SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The seventh-ranked Notre Dame hockey team built a 2-0 lead on first period goals by Jack Adams and Landon Slaggert and went on to win a tightly contested Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game three against Wisconsin, 4-2, to eliminate the Badgers two games to one.
With Sunday night’s victory at the Compton Family Ice Arena (2,612), No. 3 seeded Notre Dame advances to play a single elimination semifinal game at No. 2 seeded Michigan on Saturday, March 12. The Irish had to bounce back and take games two and three against the Badgers in order to advance.
“Anytime you lose the first game it is always a challenge,” head coach Jeff Jackson said after the win. “It takes character to do it. Give Wisconsin their due, they made that a tough series on us. Our guys settled down going into the third … it calmed down and we played controlled. Playing three games in three nights at that level of intensity is also a challenge.”
In addition to Adams and Slaggert, Jake Pivonka scored what proved to be the game winner and Trevor Janicke had the empty net insurance tally. Graham Slaggert finished with a pair of assists.
In net, Matthew Galajda and Jared Moe dueled for third consecutive night, with Galajda stopping 24 of the 26 shots he faced to earn the win. Moe totaled 29 saves for the Badgers.
Notre Dame (27-10-0) went 1-for-3 on the power play, while Wisconsin (10-24-3) was 0-for-1.
How It Happened
Solag Bakich had the first great look for the Irish at 6:15 of the first when his wrist shot from the low slot was turned aside by Jared Moe after being set up on a three-on-two rush with Max Ellis and Cam Burke.
Jack Adams gave the Irish a 1-0 lead at 11:22 of the first when he fired a wrist shot from a sharp angle high past Moe after being set up by his linemate Hunter Strand. Nick Leivermann originally cleared the puck out to center ice to earn the second assist on the play.
Landon Slaggert extended the lead to 2-0 at 14:14 of the first period with a power-play goal scored on a quick spin move in front after taking a pass down low from Graham Slaggert, with Trevor Janicke notching the second assist on the play.
Wisconsin’s Sam Stange scored at 16:01 of the first to get the Badgers on the board and that 2-1 scoreline would hold through the first period of play.
Jake Pivonka scored his first of the year with a wrist shot high past Moe’s glove at 1:55 of the second to restore the two-goal lead. The assists went to Jesse Lansdell and Adam Karashik.
Notre Dame went back on the power play 6:30 into the second but couldn’t add to the lead, though Strand had a great look as the chance expired.
Galajda was forced into a tough right pad stop on Mathieu de St. Phalle. Ellis was then shut down on the doorstep by Moe after Justin Janicke’s pass to the far post as the end-to-end action picked up.
Wisconsin’s Daniel Laatsch cut it to 3-2 game at 15:22 of the second when his shot from the point beat Galajda through a screen.
With 1:25 left in the second, the Irish were called for a trip. On the ensuing penalty kill, Jake Boltmann had two big shot blocks to kill off the chance as the Badgers were whistled for a cross check at 19:55.
After opening the third with 4-on-4 play, there was an abbreviated Notre Dame power play but Moe didn’t have to make a save.
Landon Slaggert nearly scored his second of the night with 5:13 left in the third after Trevor Janicke sent him away on a breakaway but his shot hit the post.
Trevor Janicke then sealed the win with an empty netter at 19:19 of the third.
Notes
- Nick Leivermann now has a five-game point streak thanks to an assist in each of Notre Dame’s last five contests (Feb. 25-pres.; 0-6-6).
- With Landon Slaggert and Trevor Janicke scoring goals, it marked the sixth consecutive game with a tally from the Landon Slaggert/Graham Slaggert/Trevor Janicke line.
- Jake Pivonka scored his first goal of the season and it marked his first goal in 366 days, having last scored against Penn State on March 5, 2021.
- Pivonka became Notre Dame’s 20th goal scorer this season.
- After the weekend, head coach Jeff Jackson now ranks 10th for most NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey victories with 556 (pre game 3).
- With 27 wins (27-10-0), Notre Dame has its highest win total since going 28-10-2 in 2017-18 en route to the NCAA title game.
Next Up
- With the win, Notre Dame advances to next weekend’s single elimination Big Ten Tournament semifinals and as the No. 3 seed.
- The Irish will play at No. 2 seeded Michigan on Saturday, March 12 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
– ND –