SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Irish hockey program bounced back Saturday to earn a 4-2 victory over Lindenwood University inside a sold out Compton Family Ice Arena.
The Irish were shorthanded early Saturday after a tripping call went against the home team just 39 seconds into play. Notre Dame was successful on the early kill with the defense holding the Lions without a shot on goal.
It was Brennan Ali who opened the scoring in game two of the series as the sophomore received a stretch pass from Jaedon Kerr and skated in on net.
Notre Dame faced its second penalty kill of the evening at 6:58 of the first period but again, the Irish were able to ward off any scoring by the Lions and held the 1-0 lead through the end of the infraction.
The Irish dominated the remainder of the first period, outshooting the Lions 15-4 in the opening 20, but could not convert and held the one-goal lead into the first intermission.
At 1:39 of the second stanza, the Lions were called for an elbow and were forced to kill off two minutes of play. It took the Irish just four seconds to capitalize on the man-advantage as Justin Janicke buried a shot from the circle to make it a 2-0 game.
Ali looked to have his second of the night but his shot halfway through the contest rang off the post and back into the crease to keep it a two-goal game at the second media timeout of the night.
The Lions drew within one shortly after the media break to make it a 2-1 game which would hold through the end of the second.
Senior Tyler Carpenter wasted no time getting the Irish back to a two-goal advantage in the early minutes of the third frame as his shot from the bottom of the circle found twine at 1:52 of the final period.
The Lions came within one at 11:15 of the third period after a shot from Jake Southgate snuck past Kempf in goal.
Lindenwood pulled their goaltender with under two minutes to play and after Henry Nelson’s shot bounced off the post to keep it a one-goal game, Danny Nelson buried a shot on the open net to solidify the win for the Irish Saturday evening.
GOALS
- Jaedon Kerr’s stretch pass from deep found Brennan Ali alone at the blue line who skated in on goal before firing a shot on the Lions net and beating Owen Bartoszkiewicz in the crease. Ian Murphy also earned an assist on the play as he settled the puck deep in the Irish zone prior to the play.
- It took the Irish powerplay unit just three seconds to convert early in the second period, extending their lead to two goals off the stick of Justin Janicke. Danny Nelson won the draw in the offensive circle where Cole Knuble grabbed it and dished a pass over to Janicke who buried the one-timer.
- Tyler Carpenter’s early third period goal gave the Irish the 3-1 lead after his shot from the bottom of the far circle beat Bartoszkiewicz as he tried to seal the post. Paul Fischer and Jayden Davis were each credited with assists on the third period goal.
- Danny Nelson’s goal at 19:13 of the third was his team-best 10th of the year, tying Janicke whose second period goal was his 10th of the year as well. The latter also recorded the lone assist on the play for a two point night.
UP NEXT
The Irish will have a brief hiatus before opening the last month of the regular season with Ohio State for a two-game series inside Compton Family Ice Arena, Feb. 7-8.
Friday night will mark the team’s annual Fan Appreciation Night while Saturday’s contest with the Buckeyes is slated to be Chicago Blackhawks Night in South Bend.
Tickets for both nights can be purchased through the University’s officially partnered reseller, Seat Geek.