By John Fineran
One of these nights, perhaps, the Notre Dame hockey team will get out of its own way.
Just when it looked like the Fighting Irish were going to end a long losing streak as well as their winless ways in the Big Ten Conference Friday night, Ohio State’s Buckeyes rewrote the script, scoring a power-play goal by Jake Karabela at 18:03 of the third period and a 170-foot empty-netter by Max Montes 20 seconds later for a 4-2 victory at the Compton Family Ice Arena.
First-year coach Brock Sheahan’s Irish, who battled back from a 2-0 first-period deficit to tie the game at 2-2 on freshman Cole Brown’s goal at 9:40 of the third period, remained winless in the Big Ten at 0-13-0 and saw this 10th straight loss (and 16th in the last 17 games) drop them to 4-18-1 overall. Coach Steve Rohlik’s Buckeyes, coming off an idle weekend following their 2-1 victory over No. 2 Michigan State on Jan. 10, improved to 8-12-1 overall and 4-7-0 for sixth place in the conference with 12 points, 11 more than Notre Dame.
“Another frustrating honestly – you just cannot start the game the way we started the game when the margins are so thin for us right now, especially when it’s stuff you go over all the time,” Sheahan said. “I know we fought back. I know we out-generated them, but we don’t score at the rate that we need to. And again, it was not a good penalty with two minutes left.”
The game started after both teams, officials and the capacity crowd of 5,186 paid respects to the late Dan Sturges, Michigan State’s 40-year-old director of hockey operations who died unexpectedly Monday, with a moment of silence at the Lefty Smith Rink. The coaches and players from both teams wore Spartan pins prior to and during the game to remember Sturges, who was a forward on Michigan State’s last NCAA title team in 2007.
Freshman goalie Sam Hillebrandt, who earned Big Ten Third Star honors two weeks ago for his play against the Spartans, got his second straight start for the Buckeyes and made 31 saves, one more than his Irish sophomore counterpart Nicholas Kempf, who surrendered first-period goals to Adam Eisele 52 seconds in and Riley Thompson at 11:40 on another powerplay.
Hillebrandt held the Irish at bay late after surrendering a power-play goal to freshman Pano Fimis at 6:55 of the second period after assists by Brennan Ali and Brown, who then scored in the third off feeds from Evan Werner and Henry Nelson at 9:40 of the third as Notre Dame started the third period on an 12-3 shot run.
But the Buckeyes began to turn the game around when Notre Dame’s Danny Nelson took a holding penalty to prevent a Buckeye scoring chance at 11:30. Ohio State did not score during that two-minute advantage, but it eventually would after Irish defenseman Jimmy Jurcev went off for high sticking at 16:42.
Kempf stopped two shots by Ohio State’s Felix Caron before Notre Dame’s Carter Slaggert broke in shorthanded and fired a shot that Hillebrandt turned aside at 17:55. But the Buckeyes quickly reversed the action and Karabela, a freshman center, tied it eight seconds later off assists from Caron and defenseman Broten Sabo.
Notre Dame’s Sutter Muzzatti won the faceoff and the puck went into the Ohio State defensive zone, allowing the Irish to pull Kempf for a sixth attacker. But Chris Able got to the loose puck and fed Montes, whose ninth goal found the vacated Irish net at 18:23 as the Buckeyes completed their comeback with a 10-1 shot advantage to the final buzzer.
The Buckeyes jumped to a 2-0 lead after the first period, outshooting the Irish 14-10 with the help of three power-play opportunities while surrendering one to Notre Dame.
Eisele opened the scoring 52 seconds into the game with his ninth goal of the season off assists from Jake Dunlap and Able. The Irish and Buckeyes were even in shots early on, but after Cole Knuble’s shot at 6:45, the Irish went more than eight minutes without a shot at Hillebrandt.
During that Irish shot drought, the Buckeyes made it 2-0 at 11:40 when Thompson stuffed the puck past Kempf 12 seconds after Irish defenseman Jimmy Jurcev went to the penalty box for boarding.
Michael Mastrodomenico got whistled for boarding at 17:38 and Kempf kept the Buckeyes off the boarding with three late saves. After killing the penalty, Notre Dame got good scoring chances from Brennan Ali and Fimis, but Hillebrandt stopped both and one at the horn by defenseman Jaedon Kerr.
