BOSTON, Mass. – The No. 19 ranked University of Notre Dame hockey program dropped their first game of the East Coast road trip at No. 11 Boston University, 5-2, Wednesday night.
The third period continued to be the kryptonite for the Fighting Irish as they allowed three goals in the final period of play as they fall to 6-7-2 on the season.
The Terriers took the lead nearly halfway through the first period as a shot snuck by Bischel at 9:34 of the frame. Moments later the Irish took a pair of penalties just 34 seconds apart and faced a five-on-three penalty kill.
After successfully killing off the two-man disadvantage, the Irish rallied to hold possession in the attacking zone and capitalized off a one-timer from Ben Brinkman, his first in an ND sweater.
The score remained tied through the remainder of the first as the two teams skated to the locker rooms with one goal each.
The two teams continued to battle through a physical second period but an innocent shot from along the far hash beat Bischel five-hole at 7:52 of the second stanza to give BU the 2-1 lead.
With just seven minutes to play in the second, the Irish found themselves on the man-advantage following a roughing call on the Terriers. Despite peppering the BU netminder with five shots on goal during the powerplay, the Irish were unable to find twine and skated on trailing by one.
Late in the period a scrum out front resulted in both sides being issued a roughing penalty. The Irish and Terriers skated the remainder of the period four-on-four, with Notre Dame finding a few additional shots but ended 40 minutes of play trailing by one.
After the two teams had cleared the ice for the second intermission, BU challenged a previous play late in the period and were unsuccessful.
With 10 seconds remaining on the four-on-four, the Terriers extended their lead when a shot beat a sprawled out Bischel glove side to make it a 3-1 game.
Landon Slaggert brought the Irish back within one with his first of the year at 4:36 of the final period.
The Irish were called for a cross-check at 7:39 of the third frame and the Terriers took advantage, beating Bischel glove side for the 4-2 score.
Playing the puck along the boards, Bischel’s pass was intercepted by a Terrier who took advantage of the Irish netminder out of position to make it 5-2 with 9:20 left to play in regulation.
The goal would prove to be the final one of the contest as the Irish fell to the Terriers Wednesday.
GOALS
- Ben Brinkman net his first with the Irish at 16:23 of the opening period to even the score, 1-1. Justin Janicke found Brinkman at the top of the circle who wound up for the one-timer at the top of the circle. Hunter Strand, who fed a pass along the boards to J. Janicke was credited with the second assist.
- The Irish scored their second of the night at 4:36 of the third period when Landon Slaggert net his first of the season. Picking up a backhanded pass from Jack Adams, Slaggert fired a shot high over the stick of a diving Comesso in net. Jackson Pierson also picked up an assist on the goal.
KEY STATS
- Both goal scorers net their firsts of the season as Ben Brinkman and Landon Slaggert combined for the two goals Wednesday. For Brinkman, it was his first with the Irish.
- The Irish killed three of their four penalties, including nearly 90 seconds of a five-on-three opportunity in the first period.
- Notre Dame fired 28 shots on net, breaking the BU netminder twice. With three shots on goal a piece, Nick Leivermann, Hunter Strand, Ryder Rolston, Jesse Lansdell, and Landon Slaggert all boasted a team high.
- Brinkman’s two blocked shots led the team as the Irish combined for eight total.
- Ryan Bischel made 38 saves in net for the Irish in the loss.
UP NEXT
The Irish wrap up their East Coast road trip with a 4 p.m. puck drop at Boston College Friday inside Conte Forum Arena.