MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The University of Notre Dame hockey team advanced to the Big Ten Playoff Semifinals after a 4-1 victory over No. 3/3 Minnesota in game three of the best-of-three series in Minneapolis. Four separate Irish skaters scored in the contest as Owen Say posted 38 saves in goal en route to the win.
A fast paced first period saw the Irish take the first penalty of the night as Brennan Ali was sent to the box for a slash at 3:50 of the contest.
The Irish had a premium opportunity shorthanded as Cole Knuble raced in uncontested and Nathan Airey attempted to play the puck out of the zone but lost an edge. Knuble tripped over the netminder as he tried to corral the puck and could not send it over the goal line. Notre Dame managed to kill off the penalty unscathed and play returned to five-on-five just under six minutes into the contest.
At the first media timeout of the night the Gophers led 8-1 in shots on goal but Owen Say stood his ground in the ND crease to keep it scoreless just over halfway through the first frame.
The Irish took the lead at 17:25 of the night after a shot from Jack Larrigan at the near circle hit off the chest of Airey and into the air. Jayden Davis found the loose puck atop the crease and buried his shot for his first goal of the season.
Say was contested twice more at the opposite end of the ice before the end of the period but the Irish maintained the 1-0 lead as they headed to the first intermission of the evening.
The Irish extended their lead to two after Grant Silianoff buried a shot glove side with some assistance from Blake Biondi in front of the net.
At 9:08 of the second, the Irish were called for a crosscheck as Axel Kumlin and a Golden Gophers defensemen both raced to the puck along the offensive halfwall. The Irish were successful on the kill for the second time of the night, holding the Gophers without a shot through the two-minute stretch while Notre Dame had a shot that rang off the post shorthanded.
The Irish end was contested in the final minutes of the second period but the defense buckled down, posting two blocked shots and four saves in the last five minutes of the second stanza to keep the Gophers off the board heading into the third period.
Minnesota looked to get on the scoreboard early in the third period as they peppered the Irish end in shots but Ryan Helliwell and Axel Kumlin stepped up to block a pair of shots consecutively before regaining possession.
After a short stint in the…