MUZZATTI, MASTRODOMENICO LEAD IRISH COMEBACK AGAINST COLONIALS
By John Fineran
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – At least Notre Dame first-year hockey coach Brock Sheahan isn’t sprouting any gray hairs on his 41-year-old head, though his Fighting Irish are making him sweat a little during his first five games behind the bench.
For the fourth time in those five games, Notre Dame found itself in a 2-0 hole early. But unlike the opening weekend when the Irish lost to host Arizona State 5-3 and Quinnipiac 7-2 in the Ice Breaker Tournament in Tempe, Ariz., Notre Dame for the second straight week battled back and won.
Friday night’s 6-3 non-conference victory over visiting Robert Morris before 4,054 at the Lefty Smith Rink in the Compton Family Ice Arena wasn’t as convincing as Notre Dame’s 8-2 triumph against St. Lawrence last week.
But Sheahan will take it.
“That’s something we addressed between (the first and second) periods tonight and something we will address tomorrow,” Sheahan said after the Irish improved to 3-2 thanks to a two-goal, two-assist night from 6-foot-6, 240-pound grad-transfer (from RPI) center Sutter Muzzatti and a 3-point night (a goal and two assists) from senior defenseman and co-captain Michael Mastrodomenico.
“The way we play, we’re never out of a game,” Sheahan continued. “I thought (fourth-line center) Jayden Davis’ line settled us down and got us going. Overall, it took us awhile.”
The Irish scored five unanswered goals against the 0-3 Colonials, whose first two losses came last weekend at No. 3 Michigan, Notre Dame’s next weekend opponent at the Compton to begin the Big Ten season as Muzzatti began the comeback with his fourth goal of the season off assists from Mastrodomenico and Cole Brown at 14:18 of the first period.
Muzzatti then set up Carter Slaggert’s game-tying goal at 17:01 of the opening period and gave the Irish the lead they would never relinquish with his fifth goal of the season at 15:16 of the second period.
“He (Muzzatti) is just a big frame,” said the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Mastrodomenico. “He’s tough to stop in practice. He’s got the longest stick in the league, and he uses his frame and his length so well as you can see with both of his goals.”
The 22-year-old Muzzatti, who earned his undergraduate degree last year from RPI while playing only 10 games because of injuries last season, has two years of eligibility remaining as he pursues a degree in non-profit administration.
In his five games with the Irish, Muzzatti now has registered five goals and three assists and shares the team scoring lead at eight points with Kumlin (one goal, seven assists). Last season, he managed only two goals and one assist in 10 games.
“I have no complaints,” said Muzzatti, who grew up in Okemos, Mich., just down the road from East Lansing and Michigan State. “This campus is beautiful, the academics are great, this program is unreal. We have everything here to make us better and keep us healthy. I love the coaching staff. This was a no-brainer for me.”
Junior left wing Brennan Ali (who also had an assist), Mastrodomenico and freshman center Pano Fimis added third-period goals, and senior defenseman Axel Kumlin added a pair of assists as 10 Irish players notched points in front of sophomore goaltender Nicholas Kempf, who was solid once again in net with 24 saves. His Robert Morris counterpart, freshman Charlie Schenkel, made 21 stops.
“It’s nice to have some safety back there,” Mastrodomenico said of Kempf, who has now seen his goals-against average drop to 3.42 and his saves percentage improve to .887 after the weekend in Arizona.
“He (Kempf) made some really big saves in the second period,” Sheahan said.
Just as they did in their home opener a week ago Thursday, the Irish fell behind 2-0 when Robert Morris scored a pair of goals within 43 seconds of each other. First, defenseman Dominic Elliott’s shot from the point beat a screened Kempf at 5:53. It came on Robert Morris’ sixth shot of the period (while Notre Dame had just one).
Then at 6:36, the Colonials’ Patrick Johnson scored off a scramble in front to make it 2-0. At the halfway point of the period, the Irish were being outshot 8-3.
But Notre Dame came back thanks to the play of the Muzzatti. He was on the ice at the end of the first period’s only power play – the Colonials’ Jackson Reineke was off for hooking at 12:16. The penalty had expired when Irish Mastrodomenico slid the puck across the ice to left wing Cole Brown, who fired it at Schenkel from the faceoff circle to the goalie’s left. Muzzatti was at the backdoor and banged it home at 14:18 to make it 2-1.
Then with the teams skating five-aside, Kumlin sent Muzzatti into the attack zone chasing after the puck. Muzzatti used his size and reach to force a turnover behind the Colonials’ goal and he quickly centered it out front to Slaggert, who buried it behind Schenkel at 17:01 to knot the score at 2-2. Notre Dame outshot Robert Morris 11-9 in the period, including 8-1 over the last 8:09.
