SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame hockey team is set to compete in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 2022 as the Irish get ready to face No. 2/2 and co-Big Ten Regular Season Champions Michigan State inside Munn Ice Arena on Saturday, March 15. The Irish are coming off a three-game series win at then-No. 3/3 Minnesota, and the other co-Big Ten Regular Season Champions.
Puck drop for Saturday’s contest is set for 6:05 p.m. on Big Ten Network with a spot in the Big Ten Tournament Championship at stake.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: Michigan State Spartans | March 15
Location: East Lansing, Mich.| Munn Ice Arena
Schedule: 6:05 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network (BTN)
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/
Game Notes: Notre Dame
QUICK HITS
- The Irish are coming off a three-game series victory at then-No. 3/3 Minnesota en route to a berth in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals at No. 2/2 Michigan State.
- In their most recent outing, Hunter Strand appeared in his 150th collegiate game as the Irish and Golden Gophers clashed in a winner-take-all quarterfinal contest. The senior from Anchorage, Alaska, capped the night off with an empty net tally to secure the 4-1 victory for Notre Dame and picked up his third point of the series. Strand also had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s loss to Minnesota.
- Dating back to the last meeting with Michigan State, sophomore Carter Slaggert has an assist in each of the last four games. The four-game point-streak is a career best for the forward and he boasts 10 points on the year (4-6-10).
- Sophomore center Danny Nelson’s 464 face-off wins this year ranks third nationally and leads all Big Ten forwards. His 17 wins at the circle Sunday helped the Irish to a 57.1-percent rate on faceoffs as they topped the third-ranked Gophers 4-1.
- Owen Say earned the nod in net all three nights in Minnesota, stopping 99 total shots over the stretch and leading the Big Ten in save percentage with a .943 average. Facing the nation’s top goal-scoring offense, the junior netminder averaged 2.01 goals against as he backstopped the Irish to the series win.
- The Irish closed out the regular season at home against Michigan State last weekend. They opened the weekend festivities by honoring 14 members of the program, including 11 graduating players and three student-managers.
- As part of senior night tradition for the Irish, the team donned their green jerseys with the script Irish on…