Huge Fourth Quarter Propels #3 Irish To 20-12 Win At Syracuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish had an offensive explosion in the fourth quarter, scoring the final nine goals of the game over an 11-minute span to leave Syracuse with a 20-12 win. The win improves Notre Dame’s record to 7-1 on the season and 1-1 in ACC play.

Will Lynch played the best game of his career at the dot, winning 23-of-33 faceoffs and scooping up a career-high 13 ground balls in the winning effort.

The attack was balanced on the afternoon, as four players posted hat tricks. Jake Taylor led the way with four goals, while Chris Kavanagh, Eric Dobson, and Reilly Gray each added three. 

Pat Kavanagh scored two goals and added three assists, which gave him the all-time Notre Dame career record for assists with 112, passing Tom Ulrich’s mark of 110.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Irish got off to a blistering start to open the game, scoring the first five goals of the day to open up a 5-0 lead with over four minutes left in the first frame. Pat Kavanagh scored twice to go along with goals from Taylor, Dobson and Reilly Gray. 

The Orange answered with two goals of their own before Taylor scored his second of the afternoon just six seconds before the end of the opening 15 minutes of action.

Notre Dame scored the first two goals of the second quarter to extend its lead to 8-2 but the hosts managed to end the half by scoring five of the final six goals to trim the lead to 9-7 at the half.

Early goals from Gray and Chris Kavanagh pushed the Irish lead back to four at 11-7 but the Orange immediately responded with four straight to level the score at 11-11 to end the third quarter.

The Orange took its first lead of the day at the 13:09 mark in the fourth quarter off a score from Cole Kirst to go on top 12-11.

After that goal it was all Irish the rest of the way. Nick Harris scored a goal in transition to level it at 12-12 and exactly two minutes later Chris Kavanagh put Notre Dame back in the lead at 13-12 with his second of the day.

The Irish quickly extended their lead with goals from Taylor, Griffin Westlin and Gray to make the score 16-12 with six minutes remaining in the game. Notre Dame didn’t take its foot off the gas, as it tacked on four more goals, including the first of Carter Parlette’s career, to win by a final score of 20-12.

NOTRE DAME NOTES

• The Irish level the all-time series at 10-10 with the win and have now won six straight in the series, including three at Syracuse.
• With three assists on the day, Pat Kavanagh has 112 career assists, passing David Ulrich (110) for the program record.
• Taylor’s hat trick was the first of his season and fifth of his career.
• Pat Kavanagh finished with five points, giving him 187 in his career. That total moves him into fourth place in program history, passing Mike Sullivan (185).
• Entenmann recorded 10 saves, marking his sixth straight game with double-digit saves.
• Taylor now has eight goals over his last two games after coming back from injury.

UP NEXT

The Irish return to Arlotta for another big-time ACC matchup, as they welcome No. 4 Duke for a 4 p.m. ET clash on Saturday, April 8. The game will air on ESPNU.

— ND —