The teams had six shots aside in the second period, which ended with Notre Dame in the lead 3-2. Once again, it was Muzzatti doing the damage with the teams skating four-aside in the 15th minute of the period. Ali and defenseman Caeden Carlisle sent Muzzatti into the Colonial defensive zone with the puck, and Muzzatti skated around the defenders before beating Schenkel from the doorstep at 15:16 to make it 3-2 Irish, a lead that lasted to the intermission.
Notre Dame made it 4-2 at 10:27 of the third period on the power play when Kumlin, with an assist from Mastrodomenico, set up an unguarded Ali in the slot for his first goal of the season. Mastrodomenico then made it 5-2 after taking a cross-ice pass from Dashel Oliver and beating Schenkel at 14:59. But the Colonials refused to give up, with Jackson Reineke cutting the Irish lead back to two goals 48 seconds later at 15:47.
It was still 5-3 Irish with 2:33 remaining in regulation when Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley pulled Schenkel for a sixth attacker with a faceoff in the Irish defensive zone. Danny Nelson won the draw from Robert Morris’ Dario Beljo, one of 19 faceoffs won by the Irish in the final 20 minutes. For the game, the Irish went 44-15 on puck drops, with Nelson going 16-4, Muzzatti 10-4, Davis 9-2 and Fimis 7-4.
The Irish secured the victory at 18:21 when Muzzatti found Davis, who dumped it back to Fimis in the slot. Fimis, a 21-year-old freshman who played for the Erie (Pa.) Otters of the major Ontario Hockey League, scored into the vacated net for his first collegiate goal at Notre Dame.
The Irish and Colonials conclude their two-game series Saturday night with faceoff at 6 p.m. Tickets are available.
NOTRE DAME 6, ROBERT MORRIS 3
At Lefty Smith Rink in Compton Family Ice Arena, South Bend, Ind.
Robert Morris 2 0 1—3
Notre Dame 2 1 3—6
First Period—Scoring: 1. Robert Morris, Dominic Elliott 1 (George Krotiris, Bruce McDonald) EV 5:53; 2. Robert Morris, Patrick Johnson 1 (John Babcock, Braden Rourke) EV 6:36; 3. Notre Dame, Sutter Muzzatti 4 (Cole Brown, Michael Mastrodomenico) EV 14:18; 4. Notre Dame, Carter Slaggert 2 (Sutter Muzzatti, Axel Kumlin) EV 17:01. Penalties: Robert Morris 1-2, Notre Dame 0-0.
Second Period—Scoring: 5. Notre Dame, Sutter Muzzatti 5 (Caeden Carlistle, Brennan Ali) EV 15:16. Penalties: Robert Morris 2-4 (3-6), Notre Dame 1-2 (1-2).
Third Period—Scoring: 6. Notre Dame, Brennan Ali 1 (Axel Kumlin, Michael Mastrodomenico) PP 10:27; 7. Notre Dame, Michael Mastrodomenico 2 (Dashel Oliver) EV 14:59; 8. Robert Morris, Jackson Reineke 2 (Bruce McDonald) EV 15:47; 9. Notre Dame, Pano Fimis 1 (Jayden Davis, Sutter Muzzatti) EN 18:21. Penalties: Robert Morris 2-4 (5-10), Notre Dame 1-2 (2-4).
Shots on goal: Robert Morris 27 (9-6-12), Notre Dame 27 (11-6-10).
Goalie saves: Robert Morris, Charlie Schenkel 21 (9-5-7); Notre Dame, Nicholas Kempf 24 (7-6-11).
Power-play opportunities: Robert Morris 0 of 1, Notre Dame 1 of 4.
Faceoffs won: Robert Morris 15 (8-4-3), Notre Dame 44 (15-10-19).
Blocked shots: Robert Morris 8 (4-2-2), Notre Dame 10 (3-3-4).
Referees: Sean Fernandez and Logan Gruhl. Linesmen: Riley Bowles and Mike Daltrey. Attendance: 4,054 (4,852c). Records: Robert Morris 0-3-0, Notre Dame 3-2-0.