In the second period, the Irish got a power-play chance when OSU defenseman Nathan McBrayer went off for interference at 5:58. Notre Dame’s second power-play unit did the damage as Brown found Brenan Ali who got the puck over to Fimis, who beat Hillebrandt at 6:55 to make it 2-1 with his third goal of the season. The Irish would outshoot the Buckeyes in the period 10-7 but they still trailed by that score going to the locker room.
After the third period began, Notre Dame continued to battle, outshooting Ohio State in the early going before Brown tied the game. But the Irish, who entered the game tied with Michigan State for most penalty minutes per game in the nation at 18.64, couldn’t stay out of the box, finishing with five minutes for 10 minutes while Ohio State had four for eight minutes.
“We’ve got to keep going,” Sheahan added. “We have to keep learning, keep getting better. There were a lot of positives there. Not getting another result is extremely frustrating. We’re that close to making something happen. I think the guys can feel it.”
There will be 1,500 posters available for early-arriving fans Saturday when the two teams conclude their series at 5 p.m. An autograph session for fans will take place afterward.
OHIO STATE 4, NOTRE DAME 2
At Lefty Smith Rink in Compton Family Ice Arena, South Bend, Ind.
Ohio State 2 0 2—4
Notre Dame 0 1 1—2
First Period—Scoring: Ohio State, Adam Eisele 9 (Jake Dunlap, Chris Able) EV 0:52; 2. Ohio State, Riley Thompson 7 (Davis Burnside) PP 11:40. (Penalties: Ohio State 1-2, Notre Dame 3-6.
Second Period—Scoring: 3. Notre Dame, Pano Fimis 3 (Brennan Ali, Cole Brown) PP 6:55. Penalties: Ohio State 2-4 (3-6), Notre Dame 0-0 (3-6).
Third Period—Scoring: 4. Notre Dame, Cole Brown 4 (Evan Werner, Henry Nelson) EV 9:40; 5. Ohio State, Jake Karabela 5 (Felix Caron, Broten Sabo) PP 18:03; 6. Ohio State, Max Montes (Chris Able) EN 18:23. Penalties: Ohio State 1-2 (4-8), Notre Dame 2-4 (5-10).
Shots on goal: Ohio State 34 (14-7-13), Notre Dame 33 (10-10-13).
Goalie saves: Ohio State, Sam Hillebrandt 31 (10-9-12); Notre Dame, Nicholas Kempf 30 (12-7-11).
Power-play opportunities: Ohio State 2 of 5, Notre Dame 1 of 4.
Faceoffs won: Ohio State 33 (9-14-10), Notre Dame 36 (16-6-14).
Blocked shots: Ohio State 11 (3-6-2), Notre Dame 14 (3-6-5).
Referees: Logan Gruhl and Anthony Vikhter. Linesmen: Christopher Libett and Nick Huff. Attendance: 5,186 (4.852c).
Records: Ohio State 8-12-1, 4-7-0 Big Ten for 12 points; Notre Dame 4-18-1, 0-13-0 Big Ten for one point.
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-SW-OW-OL GF-GA W-L-T GF-GA
(1/1) Michigan 14 31 11-3-0-0-2-0 61-34 20-4-0 116-50
(8/8) Penn State 13 28 9-4-0-0-0-1 42-33 17-6-0 83-58
(2/2) Michigan St. 13 27 9-4-0-0-1-1 40-23 18-5-0 81-40
(5/5) Wisconsin 13 22 8-5-0-0-2-0 55-46 15-6-2 89-63
(nr/nr) Minnesota 13 14 4-9-0-0-0-2 30-42 8-15-1 64-82
(nr/nr) Ohio State 11 12 4-7-0-0-1-1 35-47 8-12-1 63-71
(nr/nr) Notre Dame 13 1 0-13-0-0-0-1 25-63 4-18-1 57-99
Friday, Jan. 23
Ohio State 4, Notre Dame 2
Michigan State 3, Minnesota 1
Penn State 7, Wisconsin 2
Saturday, Jan. 24
Ohio State at Notre Dame, 5 p.m. (Peacock)
Minnesota at Michigan State, 6 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Penn State at Wisconsin, 8:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
UPCOMING
Friday, Jan. 30
Bowling Green at Notre Dame 7 p.m. (Peacock)
Michigan State at Penn State, 6 p.m.
Michigan at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.
Wisconsin at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 31
Notre Dame at Bowling Green, 7 p.m.
Michigan State at Penn State (Beaver Stadium), 1 p.m.
