marking the first time brothers contributed to each other’s goals since Justin Janicke had the second assist on his older brother Trevor’s goal on February 2, 2024 vs. Michigan State.
- The last time one brother posted the primary assist on their brother’s goal was November 5, 2023 when Justin fed his brother Trevor a pass at Penn State in a 2-2 tie.
- 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
- The Irish and Golden Gophers have met 76 times prior to this coming weekend, with Notre Dame trailing the all-time series 27-43-6.
- Last season, the Irish took the series from the Golden Gophers, posting a 2-2-0 record with the final game being decided in overtime to give the Irish seven of the possible 12 in the conference standings.
- With four points, including a goal and three assists, Danny Nelson led the team in the series against the Gophers in his rookie campaign.
- Three freshmen boasted career nights against Minnesota a season ago. Danny Nelson’s goal and two assists in the 6-1 win over Minnesota at home last year marked a career-high.
- Carter Slaggert scored his collegiate goal at Minnesota last November before recording a multi-point game at home against the rival Gophers in late February, the first of his career. Two of the now-sophomore’s three career goals have come against Minnesota.
- Sophomore blueliner Paul Fischer’s two assists in the team’s 6-1 win over Minnesota last year marked a career best for the then-rookie and tied his career-high in points.
- The Irish opened their season series against the Golden Gophers with a convincing 4-2 win over Minnesota on the road last season, marking Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach Jeff Jackson’s 399th career win behind the Irish bench.
- The team then marked yet another milestone in Jackson’s legacy in the final home weekend of the season when they hosted Minnesota. The Friday night game vs. the Golden Gophers marked Jackson’s 1,000th Division I game coached. The Irish rolled to a dominant 6-1 victory to celebrate the occassion.