BIG TEN STANDINGS AND SCHEDULE
(Numbers in parentheses are school’s rankings in this week’s USCHO.com media/USA Hockey-The Rink Live coaches polls):
Conference Overall
GP Pts W-L-T GF-GA W-L-T GF-GA
(1/1) Michigan State 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 4-1-0 17-9
(3/3) Michigan 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 7-1-0 46-12
(5/5) Penn State 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 6-1-0 30-19
(12/12) Minnesota 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 2-4-1 19-22
(14/15) Ohio State 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 3-2-0 15-10
(17/16) Wisconsin 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 3-0-2 18-8
(nr/nr) Notre Dame 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 3-2-0 22-17
Thursday, Oct. 23 result
Michigan 4, Western Michigan 0
Friday, Oct. 24 results
Notre Dame 6, Robert Morris 3
Western Michigan 5, Michigan 2
Sacred Heart 2, Ohio State 1 (OT)
Penn State 3, Stonehill 2
Michigan State 4, Northern Michigan 0
Minnesota Duluth 3, Minnesota 0
Wisconsin 5, Alaska Fairbanks 3
Saturday, Oct. 25 games
Robert Morris at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.
Sacred Heart at Ohio State, 5 p.m.
Stonehill at Penn State, 6 p.m.
Michigan State at Northern Michigan, 6 p.m.
Alaska Fairbanks at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
Minnesota Duluth at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 30 games
Penn State at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Wisconsin, 9 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 31 games
Michigan at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
Penn State at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 1 games
Michigan at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.
Minnesota at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE FOR TOP 20 TEAMS IN USCHO.com MEDIA POLL
- Michigan State(Big Ten) (4-1-0) won at Northern Michigan Friday, 4-0. Next: Saturday at Northern Michigan, Nov. 7-8 vs. Penn State.
- Western Michigan(NCHC) (4-2-0) lost at No. 3 Michigan Thursday, 4-0; beat No. 3 Michigan Friday, 5-2. Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at St. Cloud State.
- Michigan (Big Ten) (7-1-0) beat No. 2 Western Michigan Thursday, 4-0; lost at No. 2 Western Michigan Friday, 5-2. Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Notre Dame.
- Boston University(Hockey East) (2-3-1) lost to No. 11 Connecticut Friday, 8-4. Next: Saturday at No. 11 Connecticut, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Maine.
- Penn State(Big Ten) (6-1-0) beat Stonehill Friday, 3-2. Next: Saturday vs. Stonehill, Oct. 30-Oct. 31 at Ohio State.
- Quinnipiac(ECAC) (4-2-1) won at Holy Cross 4-1 Tuesday; lost at Merrimack Friday, 4-1. Next: Saturday at New Hampshire, Nov. 4 vs. Alaska Fairbanks.
- Denver (NCHC) (3-1-1)won at No. 9 Boston College Friday, 7-3. Next: Saturday at Northeastern, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Alaska-Anchorage.
- North Dakota (NCHC) (3-2-0) lost at Clarkson Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday at Clarkson, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota Duluth.
- Boston College(Hockey East) (2-2-1) lost to No. 7 Denver Friday, 7-3. Next: Oct. 30 vs. Northeastern; Oct. 31 at Northeastern.
- Maine(Hockey East) (2-2-1) lost to Colgate Friday, 3-2. Next: Saturday vs. Colgate, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Boston University.
- Connecticut(Hockey East) (3-2-0) won at No. 4 Boston University Friday, 8-4. Next: Saturday vs. No. 4 Boston University, Oct. 31 vs. Harvard, Nov. 1 vs. Merrimack.
- Minnesota (Big Ten) (2-4-1) lost to No. 18 Minnesota Duluth Friday, 3-0. Next: Saturday vs. No. 18 Minnesota Duluth, Thursday, Oct. 30 at Wisconsin, Saturday, Nov. 1 at Wisconsin.
- Massachusetts(Hockey East) (5-1-0) won at Omaha Friday, 5-4. Next: Saturday at Omaha, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Cornell.
- Ohio State(Big Ten) (3-2-0) lost to Sacred Heart Friday, 2-1 (OT). Saturday: Saturday vs. Sacred Heart, Oct. 30-31 vs. Penn State.
- Providence(Hockey East) (1-2-1) tied at St. Thomas Friday, 2-2 (OT). Next: Saturday at St. Thomas, Oct. 31 vs. UMass Lowell, Nov. 1 at UMass Lowell.
- Colorado College(NCHC) (5-1-0) was idle. Next. Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Omaha.
- Wisconsin(Big Ten) (3-0-2) beat Alaska Fairbanks Friday, 5-3. Next: Saturday vs. Alaska Fairbanks, Oct. 30 vs. Minnesota, Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota.
- Minnesota Duluth(NCHC) (6-1-0) won at No. 12 Minnesota Friday, 3-0. Next: Saturday at No. 12 Minnesota, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at North Dakota.
- Cornell (ECAC) (0-0-0) was idle. Next: Saturday vs. U.S. Under-18 Team (exhibition), Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Massachusetts.
