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#14 Irish Edged Late At #7 Minnesota

Box Score (PDF)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — No. 14 Notre Dame twice erased one-goal deficits but could not take the lead down the stretch despite several chances and fell at No. 7 Minnesota 3-2 on Saturday evening at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

Grant Silianoff and Solag Bakich scored for the Fighting Irish (4-3-0, 0-2-0 B1G), while Bryce Brodzinski scored the game winner for the Gophers (5-3-0, 2-0-0 B1G) with just 2:15 left in the third period.

In net, Ryan Bischel finished with 20 saves for the Irish, while Jack LaFontaine made 26 stops to earn the win. 

Notre Dame continued an impressive streak of killing off 27 straight opponent power plays to start the year after negating Minnesota’s only power play of the game early in the first period. Notre Dame finished 0-for-3 on the power play advantage. 

How It Happened 

Ryder Rolston tested the Gophers early, getting a shot off from the low slot two minutes in that was pushed aside by Jack LaFontaine’s blocker. 

The Irish killed off their 27th consecutive opponent power play to start the season five minutes into the first, including a big shot block by defenseman Jake Boltmann. 

Ryan Bischel made a glove stop on Ben Meyers midway through the second to keep it a 0-0 game but the Gophers were able to break through at 11:25 of the first on a goal by Grant Cruikshank.

Chase Blackmun nearly tied it back up with 7:15 left in the first after corralling a loose puck following a scramble in front, but his snapshot rang off the post after eluding LaFontaine and the Gophers held the 1-0 lead after one.

Five minutes into the second Jack Adams, Landon Slaggert and Graham Slaggert combined for a great chance but LaFontaine fought it off down low. The Irish then went on the power play but chances by Cam Burke and Landon Slaggert were denied as well.

Graham Slaggert had a breakaway chance with 3:07 left in the second but another pad stop by LaFontaine kept the Irish off the board. 

But with just 1.7 seconds left in the second, Grant Silianoff knocked in a rebound after a Ryder Rolston shot for his first goal of the year to tie it up at 1-1 heading to the third period. Rolston’s shot came following a drop pass by Cam Burke, who earned the second assist on the play. 

Just 29 seconds after Minnesota’s Johnny Sorenson gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead, Solag Bakich answered for the Irish with his second goal of the season to tie it back up, 2-2. The junior finished off a nice passing play, which included Zach Plucinski’s first career assist and Max Ellis’ fifth assist of the season. 

With 11 minutes left in the third Bischel was forced to make a big glove stop on Jaxon Nelson, who was all alone in the slot after picking off an Irish pass.

Trevor Janicke nearly put the Irish in front with a chance at  the back post with 5:45 left in third as the Irish had several more chances.t 

But then with 2:15 left in the third, Bryce Brodzinski got a wrist shot off from the faceoff circle that beat Bischel through traffic and handed the Gophers the 3-2 lead.

Notes

  • Notre Dame’s penalty kill went 1-for-1 on the night and improved to 27-for-27 to open the 2021-22 season.
  • Zach Plucinski’s assist on Solag Bakich’s third period goal was his first career assist.
  • With an assist on Grant Silianoff’s second period tally, Cam Burke registered his fifth point of the season (3-2-5) tying his single season career-high mark set during his freshman season when he had five points (4-1-5) in 32 games played.

Next Up

  • The Irish have a quick turnaround as they head home to play host to Holy Cross on Thursday, Nov. 4 and Friday Nov. 5 at the Compton Family Ice Arena (tickets).
  • Both games against the Crusaders will begin at 7:30 p.m., while Thursday’s game will be broadcast on NBCSN and Friday’s game will be available via NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, NBC Sports Chicago Plus and NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus.  

— ND —