NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame hockey team hosted their preseason exhibition against the US National Team Development Program Friday night, skating to a 5-2 victory over the U18 team inside a sold-out Compton Family Ice Arena.
The Irish faced off against the USNTDP team in an exhibition before the official start of the 2024-25 season. With all three goaltenders making an appearance in goal Friday night, Nicholas Kempf earned the starting nod against his former team.
Blake Biondi got the Irish on the board first with his first tally in an Irish sweater, albeit unofficial. The graduate senior deflected a shot on the doorstep to tuck the puck behind the NTDP netminder.
The two teams skated even throughout the remainder of the frame. The visiting U18 team nearly tied it up with 5:40 left in the opening period but a diving block from Michael Mastrodomenico kept the development program’s first shot out of the open net before Kempf covered the loose rebound inside the paint to freeze the puck.
Notre Dame was awarded another powerplay late in the frame as the USNTDP was called for boarding with just 99 seconds to play in the period. Despite a few looks on net, the Irish were unable to extend their lead and skated to the locker rooms up 1-0 after 20 minutes of play.
With both teams back on the ice for the second period, Jack Williams made an appearance between the pipes for the Irish.
Notre Dame was whistled for its first penalty of the season at 3:09 of the second period as Jayden Davis headed to the box for a hook. The Irish successfully killed the infraction without allowing a single shot against during the two-minute kill.
The two sides continued to battle Friday but neither team was able to break the other’s netminding in the middle frame and they headed to the second intermission with the Irish still holding onto their 1-0 lead.
A collision at the blue line sent the Irish to a five-minute penalty kill as Tyler Carpenter was charged with kneeing. The development program wasted no time on the man-advantage as they evened the scoring 1-1 just 43 seconds later.
With under a minute left on the major infraction the USNTDP capitalized again on the man-advantage to make it a 2-1 game in favor of the visitors.
Less than a minute after the U18 team took the lead, Biondi scored his second goal of the night. His second tally of the game also came on the powerplay at 11:26 of the third period to make it a 2-2 score.
The graduate students kept the momentum going with Grant Silianoff netting the eventual game-winner just 90 seconds later with a deflection out front to put the Irish in front, 3-2.
Maddox Fleming extended the Irish lead to 4-2 at 16:37 of the third period before Ian Murphy’s first goal in an Irish sweater rounded out the scoring on the empty net.
The Irish finished the night with 33 shots on goal, including 13 in the final frame of regulation.
KEY STATS
- Blake Biondi scored the first unofficial goal of the season for the Irish, and his first with Notre Dame.
- Playing 20 minutes in net for the Irish Friday night, rookie Nicholas Kempf recorded nine saves, stopping every shot faced in the opening frame.
- Keeping the scoreless streak alive, Jack Williams registered seven saves between the pipes in the second period to keep it a 1-0 game. The junior cast aside all shots faced during his 20 minutes in net Friday.
- The Irish came out strong in the third period with four goals in a span of 6:50. Biondi started the scoring off to tie the contest at 2-2 before Grant Silianoff net the game-winning goal at 14:04.
- Ian Murphy net his first goal in an Irish sweater on the empty net at 18:18 to secure the 5-2 victory over the USNTDP U18 team.
- The Irish outshot the U18s 33-30 on the night.
UP NEXT
The Irish return to the ice next weekend as they officially open the 2024-25 season on the road at St. Lawrence, Oct. 11. The Irish close out their opening weekend the following night at Clarkson before heading home for the home-opener against Alaska, Oct. 18-19.