ANN ARBOR, Michigan — A five-goal outburst in the second period propelled No. 6 Notre Dame to a 6-2 victory over #14 Michigan on Saturday night at the Yost Ice Arena (5,800).
With the win, the Irish improved to 5-4-1 overall (2-2-0, B1G) and split the weekend series in Ann Arbor.
Michigan (5-4-0, 1-1-0 B1G) opened the scoring 2:47 into play with a power-play goal by Will Lockwood.
Goaltender Dylan St.Cyr kept the Irish deficit at one with a sprawling point-blank stop on Garrett Van Wyne with less than seven minutes left in the first period.
Then Alex Steeves and Cal Burke scored just 1:37 apart in the final 3:46 of the frame to give the Irish a 2-1 lead entering the first intermission.
The Irish took control of the game with a three-goal outburst in the first 4:10 of the middle period. First, Joe Wegwerth netted his sixth goal of the season 1:47 into the period before Steeves scored his second of the contest just 12 seconds later. A little over two minutes after Steeves’ marker, Bobby Nardella converted from the slot to make it a 5-1 score.
Jack Jenkins’ second goal of the season made it a five-goal game with 2:23 left in the second stanza.
Nick Blankenburg tallied for the hosts 4:50 into the final stanza to account for the 6-2 final.
St. Cyr finished with 29 saves in goal for the Irish.
NOTRE DAME GOAL DESCRIPTIONS
1-1 | After his initial shot attempt was blocked, Jake Pivonka gathered the puck on the goal line and fired a sharp-angled shot that trickled behind Michigan netminder Hayden Lavigne. Alex Steeves streaked in on goal and pushed home the loose puck for Notre Dame’s first goal with 3:46 left in the first period. Graham Slaggert also earned an assist on the play.
2-1 | Cal Burke collected a long pass from Jack Jenkins, broke in alone on goal and beat Lavigne glove side to give the Irish a one-goal lead just 1:37 after Steeves’ tally. Matt Hellickson also picked up an assist on the play.
3-1 | Joe Wegwerth gave the Irish a 3-1 lead at 1:47 of the second, just after a Notre Dame power play chance expired. Cal Burke gathered a rebound from an Alex Steeves shot behind the net and centered a pass for Wegwerth in the low slot.
4-1 | Just 12 seconds later, Steeves scored his second goal of the night on an odd-angled shot from the bottom of the left circle.
5-1 | Bobby Nardella ripped a wrist shot from the top of the near circle past Strauss Mann for his fifth goal of the season at 4:10 of the second period. Nick Leivermann had the primary assist for his first career point, while Colin Theisen also assisted on the play.
6-1 | On the rush, Jenkins pushed home a backhand pass from Burke at the bottom of the right circle for Notre Dame’s fifth goal of the second period.
NOTES
- Alex Steeves scored a pair of goals and added an assist for his first career points with the Irish.
- Graham Slaggert notched his first career point with the primary assist on Steeves’ first goal of the night.
- Notre Dame’s six goals were its most scored at the Yost Ice Arena since a 7-3 victory on Dec. 8, 2006.
- Cal Burke had a goal and two assists for his third multi-point game of the season and the ninth of his career.
- Jack Jenkins had a goal and an assist to tie his career high with two points (second career multi-point game).
- Jake Pivonka had a pair of assists for his first career multi-point game.
- With a pair of assists, Matt Hellickson notched the first multi-point game of his career.
- Hellickson now has six points (3-3-6) in seven career games against the Wolverines (six of his 16 career points).
- Notre Dame is now 3-1-0 on the road this season (4-1-1 in road and neutral site games combined).
- Over the last two seasons, the Irish are now 14-3-1 in road games (18-5-2 over the past two seasons in road and neutral site games combined).
LET’S TAKE THIS OUTSIDE
- Notre Dame and Michigan will meet at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 5, 2019 in an outdoor game at Notre Dame Stadium.
- The rivals will meet four days following the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® featuring the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins, on January 1, 2019.
- Just four months after Notre Dame and Michigan met in a football game at Notre Dame Stadium that saw the Irish post a 24-17 victory, the rivalry will take to the ice in the House That Rockne Built in a game that will be televised by the NBC Sports Network.
- Tickets for the game are on sale now, visit und.com/buytickets or call 833-ND-IRISH and keep up to date with all ticketing information by following us on Twitter @NDtix.
— ND —