SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame hockey team fell to Wisconsin Saturday night, 2-1, for the weekend split to open conference play.
Wisconsin thought they had scored after a rebound trickled behind Say at 5:21 of the first but Tyler Carpenter got a stick on the loose puck and swatted it out of the crease. After a lengthy review by the officials, the ruling on the ice of “good goal” was overturned and the score remained 0-0.
Both teams traded penalties throughout the rest of the opening period but neither team could capitalize on the special teams chance as the Irish and Badgers faced a 0-0 stalemate through the first 20 minutes played.
The Badgers were first to get on the board Saturday night as an odd-man rush off a change sailed top shelf into the Irish net for the 1-0 tally.
Ryan Helliwell got the Irish on the board just over halfway through the second period as he danced his way into the slot before ripping a shot into the back of the net to make it a 1-1 game.
A pair of penalties late in the frame had the two sides skating four-on-four momentarily before Wisconsin returned to full strength and took advantage during the final minute of the period. With just 35 seconds to play in the second, the visitors took the 2-1 lead off a powerplay goal.
The Irish returned to the ice for the third period hungry for an equalizer with the Irish firing four shots on net early in the frame before Say had his first test of the period on the other end.
Danny Nelson nearly had the equalizer five minutes into the third but his shot deflected just wide of the net and the Irish continued to trail by one.
Notre Dame was called for a slash at 7:11 of the third and were tasked with killing off another penalty. Owen Say made a highlight reel save, going post-to-post, on the kill to keep the Irish deficit at one goal with just over 10 minutes to play in regulation.
The Irish were called for another interference infraction at 12:44 of the third period and the penalty kill unit went back to work. Notre Dame’s defenders successfully killed off yet another penalty before Cole Knuble hit iron on a shot in what looked to be the equalizer but play continued.
A late Badgers penalty sparked life for the Irish as they peppered the Wisconsin end with shots but the home squad could not convert in the waning minutes of regulation and suffered their first conference loss of the season at the hands of the Badgers, 2-1.
GOALS
- Ryan Helliwell got the Irish on the board Saturday night as he danced his way into the offensive end after picking up a pass from Knuble at center ice. The senior blueliner skated with the puck up the ice, collecting it at the monogram and finding a lane through two Badgers defenders. His defensive partner Axel Kumlin also tallied an assist on the play.
KEY STATS
- The Irish fired 23 shots on net in the contest, led by Blake Biondi’s four.
- In the crease, Owen Say made 33 saves for the Irish in the loss.
- The Irish won the battle at the dot Saturday night, winning 52.8-percent of their face-offs, led by Danny Nelson who went 18-of-28 at the draw.
- Ryan Helliwell’s first goal of the season came at 12:26 of the second period and was his first tally since October 14, 2022 vs. Northern Michigan.
- With an assist on Helliwell’s second period goal, Cole Knuble continued his record start to the season as the sophomore now boasts 12 points on the season off six goals and six assists.
UP NEXT
The Irish head back on the road next weekend as they take on Michigan in Ann Arbor, Nov. 8-9. The Irish and Wolverines last faced off against each other in the Big Ten Quarterfinals last season.
Friday’s game at Yost Ice Arena is set for 6pm followed by a 7pm puck drop on Saturday.