NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The 14th-ranked Fighting Irish hockey team opened their home slate of competition with a convincing win over the visiting Wildcats of Northern Michigan University, 3-1, Friday night.
The Irish got off to a quick start with a pair of powerplay goals less than 10 minutes into the game. Chayse Primeau scored his first for the Irish at 7:00 of the first period before Trevor Janicke hit twine just over a minute and a half later to give Notre Dame the 2-0 lead.
The scoreboard was all Irish after 20 minutes of play as the team carried a two-goal lead to the first intermission.
A powerplay goal by the Wildcats cut the Irish lead in half at 8:48 of the second period but Ryan Helliwell answered late in the stanza with his first collegiate goal to make it 3-1.
The third period was the story of whistles as the two squads combined for 10 penalties in the final 20 minutes of regulation although neither side was able to capitalize.
Through three periods, Ryan Bischel came two saves shy of a career-best as he stopped 36 of 37 shots faced.
The Irish penalty kill successfully stopped five of six Wildcat opportunities while the special teams went to work on the powerplay with a pair of goals on their first two attempts with the man-advantage. In total, the Irish were two-for-four on the powerplay.
GOALS
- Jesse Lansdell sent the puck past an outstretched Wildcat defender in front where he found Chayse Primeau who buried a shot for the 1-0 tally. The goal at 7:00 of the first period was Primeau’s first goal and point for the Blue and Gold. Grant Silianoff also picked up an assist on the play.
- Drew Bavaro grabbed the bouncing puck off the boards before finding Ryder Rolston open at the top of the near circle. After gathering the puck, Rolston found Trevor Janicke in the slot who quickly flipped the puck over the NMU netminder for his second goal of the season.
- Late in the second period, Ryan Helliwell found twine off a wrist shot from the far faceoff dot. Beating the Wildcat goaltender blocker side, the sophomore registered his first collegiate goal. Jack Adams earned the lone assist on the play after stealing the pucks along the boards in the Irish defensive end and rushing up ice, creating a three-on-two chance for Notre Dame.
KEY STATS
- Ryan Bischel stood tall in net, stopping 36 of 37 shots fired on net by the Wildcats.
- On the other end of the ice, the Irish sent 26 shots on goal, led by Ryder Rolston with seven.
- Eight individuals…