Michigan at Ohio State, 5 p.m.
Wisconsin at Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6
Notre Dame at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Michigan State at Michigan, 7 p.m.
Ohio State at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 7
Notre Dame at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Michigan State vs. Michigan at Detroit (Little Caesars Arena), 6:30 p.m.
Ohio State at Minnesota, 9 p.m.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Sunday, Jan. 18
Hockey East Association
Northeastern 5, New Hampshire 2
Monday, Jan. 19
ECAC
Harvard 4, Union 0
Thursday, Jan. 22
Hockey East Association
Merrimack 4, Northeastern 1
Friday, Jan. 23
Big Ten Conference
Ohio State 4, Notre Dame 2
Michigan State 3, Minnesota 1
Penn State 7, Wisconsin 2
Connecticut Ice Tournament (at New Haven, Conn.)
Quinnipiac 5, Sacred Heart 1
Connecticut 5, Yale 2
Atlantic Hockey America
Canisius 4, Mercyhurst 3
Robert Morris 5, Holy Cross 2
RIT 4, Niagara 2
CCHA
St. Thomas 7, Lake Superior State 4
Michigan Tech 8, Northern Michigan 2
Bowling Green 3, Bemidji State 1
ECAC
St. Lawrence 5, Clarkson 5 (OT) (St. Lawrence wins shootout, 1-0)
Harvard 3, Colgate 1
Cornell 2, Dartmouth 1 (OT)
Hockey East Association
Merrimack 3, Northeastern 1
Providence 4, Boston University 3
Massachusetts 4, Vermont 0
Boston College 5, New Hampshire 2
Maine 2, UMass Lowell 0
NCHC
Western Michigan 4, Minnesota Duluth 3
Omaha 3, Colorado College 1
St. Cloud State 4, Denver 2
North Dakota 7, Arizona State 4
Non-conference
Bentley 4, Princeton 1
Long Island 6, Alaska Anchorage 2
Alaska Fairbanks 5, Lindenwood 2
Saturday, Jan. 24
Big Ten Conference
Ohio State at Notre Dame, 5 p.m.
Minnesota at Michigan State, 6 p.m.
Penn State at Wisconsin, 8:30 p.m.
Connecticut Ice Tournament (at New Haven, Conn.)
Consolation: Yale vs. Sacred Heart, 4 p.m.
Championship: Connecticut vs. Quinnipiac, 7:30 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey America
Canisius at Mercyhurst, 5 p.m.
Niagara at RIT, 5:05 p.m.
Holy Cross at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
CCHA
St. Thomas at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Augustana at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
ECAC
Dartmouth at Colgate, 7 p.m.
Harvard at Cornell, 7 p.m.
Clarkson at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m.
Hockey East Association
Maine at UMass Lowell, 6:05 p.m.
Providence at Boston University, 7 p.m.
Boston College at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
Massachusetts at Vermont, 7 p.m.
NCHC
North Dakota at Arizona State, 7 p.m.
Western Michigan at Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m.
St. Cloud State at Denver, 8 p.m.
Colorado College at Omaha, 8 p.m.
Non-conference
RPI at Union, 6 p.m. (Mayor’s Cup)
Brown at Stonehill, 7 p.m.
Princeton at Bentley, 7 p.m.
Royal Military at Army, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Long Island at Alaska Anchorage, 9 p.m.
Lindenwood at Alaska Fairbanks, 9:37 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Non-conference
Long Island at Alaska Anchorage, 11 p.m.
UPCOMING SCHEDULES FOR USCHO.COM TOP 20 TEAMS AND OTHERS
1. Michigan (Big Ten) (20-4-0) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 30 at Ohio State; Jan. 31 at Ohio State.
2. Michigan State (Big Ten) (18-5-0) beat Minnesota Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday vs. Minnesota; Jan. 30 at No. 8 Penn State; Jan. 31 at No. 8 Penn State (Beaver Stadium).
3. Western Michigan (NCHC) (17-6-0) won at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth Friday, 4-3. Next: Saturday at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 30 vs. Omaha; Jan. 31 vs. Omaha.
4. North Dakota (NCHC) (19-6-0) won at Arizona State Friday, 7-4. Next: Saturday at Arizona State; Feb. 6 at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth; Feb. 7 at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.
5. Wisconsin (Big Ten) (15-6-2) lost to No. 8 Penn State Friday, 7-2. Next: Saturday vs. No. 8 Penn State; Jan. 30 at Minnesota; Jan. 31 at Minnesota.
