NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame hockey team closed out the first half of the season with the series final against second-ranked Wisconsin Saturday night, falling 9-2 to the Badgers. The Irish powerplay unit continued to impress as they went one-for-three on the man-advantage and lead the nation in special teams while shutting out the Badgers on the penalty kill, including successfully killing off a five minute major in the first period.
The Badgers capitalized on their first shot on goal, taking the 1-0 lead early after a shot from the point beat Nicholas Kempf over the shoulder. The Irish had been dominating play up to that point, registering the first three shots of the game but were unable to take the lead in the opening minutes of play. They extended their lead less than two minutes later with a rebound on the doorstep that snuck past Kempf in the crease to make it a 2-0 contest.
Notre Dame’s top-rated powerplay unit saw the first action of the night at 7:14 of the opening period after Cole Knuble drew a trip at center ice, sending the special teams unit onto the ice as they looked to slash the early deficit in half. Despite a series of chances on the powerplay, the Irish were unable to capitalize on the man-advantage and play resumed at full strength with the home team still trailing by two.
Wisconsin would further extend their lead twice more just over halfway through the opening frame to force a change in net for the Irish. At 11:33 of the first period senior Jack Williams made his season debut in the crease, replacing Kempf for the night.
The Irish were tasked with a five-minute major after a penalty deep in the offensive end halted play. Wisconsin, who ranked as the nation’s best powerplay unit prior to the weekend series was held without a goal on the man-advantage for the duration of the Irish penalty and the Irish successfully killed off all five minutes shorthanded. The two teams skated even the remainder of the period as the Irish headed to their locker room after 20 minutes of play, trailing 4-0.
Notre Dame’s special teams unit returned to the ice just 46 seconds into the second stanza when Wisconsin was called for a high stick behind the Irish net. It took Danny Nelson and company just six seconds on the man-advantage to find the back of the net, getting on the board with 19:10 to play in the middle frame.
Wisconsin thought they had answered moments after the Notre Dame goal but a successful challenge by the Irish determined the play was offsides and the goal was wiped from the board.
With the two teams skating four a side following a roughing and embellishment call near the Badger’s net, Axel Kumlin though he found twine. Carter Slaggert’s shot bounced off the pads of the Badgers’ netminder and the senior defenseman backhanded it back over his blocker. A lengthy review at the challenge of the Wisconsin bench ruled the play was offsides as Kumlin had initially kept play in the offensive zone with a play at the blue line.
The Irish killed off a pair of late second period penalties to keep it a 5-1 game heading into the final frame.
The Badgers made it 6-1 at 9:36 of the third period and would add three more to their tally before the end of the night.
Sutter Muzzatti scored late in the contest, during four-on-four hockey, to give the Irish the second of the night but that would do it for the game as the horn rang out on the final game of 2025, 9-2.
All three goalies appeared in goal for the Irish Saturday evening with Jack Williams and Luke Pearson both getting their first game action of the season.
UP NEXT
The Irish will take a few weeks off for the holidays before returning to the ice in 2026 when they take on Western Michigan University in a home-and-home series. The two teams square off inside Compton Family Ice Arena on Friday, January 2, 2026 with puck drop set for 7pm.
During the break, a handful of Irish will skate internationally as they represent the USA. Junior forwards Danny Nelson and Cole Knuble were selected in October to compete on the U.S. Collegiate Selects Team at the annual Spengler Cup held in Davos, Switzerland, while sophomore netminder Nicholas Kempf was named to Team USA’s World Juniors Team and will compete at the 2026 event in the Twin Cities.