SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame hockey team finished their weekend series with Long Island in a split, dropping Saturday night’s decision 5-2.
Much like Friday’s contest, the Sharks opened the contest with a plethora of shots on goal but Nicholas Kempf stood tall in net, freezing the first six shots faced before the Irish answered with a shot on net at the opposite end at 6:37 of the first period. Kempf made a series of sprawling saves with 8:20 to play in the first frame to keep the game scoreless.
The Irish saw the first powerplay opportunity of the night after Grant Silianoff drew a call along the far halfwall at 14:34 of the opening period. Despite a series of shots during the man-advantage, the Irish could not convert and the score remained tied through 20 minutes of play.
LIU got on the board first as a rocket shot from the blue line sailed over the glove of Kempf in net for the 1-0 tally at 2:42 of the second period.
Blake Biondi nearly had the equalizer moments later but a slash in front of the net by the Sharks stopped the play. The Irish didn’t take long to capitalize on the man-advantage their second time around as Hunter Strand evened the score at 5:45 of the middle frame.
The two teams continued to battle evenly throughout the midway point of the second before a pane of glass deep in the Irish offensive end was knocked loose and a brief delay ensued for it to be replaced.
LIU was whistled for a trip shortly after the break in play and the Irish powerplay unit went back to work. However it was the Sharks to take advantage of the special teams opportunity as they took a 2-1 lead off a shorthanded goal at 12:24 of the second.
The Irish were tasked with their first penalty kill of the night after a cross-checking call went against the home team at 16:02 in period two. LIU took advantage once more on special teams to take the 3-1 lead late in the second stanza.
With 1:32 to go in the second period the Irish penalty kill unit went back on the ice after a roughing call was whistled against Notre Dame. The score would remain the same through the horn signaling the end of period two, as the Irish trailed by a pair.
The Irish killed off the remaining 28 seconds of the roughing penalty to open the third period of play and continued to pressure the LIU end.
LIU extended their lead to three after a shot from the point trickled through the pads of Kempf who initially thought he had frozen the puck in the crease.
The…