STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The University of Notre Dame hockey team fell to No. 8/8 Penn State University, 6-3, Saturday night to close out a tightly contested game and weekend inside Pegula Ice Arena.
The Nittany Lions opened the scoring just 17 seconds in after a breakaway chance caused by a turnover in the offensive end for the Irish went the opposite way on Nicholas Kempf. The shot bounced off both posts before trickling over the line for the 1-0 score. Penn State extended their lead with a one-timer from the point that beat Kempf blocker side to make it a 2-0 game at 7:06 of the opening frame.
Notre Dame saw the first powerplay opportunity shortly after the second Penn State goal after Carter Slaggert was held up behind the Nittany Lion net with 12:21 to go in the period. Danny Nelson had a chance approximately halfway through the powerplay opportunity, skating through a trio of defenders before his shot at the five-hole was stifled by PSU’s Kevin Reidler in the net.
The Irish were unable to convert on their first man-advantage of the night but a hooking call against the home team sent the special teams unit back onto the ice with 9:03 to go in the first period. However the powerplay chance was short-lived before an interference call on the Irish made it four-on-four hockey for 1:43.
The Irish found the equalizers before the end of the period as Brennan Ali and Cole Knuble both scored just 15 seconds apart to make it a 2-2 contest before the horn to signal the end of the period.
The Irish came out for the second with full momentum but a goal from PSU at 4:54 of the frame softened that swing and had the Irish looking for an answer once more.
Kempf made a series of key saves with 12:30 to go in the second stanza to keep it a one-goal game before coincidentals for roughing after the whistle sent a skater from either side to the box. The Irish were called for an additional penalty, this time interference for a play at the blue line, with 31 seconds to go in the four-on-four. Sutter Muzzatti answered the call to even it up again with the team’s first shorthanded goal of the season.
A high hit shortly after the Muzzatti goal had the graduate forward slow to get up. The Nittany Lions were sent to the box for boarding but the powerplay chance for the Irish was short-lived as the visitors were whistled for a hook at 14:14 of the frame.
On the four-on-four action, Michael Mastrodomenico rang a shot off the pipe as the score remained knotted, 3-3. An Irish penalty during the four-on-four gave Penninsula State the man-advantage in which they would capitalize to make it a 4-3 game late in the second period.
A late penalty on the Nittany Lions gave the Irish one last powerplay opportunity before the end of the frame but Notre Dame could not convert and headed to their locker room trailing by a goal through 40 minutes played.
A series of penalties early in the third had both teams looking to kill off the opposition’s man-advantage through the first half of the frame. Both teams were successful in their kills and it was the Nittany Lions who found the elusive third period goal at 10:57 to make it 5-3.
A late period penalty against the Irish saw the special teams units return to the ice with 3:33 to go as the Irish looked to overcome the two-goal deficit. The Irish were able to kill off the late game penalty, returning to full strength with just over 90 seconds to play before Penninsula State took a boarding call at 18:34 to give the Irish the man-advantage. The Irish challenged the play for a potential major as Kempf headed to the box for the extra attacker. The call on the ice for a minor was upheld and the Irish powerplay unit went to work, six-on-four with 86 seconds left in regulation.
Danny Nelson saw a chance on goal late in the frame but was unable to convert and Penn State went the other way to score on the empty net for the 6-3 final.
UP NEXT
After closing out their road stretch at Penn State, the Irish return home to Compton Family Ice Arena next weekend to host Ohio State. The Friday-Saturday series (Jan. 23-24) will be the first pair of games between the Irish and the Buckeyes this season.