SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame hockey team finished their weekend series with Long Island in a split, dropping Saturday night’s decision 5-2.
Much like Friday’s contest, the Sharks opened the contest with a plethora of shots on goal but Nicholas Kempf stood tall in net, freezing the first six shots faced before the Irish answered with a shot on net at the opposite end at 6:37 of the first period. Kempf made a series of sprawling saves with 8:20 to play in the first frame to keep the game scoreless.
The Irish saw the first powerplay opportunity of the night after Grant Silianoff drew a call along the far halfwall at 14:34 of the opening period. Despite a series of shots during the man-advantage, the Irish could not convert and the score remained tied through 20 minutes of play.
LIU got on the board first as a rocket shot from the blue line sailed over the glove of Kempf in net for the 1-0 tally at 2:42 of the second period.
Blake Biondi nearly had the equalizer moments later but a slash in front of the net by the Sharks stopped the play. The Irish didn’t take long to capitalize on the man-advantage their second time around as Hunter Strand evened the score at 5:45 of the middle frame.
The two teams continued to battle evenly throughout the midway point of the second before a pane of glass deep in the Irish offensive end was knocked loose and a brief delay ensued for it to be replaced.
LIU was whistled for a trip shortly after the break in play and the Irish powerplay unit went back to work. However it was the Sharks to take advantage of the special teams opportunity as they took a 2-1 lead off a shorthanded goal at 12:24 of the second.
The Irish were tasked with their first penalty kill of the night after a cross-checking call went against the home team at 16:02 in period two. LIU took advantage once more on special teams to take the 3-1 lead late in the second stanza.
With 1:32 to go in the second period the Irish penalty kill unit went back on the ice after a roughing call was whistled against Notre Dame. The score would remain the same through the horn signaling the end of period two, as the Irish trailed by a pair.
The Irish killed off the remaining 28 seconds of the roughing penalty to open the third period of play and continued to pressure the LIU end.
LIU extended their lead to three after a shot from the point trickled through the pads of Kempf who initially thought he had frozen the puck in the crease.
The Irish got one back off the stick of Justin Janicke at 14:08 of the third period to make it a 4-2 score.
With Notre Dame opting for the extra attacker on a late powerplay, the Irish looked to have come within one as the lights went off and the goal horn sounded. The shot off the stick of Murphy was waved off immediately by the referee behind the play as the puck rang off the post in the top corner and bounced out.
After the LIU penalty concluded, the Sharks capped the night with an empty net goal for the 5-2 final.
GOALS
- Hunter Strand got the Irish on the board early in the second period off a feed from Maddox Fleming. The sophomore forward found Strand closing in on the near circle who buried his shot over the blocker of the LIU netminder to make it a 1-1 game at 5:45 of the second. Axel Kumlin also picked up an assist on the goal.
- Justin Janicke net his third of the season late in the third period to cut the Irish deficit to two. A pair of defensemen in Michael Mastrodomenico and Ryan Helliwell earned assists on the play.
UP NEXT
The Irish close out their home stand next weekend with the Big Ten opener as they host Wisconsin for a two-game series November 1-2.
Friday’s contest will start at 7:05pm with the team hosting Country Night, followed by a 6:05pm start on Saturday.