Box Score (PDF) | Press Conference | Highlights
ALBANY, New York – Notre Dame Hockey clinched its spot in the NCAA Tournament Albany Regional Final with a 2-1 overtime victory over the second-seeded University of North Dakota on Thursday night at MVP Arena (2,345).
Senior Graham Slaggert sealed the overtime victory with his game-winning goal, just 1:38 into the extra frame.
Landon Slaggert scored the first goal on the night for the Irish.
Graduate student goaltender Matthew Galajda made 23 saves in the winning effort for the Irish.
Notre Dame appeared to win the game with under one second left in regulation, but after a lengthy review, the call on the ice was overturned.
“Obviously, we were excited getting that goal, ” Landon Slaggert said, “but, having it called back, we had to regroup. We thought it was in, but you’ve got to bounce back and recollect yourself and get another, and that’s what Graham did tonight.”
How It Happened
Jake Pivonka had one of Notre Dame’s best chances of the first period in the early going but the puck rolled off his stick in the low slot.
Max Ellis took the puck into the offensive zone with speed and fired a wrist shot that flashed just wide with 3:31 left in the first.
North Dakota took a 1-0 lead with just 1:17 left in the first when Brent Johnson sent a wrist shot from the point through a screen in front and the Fighting Hawks took the 1-0 lead to the locker room.
Landon Slaggert got the Irish on the board just 1:03 into the second period when he took a deflected pass from Graham Slaggert in front of the Irish bench. Landon then worked around a North Dakota defenseman and took the puck to the net and beat Driscoll down low.
Notre Dame killed off a Fighting Hawks power play chance midway through the period, including one save from Matthew Galajda.
The Irish then closed the period on a power play, but good looks by Graham Slaggert and Nick Leivermann were turned aside by Driscoll.
On the power play, Spencer Stastney deked his way through the Fighting Hawks and had a partial breakaway chance but Driscoll made the save at 9:05.
Just after they Notre Dame power play expired, Matthew Galadja stopped a penalty shot by North Dakota’s Riese Gaber at the 10:30 mark
After Jack Adams was whistled for a penalty with 90 seconds left in regulation, the Irish were stalwarts on defense. Landon Slaggert took possession of the puck and drove it up the ice before dumping it off to Graham Slaggert. Slaggert took the shot on goal, Karashik quickly rebounded it, and the puck found the back of the net.
After a 13-minute review, the game-winning effort was overturned and the Irish headed to overtime.
Notre Dame began overtime with Adams still in the penalty box, but North Dakota was quickly whistled for interference, creating 14 seconds of four-on-four hockey before the Irish were given the one-man advantage.
Graham Slaggert sealed the Irish victory with the game-winning goal just 38 seconds into the overtime period. With the man-advantage, Landon Slaggert fed the puck to Leivermann, who then pushed it to Graham Slaggert as he found the back of the net.
Next Up
- Notre Dame moves on to face Minnesota State in the NCAA Tournament Albany Regional Final on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET. The winner of the Regional Final will advance to the Frozen Four in Boston.
– ND –