SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame erased a two-goal deficit but ultimately fell in overtime, 3-2, to RIT on Thursday night at Compton Family Ice Arena (2,283).
Graham Slaggert scored his first goal of the season, while Nick Leivermann’s power-play goal midway through the third period tied it at 2-2 but RIT goaltender Kolby Matthews made 32 saves to lead the Tigers (3-1-1) to the win.
RIT’s Carter Wilkie won it in OT, just moments after Cam Burke’s would-be game winner from the doorstep was denied by Matthews.
Notre Dame (3-1-0) turned in another strong showing on the penalty kill, going 3-for-3 to improve to 20-for-20 on the season. The Irish also finished 1-for-3 on the power play, while Ryan Bischel totaled 16 saves in net.
How It Happened
Will Calverley put the Tigers in front 1-0 at 13:12 of the first period when RIT took advantage of a turnover to convert a 3-on-1 chance, with the assist going to Nick Bruce.
Kobe Walker pushed it to a 2-0 RIT lead at 17:11 of the first when he took a Calverley neutral zone faceoff win all the way around the Irish net and scored from in close on Bischel. The Tigers took the 2-0 lead to the locker room after 20 minutes of play.
In the second period, Notre Dame generated a lot of early chances including a Burke bid at the far post, a Silianoff chance and shorthanded attempt that Burke and Ryder Rolston combined on but Matthews held strong.
Then Graham Slaggert’s first goal of the year cut it to a 2-1 game at 15:22 of the second when his wrist shot from the circle beat Matthews high to the glove side. Slaggert was sent into the offensive zone when Ryder Rolston tapped an Adam Karashik clear to the neutral zone over to Slaggert on the wing.
The second period came to a close with that same scoreline and Notre Dame still trailing 2-1.
Skating on a 4-on-3 advantage midway through the third period, Leivermann beat the RIT defense and then Matthews short side from the slot at the 9:13 mark to tie it up at 2-2. The goal was unassisted.
With 6:01 left in the third, a Trevor janicke drop pass set Graham Slaggert up in the slot, but his shorthanded bid was gloved by Matthews, ultimately setting up the overtime stanza.
Notes
- Notre Dame’s penalty kill went 3-for-3 on the night and improved to 20-for-20 to open the 2021-22 season.
- With Graham Slaggert netting his first of the year, nine Notre Dame players have scored through four games this season.
- With an assist, Ryder Rolston extended his point streak to four games to start the year.
Next Up
- The Irish and Tigers close out their two-game series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night (Oct. 22) at the Compton Family Ice Arena.
- For ticket information, click here.
- The game will be available to watch via: NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, NBC Sports Chicago Plus, NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus, SNY or internationally via Fighting Irish TV.
- For Friday’s game, Notre Dame hockey is partnering with the 525 Foundation’s Drop 2 Stop program to help raIse awareness about opioid misuse and abuse and provide a pill drop location.
— ND —