- Minnesota State (CCHA) (2-1-2) beat RPI Friday, 4-2. Next: Saturday vs. RPI, Oct. 31 at St. Thomas, Nov. 1 vs. St. Thomas.
OTHER GAMES THIS WEEK
Friday, Oct. 24
Atlantic Hockey Association
Bentley 4, Canisius 1
Army 5, Holy Cross 2
RIT 5, Air Force 1
CCHA
Bowling Green 4, Lake Superior 1
Michigan Tech 5, Ferris State 1
Bemidji State 1, Augustana 0 (OT)
Non-conference
Niagara 4, U.S. Under-18 Team 1 (exhibition)
UMass Lowell 4, Mercyhurst 0
New Hampshire 3, Long Island 2 (OT)
St. Cloud State 5, Alaska Anchorage 2
Miami 5, Lindenwood 4 (OT)
Saturday, Oct. 25
Atlantic Hockey Association
Holy Cross at Army, 4 p.m.
Air Force at RIT, 5:05 p.m.
Canisius at Bentley, 6 p.m.
CCHA
Ferris State at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at Lake Superior, 6:07 p.m.
Augustana at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
Non-conference
UMass Lowell at Mercyhurst, 5 p.m.
Long Island at Merrimack, 7 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at St. Cloud State, 7 p.m.
Toronto at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Simon Fraser at Princeton, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Miami at Lindenwood, 8:10 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 26
Non-conference
Norwich at Dartmouth, 3 p.m. (exhibition)
Monday, Oct. 27
Non-conference
Simon Fraser at Long Island, 2 p.m. (exhibition)
Thursday, Oct. 30
Big Ten
Penn State at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Wisconsin, 9 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey Association
Sacred Heart at Holy Cross, 7 p.m.
Hockey East Association
Northeastern at Boston College, 7 p.m.
Non-conference
Maryville at Long Island, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Friday, Oct. 31
Big Ten
Michigan at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.
Penn State at Ohio State, 4:30 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey Association
Sacred Heart at Holy Cross, 7 p.m.
Niagara at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
Bentley at Mercyhurst, 7 p.m.
ECAC
RPI at Union, 7 p.m.
Hockey East Association
Boston University at Maine, 7 p.m.
UMass Lowell at Providence, 7 p.m.
Boston College at Northeastern, 7 p.m.
Vermont at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
NCHC
Arizona State at Miami, 7:05 p.m.
Western Michigan at St. Cloud State, 8 p.m.
Minnesota Duluth at North Dakota, 8:07 p.m.
Omaha at Colorado College, 9 p.m.
CCHA
Bemidji State at Bowling Green, 7:07 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Augustana, 8:07 p.m.
Minnesota State at St. Thomas, 8:07 p.m.
Non-conference
Maryville at Long Island, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Lake Superior State at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Clarkson, 7 p.m.
Alaska Fairbanks at Princeton, 7 p.m.
Cornell at Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
Harvard at Connecticut, 7 p.m.
Lindenwood at Ferris State, 7:07 p.m.
RIT at Colgate, 7:30 p.m.
Alaska-Anchorage at Denver, 9 p.m.
Brown at Air Force, 9:05 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 1
Big Ten
Michigan at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.
Minnesota at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
ECAC
Union at RPI, 4 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey Association
Bentley at Mercyhurst, 5 p.m.
Robert Morris at Niagara, 6 p.m.
Army at Canisius, 7 p.m.
Hockey East Association
Providence at UMass Lowell, 6:05 p.m.
Vermont at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
Merrimack at Connecticut, 7 p.m.
Boston University at Maine, 7:30 p.m.
NCHC
Arizona State at Miami, 6:05 p.m.
Western Michigan at St. Cloud State, 7 p.m.
Minnesota Duluth at North Dakota, 7:07 p.m.
Omaha at Colorado College, 8 p.m.
CCHA
Bemidji State at Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Augustana, 7:07 p.m.
St. Thomas at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
Non-conference
Cornell at Massachusetts, 6 p.m.
Dartmouth at Stonehill, 7 p.m.
Michigan Tech at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m.
Lake Superior State at Clarkson, 7 p.m.
Alaska Fairbanks at Princeton, 7 p.m.
Brown at Air Force, 7:05 p.m.
Lindenwood at Ferris State, 7:07 p.m.
RIT at Colgate, 7:30 p.m.
Alaska-Anchorage at Denver, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 2
Non-conference
Yale at Dartmouth, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 4
Non-conference
Alaska Fairbanks at Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.
Stonehill at Harvard, 7 p.m.