SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Notre Dame got the 2026-27 campaign underway on Thursday night inside Compton Family Ice Arena, opening the year with a 3-1 win over Niagara University to start the season 1-0-0.
Two of the three Nelson brothers found the back of the net in the victory as Henry and Sammy scored the first two goals of the game to help deliver the victory. Paul Fischer added an empty netter in the final minute to get on the score sheet in the first game of the season.
Nicholas Kempf turned in a big performance between the pipes, allowing just one goal while making 24 saves to pick up his first win of the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Fighting Irish wasted no time getting the offense going, as they scored the opening goal within the first seven minutes of action. Henry Nelson broke down the left lane and fired a shot from the goal line that went off the goaltender and in to put Notre Dame on top early at 1-0.
Later in the first the Irish killed a penalty, allowing just one shot on goal over the two-minute span.
Notre Dame outshot the visitors by a margin of 16-8 over the opening 20 minutes of play and took the one-goal advantage into the first intermission.
Just over halfway through the second period the Irish cashed in on their first power play of the season, as Sammy Nelson picked up the loosed puck off a shot from Evan Werner and carried in front of the crease, getting to his forehand and finishing past the goaltender to double the lead at 2-0 at the 12:52 mark of the period.
The Purple Eagles pulled back within one late in the second period, capitalizing on a powerplay, as Noah Hackett scored off a rebound to trim the Irish lead to 2-1 heading into the final 20 minutes of regulation.
Notre Dame turned in a very mature performance in the third period, limiting Niagara’s scoring chances. Kempf made a couple of big saves down the final stretch to keep the one-goal lead intact.
The Fighting Irish put the exclamation mark on the win in the final minute off the empty-net goal from Fischer to seal the 3-1 victory.