SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The 10th-ranked Fighting Irish returned from winter break but dropped a 3-1 decision to Niagara on Saturday evening at Compton Family Ice Arena (3,374).
Spencer Stastney scored for the Irish to make it a 2-1 game in the second but the Irish could not find a tying goal and Niagara added an empty net tally late in the third.
“We just weren’t as ready to play as they were, that’s what it boils down to,” head coach Jeff Jackson said after the game. “It was disappointing, we wanted to get off to a good start in the second half … give them their due, they played well. We have to execute better.”
The Notre Dame power play was 0-for-3 on the night, while the Purple Eagles were 0-for-4.
In net Matthew Galajda totaled 25 saves, while Chad Veltri finished with 27 saves to earn the win.
How It Happened
The teams traded early power-play chances in the first but neither squad could get on the board with the man advantage.
Niagara then took a 1-0 lead at 14:44 of the first on Jason Pineo’s first of the year, which he scored from the low slot.
Notre Dame went back on the power play with 2:53 left in the first. Solag Bakich had the best look, but his snapshot from in front flashed wide and the Irish trailed 1-0 after the first.
Spencer Stastney got the Irish on the board early in the second, with his first career shorthanded goal coming on a breakaway at the 3:52 mark.
The Irish had several more chances right after tying it up, including a Hunter Strand shot that hit the post.
But Niagara was able to take the lead back, 2-1, at 13:38 on an Albin Nilsson goal.
The Purple Eagles got another power play early in the third, but the Irish killed it off including a big stop by Galajda on Josef Mysak.
Notre Dame got a power play midway through the third, but Veltri made saves on Graham Slaggert and Grant Silianoff to keep the Purple Eagles in front.
Nilsson then sealed it with an empty net tally from center ice at the 18:35 mark of the third.
Notes
- Spencer Stastney scored his first career shorthanded goal, which was Notre Dame’s third shorthanded tally of the season.
- Stastney now has three goals in the last three games.
Next Up
- The Fighting Irish and Purple Eagles will close out their series tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 2) with another 5 p.m. ET game at the Compton Family Ice Arena (tickets).
- For those attending games, the University has updated its Covid-19 health and safety protocols (masks required, no concessions available): https://covid.nd.edu/news/spring-semester-covid-19-protocols-update/
- The game will also be available on Peacock.
— ND —