STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The University of Notre Dame hockey team fell 3-2 in game two at No. 18/18 Penn State Saturday night inside Pegula Ice Arena. Despite outshooting the Nittany Lions 38-28, the Irish could not convert in the final minutes of play to even the tally.
A collision in the neutral zone gave the Irish their first powerplay opportunity of the night as the Nittany Lions were called for a knee at 4:16 of the opening period. Axel Kumlin had a look on the net as time wound down on the penalty but his shot sailed just inches over the right corner of the net and the game remained scoreless as PSU returned to full strength.
A back-and-forth period continued with the Irish outshooting the Nittany Lions 7-4 late in the frame. With 2:23 left in the period however, the Nittany Lions opened the scoring to make it a 1-0 game.
The Nittany Lions took a late penalty to give the Irish seven seconds on the man-advantage before the end of the period but they could not convert on the last push and skated to the locker room for the first intermission trailing by one.
Despite two chances early in the second period while still on the powerplay, the Nittany Lions were able to kill off their infraction and the game returned to even strength with the Irish still down by one.
An errant high-sticking by a Penn State defender gave the Irish five minutes of powerplay action early in the second period. The Irish wasted no time capitalizing on the man-advantage as Blake Biondi net his second powerplay goal of the weekend to knot things up 1-1 at 4:33 of the second period.
Ryan Helliwell nearly had the Irish light the lamp again on the powerplay less than a minute later but his shot was gloved by an outstretched Arsenii Sergeev in the Penn State net to keep it tied.
Biondi was found on a breakaway in the final seconds of the powerplay but a backhanded shot off the graduate’s stick went just wide to keep it a tie game. With six shots on goal during the man-advantage, the Irish managed to swing momentum in their favor in front of a SODL OUT?RECORD CROWD crowd inside Pegula Ice Arena.
Penn State reclaimed the lead at 15:05 of the second after a deflection in front of the net beat Say glove side to make it a 2-1 contest.
Shortly after, the Irish were whistled for their first penalty of the night and were faced with two minutes on the kill with 3:13 left in the frame. Just 35 seconds into the kill, the Irish were called for another infraction, this time a minor for cross-checking.
The Irish successfully killed off both infractions as Say made a few key saves as time ticked off the clock on the two-man disadvantage. The junior netminder stopped a series of shots as the Irish were caught in a change and he faced three attackers uncontested.
The two teams returned for the third period with the Irish looking for the equalizer. With 80 seconds elapsed in the final period of regulation, PSU thought they had scored but a review by the officials indicated the puck did not completely cross the goal line and the game stayed 2-1.
A delayed coaches challenge for a potential major with 13:51 to go in the third sent an Irish skater to the locker room for the evening after a lengthy review by the officials.
The Nittany Lions extended their lead during the Irish kill, making it a 3-1 game at 6:36 of the final frame.
Notre Dame got one back with Justin Janicke’s second shorthanded goal of the season to make it a 3-2 game with 10:54 remaining in the third. Janicke almost had another on the kill after a delayed penalty on the Nittany Lions gave the Irish time to set up a play in the offensive end on the major. His position back door just missed the pass from Knuble to even it up and the puck was frozen.
The major penalty kill was shortened after a high-sticking call against Penn State made it four-on-four for 25 seconds before an abbreviated Irish powerplay. The Irish were unable to convert on the powerplay opportunity after finishing off the major and the game returned to even strength with Notre Dame still in search of the tying goal.
With 2:20 to play in regulation Penn State called their timeout following an icing that would bring the puck back into the Irish offensive end. When the teams returned to the faceoff circle, the Irish net was empty at the opposite end in favor of an extra attacker for the Irish.
The Irish continued to pepper the Penn State net with shots but were unable to break the goaltending and the score went final as the Irish fell to the Nittany Lions, 2-3.
GOALS
- The team’s leader in powerplay goals, Blake Biondi got the Irish on the board early in the second period as the Irish were given a major powerplay opportunity for a high stick along the near boards that left an Irish skater down momentarily. Danny Nelson fed a pass to Cole Knuble in the slot who ripped a shot on net before Biondi gathered the rebound and even the tally.
- On the kill, Michael Mastrodomenico sealed the wall behind the goal and dished a pass out to Justin Janicke. The captain and Cole Knuble combined to create a rush up ice, with the latter carrying the puck through the neutral zone. Knuble eventually passed the puck back to Janicke as the two crossed the blue line as Janicke lifted a shot over the blocker of Sergeev for the shorthanded tally.
KEY STATS
- With his second period powerplay goal, Blake Biondi net his seventh goal on the man-advantage for the Irish this season which ranks eighth nationally.
- The goal was also Biondi’s 12th of the season with the Gold and Blue, a team best.
- Justin Janicke’s shorthanded tally in the third period was the senior’s second of the season.
- With an assist on both goals Saturday, Cole Knuble hit 30 points on the season. In 26 games played this season, the sophomore has nine goals and 21 helpers for a career-best.
UP NEXT
The Irish close out their regular season road slate next weekend with a trip to Madison, Wisconsin to face the Badgers.