NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Alex Steeves collected a goal and three assists to lead the Irish to a 5-2 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday night at Compton Family Ice Arena (5,453).
In addition to Steeves’ career-best four points, Michael Graham posted a goal and an assist and Spencer Stastney picked up a pair of helpers.
Cale Morris stopped 35 shots to earn the victory in goal for Notre Dame (11-11-4, 6-7-3-2 B1G) while Jack Berry made 32 saves for Wisconsin (10-13-1, 6-9-1-1 B1G).
The Irish converted on three of their seven power-play opportunities while going 1-for-2 on the penalty kill.
How It Happened
The game remained tied at 0-0 after the first 20 minutes as each team killed off a power play and put eight shots on goal.
Notre Dame’s best chance of the period came on a Colin Theisen one-timer with just under four minutes left in the period, but Berry turned the drive aside.
After Wisconsin took a 1-0 lead at 7:01 of the second on a Sean Dhooghe power-play goal, the Irish answered with a power-play goal of their own just 2:50 later.
Alex Steeves beat Berry with a wrister from the top of the circles after Stastney and Graham worked the puck around the perimeter to earn the assists. Earlier in the Irish power-play opportunity, Morris denied a Roman Ahcan breakaway with a pad save to keep the Irish within one goal.
Charlie Raith’s second career goal gave the Irish a 2-1 advantage with 3:35 remaining in the middle frame. Raith took a feed from Nate Clurman and beat Berry with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle. Alex Steeves also picked up an assist on the play.
With just seven seconds remaining in the period and the Irish on a five-on-three power play, Cal Burke doubled the Irish advantage. After Alex Steeves’ attempt from the right circle was stopped by Berry, Burke pushed home the rebound for his second goal in as many nights. Cam Morrison picked up the secondary assist on the tally.
Roman Ahcan got the Badgers back within one with a shorthanded goal just 17 seconds into the third period.
Graham restored a two-goal lead for the Irish with a power-play goal at 9:59, with assists going to Stastney and Alex Steeves – his fourth point of the night. Graham beat Berry blocker side from the slot for his second goal in as many nights.
After the Badgers pulled Berry for an extra attacker, Tory Dello converted an empty-net goal from the neutral zone with 1:52 remaining to account for the 5-2 final.
Up Next
- Notre Dame heads to State College, Pennsylvania next weekend to close out the regular-season series with the ninth-ranked Nittany Lions (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1).
- Puck drop for is slated for 6 p.m. ET for both games and game one will be televised by the Big Ten Network.
Notes
- Alex Steeves collected a career-high four points (G, 3A).
- Spencer Stastney had a pair of assists for the second straight night to tie his career high for assists in a game. it marked his fourth multi-point game of the season/of his career.
- Saturday marked the eighth multi-point game of Michael Graham’s career (1G, 1A).
- In six career games against Wisconsin, Graham has scored eight goals and added two assists for 10 points.
- Tory Dello scored his first goal in exactly a year, having last scored against Michigan State on Jan. 25, 2019.
- Cal Burke scored his second game-winning goal of the season and the ninth of his career.
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