MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Irish hockey program took game one in Minneapolis Friday night, topping Big Ten rival Minnesota 4-2 behind goals from Grant Silianoff, Patrick Moynihan, Drew Bavaro and Landon Slaggert.
The Irish found themselves down a man early after a high-stick call was whistled at 2:28 of the opening period behind the Gopher net. Cole Knuble won the draw and raced up the ice for a shorthanded opportunity but was denied and and Minnesota regained possession. A trip was called against the Irish as they receded onto the defensive side of the puck and were faced with 1:39 of a two-man disadvantage when play resumed.
Despite controlling play much of the opening minutes, the Irish found themselves down a goal after the gophers capitalized on a rebound given up at 10:10 of the opening stanza. It did not take long for the Irish to answer as Grant Silianoff intercepted a pass in the defensive end and used the boards to send a pass up ice to Brennan Ali who set up the equalizer less than two minutes later.
The two teams remained deadlocked at 1-1 as they headed to the first intermission of the night.
Patrick Moynihan put the Irish out in front just 47 seconds into the second period with a wraparound goal to give the visitors the 2-1 lead.
The Irish recorded a big penalty kill halfway through the contest following a cross checking call against at 8:21 of the second period.
The Gophers evened the score with 1:21 to play in the second period, scoring on the powerplay to snap the Irish penalty kill unit’s streak of 15-straight kills dating back to game one at Penn State (Nov. 4).
Neither team could break the netminding on either end of the ice in the final seconds of the middle frame and at the second intermission the score remained tied, 2-2.
Drew Bavaro scored the go ahead goal just 3:30 into the final period of regulation to regain the lead, 3-2. The eventual game-winner was his second of the season and lifted the Irish to victory Friday evening.
Landon Slaggert would score his team-best ninth goal of the season on the empty net to ice the win and clinch game one of the series for the Irish.
Ryan Bischel finished the night with 32 saves on 34 shots faced.
GOALS
- Back in his home state, Grant Silianoff got the Irish on the board at 12:08 of the opening period to even the score up, 1-1. The senior from Edina, Minnesota, batted the puck out of mid-air on a Gopher pass before finding Brennan Ali rushing up ice where the rookie backhanded a…