SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Graham Slaggert made it a 2-1 game five minutes into the third period but Notre Dame was unable to tie it up before Minnesota added an insurance tally and an empty net goal for the final 4-1 scoreline on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci (6,744).
Both teams went 0-for-3 on the power play as Notre Dame improved to 26-for-26 on the season on the penalty kill.
The teams each put 29 shots on goal, with Matthew Galajda making 25 saves and Minnesota’s Jack LaFontaine stopping 28 shots to earn the win.
It was the Big Ten opener for both teams, with Notre Dame moving to 4-2-0 overall and the Gophers improving to 4-3-0 overall.
How It Happened
Notre Dame’s first good looks came on the game’s first power play eight minutes in, but Jack LaFontaine made a pair of stops on Max Ellis’ attempts from the bottom of the circle.
Spencer Stastney sent Solag Bakich in on a partial breakaway with a chip pass at the offensive blue line but the Texan was denied by a LaFontaine pad save just past the halfway point of the opening frame.
Ben Myers banged a wraparound attempt off an Irish leg in front to make it a 1-0 Minnesota lead at 5:14 of the first period, a scoreline that held through the end of the first period.
Bryce Brodzinski snapped off a wrist shot from the high slot at 14:10 of the second period to push the lead to 2-0 in favor of the Gophers.
Chase Blackmun and Trevor Janicke combined for a chance down low for the Irish midway through the second that LaFontaine fought off. Then 30 seconds later, Blackmun was set up in the slot by Ryder Rolston but Blackmun’s shot went high.
Nxt the Irish killed off Minnesota’s second power play of the night, with Adam Karashik and Graham Slaggert bookending the kill with scoring chances that LaFontaine turned aside.
Notre Dame then had a power-play opportunity, with Cam Burke’s shortside bid proving to be the best chance, which came with 2:30 left in the second. Minnesota was able to create a breakaway chance for Carl Fish coming out of the penalty box but Galajda made a sprawling pad save to keep it a 2-0 game, which held through the end of the second period.
The Irish opened the third on a two minute power play but were unable to capitalize.
Trevor Janicke nearly got Notre Dame on the board four minutes into the third on an offensive zone faceoff play, but LaFontaine got his toe on the Minnesota native’s bid.
Slaggert was able to knock home his own rebound at 5:31 of the third to cut the lead to 2-1. The assists went to Landon Slaggert, who passed the puck off behind the Minnesota net, and Jesse Lansdell.
Notre Dame next killed off another Gopher power play to keep it a 2-1 game.
With 2:51 remaining in the third, Ellis tested LaFontaine low glove side but the Gopher netminder kept it a 2-1 game. Mason Nevers came back the other way and made it a 3-1 game at 18:04.
Galajda was pulled with 1:33 left in favor of the extra attacker and Blake McLaughlin then scored an empty net goal from his own end for the final 4-1 score.
Notes
- Notre Dame’s penalty kill went 3-for-3 on the night and improved to 26-for-26 to open the 2021-22 season.
- With a goal, Graham Slaggert extended his point streak to three games (2-1-3).
Next Up
- Notre Dame and Minnesota close out their weekend series at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 30 in a game that will be broadcast on Bally Sports North.
- The Irish will then 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.
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