SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame used a balanced attack as five players scored en route to a 5-2 season-opening win over Long Island University on Saturday night at Compton Family Ice Arena (3,156).
Nick Leivermann and Solag Bakich each had a goal and an assist, while Trevor Janicke had a pair of assists and Landon Slaggert, Cam Burke and Hunter Strand also scored.
“It was a positive with our special teams getting a power-play goal and good penalty killing,” head coach Jeff Jackson said after the win. “Each line scored a goal … so it is good to see guys elevating and playing important roles who maybe haven’t done it in the past.”
In net, graduate student Matthew Galajda got the start and posted his first win in an Irish uniform as he made 15 saves. LIU goaltender Vinnie Purpura finished with 25 saves as the irish out shot the Sharks 30-17.
Notre Dame finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while LIU was 0-for-5.
How It Happened
Notre Dame jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Nick Leivermann’s shot from the high slot that beat LIU goaltender Vincent Purpura as he was scrambling trying to get back to his net after Solag Backich took the puck hard to the crease. Trevor Janicke picked up the rebound and sent it wide before finding Leivermann.
Ryder Rolston made a one-on-one open-ice steal in the defensive end before taking it coast-to-coast for a chance in front of the LIU goaltender midway through the first period, but his shot hit the post.
The Irish extended the lead to 2-0 at 18:26 of the first period when Landon Slaggert tipped home a pass from Graham Slaggert from the half-boards. Leivermann had the second assist on the play for his second point of the night.
LIU cut it to a 2-1 game at 19:02 of the first when Billy Jerry scored his first of the year.
Cam Burke restored the two-goal lead at 5:28 of the second period when he crashed the net and put in the rebound from a Rolston shot. Jake Boltmann also assisted on the play for his first career point.
Hunter Strand finished off a tic-tac-toe passing play from Jack Adams and Spencer Stastney with a snapshot from the top of the circles to net his first career goal, which came on the power play to make it 4-1 at 8:34 of the second.
Backich was able to net his first of the year at 11:03 of the second, snapping home a puck that Trevor Janicke and Max Ellis combined to keep alive in the slot.
The teams then skated to a scoreless third period.
Notes
- Justin Janicke (freshman), Brady Bjork (sophomore), Hunter Strand (freshman), Jack Adams (graduate student), Chase Blackmun (graduate student), Adam Karashik (graduate student), Ryan Helliwell (freshman) and Matthew Galajda each made their Notre Dame debuts.
- Hunter Strand scored his first career goal, while Jake Boltmann registered his first career point with an assist.
- With ECAC hockey not playing last season, Galajda made his first start since Feb. 29, 2020 in a 5-1 Cornell win over Clarkson (25 saves).
- With a goal and an assist, Nick Leivermann posted his sixth career multi-point game.
- With a goal and an assist, Solag Bakich posted his first career multi-point game.
- With a pair of assists, Trevor Janicke posted his fifth multi-point game and his first career two assist game.
- Notre Dame improved to 9-7-1 in season openers under head coach Jeff Jackson.
Next Up
- Notre Dame hits the road next weekend with a non-conference swing that includes games at Michigan Tech (Oct. 15 ) and Northern Michigan (Oct. 16).
- The Irish return to Compton Family Ice Arena for a two-game home slate against RIT (Oct. 21-22).
— ND —