6. Quinnipiac (ECAC) (19-4-2) beat Sacred Heart Friday, 5-1, in Connecticut Ice Tournament at Yale. Next: Saturday vs. No. 13 Connecticut in Connecticut Ice Tournament championship at Yale; Jan. 30 at St. Lawrence; Jan. 31 at Clarkson.
7. Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) (17-8-0) lost to No. 3 Western Michigan Friday, 4-3. Next: Saturday vs. No. 3 Western Michigan; Jan. 30 at No. 9 Denver; Jan. 31 at No. 9 Denver.
8. Penn State (Big Ten) (17-6-0) won at No. 5 Wisconsin Friday, 7-2. Next: Saturday at No. 5 Wisconsin; Jan. 30 vs. No. 2 Michigan State; Jan. 31 vs. No. 2 Michigan State (Beaver Stadium).
9. Denver (NCHC) (13-11-2) lost to St. Cloud State Friday, 4-2. Next: Saturday vs. St. Cloud State; Jan. 30 vs. No. 7 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 31 vs. No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.
10. Dartmouth (ECAC) (14-5-1) lost at No. 12 Cornell Friday, 2-1 (OT). Next: Saturday at Colgate; Jan. 30 vs. Union; Jan. 31 vs. RPI.
11. Providence (Hockey East) (14-7-2) beat No. 18 Boston University Friday, 4-3. Next: Saturday at No. 18 Boston University; Jan. 31 at No. 17 Maine; Feb. 6 at New Hampshire; Feb. 7 vs. Vermont.
12. Cornell (ECAC) (13-5-0) beat No. 10 Dartmouth Friday, 2-1 (OT). Next: Saturday vs. Harvard; Jan. 30 at Yale; Jan. 31 at Brown.
13. Connecticut (Hockey East) (14-7-3) won at Yale Friday, 5-2, in Connecticut Ice Tournament. Next: Saturday vs. No. 6 Quinnipiac in Connecticut Ice Tournament championship at Yale; Feb. 6 at Northeastern; Feb. 13 at No. 17 Maine; Feb. 14 at No. 17 Maine.
14. Augustana (CCHA) (16-6-3) was idle Friday. Next: Saturday at No. 20 Minnesota State; Jan., 30 vs. Lake Superior State; Jan. 31 vs. Lake Superior State; Feb. 6 at No. 19 Michigan Tech; Feb. 7 at No. 19 Michigan Tech.
15. Boston College (Hockey East) (12-8-1) beat New Hampshire Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday at New Hampshire; Jan. 30 at No. 18 Boston University; Feb. 2 vs. Harvard in Beanpot.
16. St. Thomas (CCHA) (15-7-3) won at Lake Superior State Friday, 7-4. Next: Saturday at Lake Superior State; Jan. 30 vs. No. 19 Michigan Tech; Jan. 31 vs. No. 19 Michigan Tech.
17. Maine (Hockey East) (13-9-2) won at UMass Lowell Friday, 2-0. Next: Saturday at UMass Lowell; Jan. 31 vs. No. 11 Providence; Feb. 6 at No. 18 Boston University.
18. Boston University (Hockey East) (12-11-1) lost at No. 11 Providence Friday, 4-3. Next: Saturday vs. No. 11 Providence; Jan. 30 vs. No. 15 Boston College; Feb. 2 vs. Northeastern in Beanpot.
19. Michigan Tech (CCHA) (17-8-2) won at Northern Michigan Friday, 8-2. Next: Saturday vs. Northern Michigan; Jan. 30 at No. 16 St. Thomas; Jan. 31 at No. 16 St. Thomas.
20. Minnesota State (CCHA) (12-8-5) was idle Friday. Next: Saturday vs. No. 14 Augustana; Jan. 30 at Ferris State; Jan. 31 at Ferris State; Feb. 13 vs. Bemidji State; Feb. 14 vs. Bemidji State.
Others
Northeastern (Hockey East) (12-11-0) lost at Merrimack Friday, 3-1. Next: Jan. 30 at Massachusetts; Feb. 2 vs. No. 18 Boston University in Beanpot.
St. Cloud State (NCHC) (13-12-0) won at No. 9 Denver Friday, 4-2. Next: Saturday at No. 9 Denver; Jan. 30 vs. Miami; Jan. 31 vs. Miami.
Union (ECAC) (14-8-2) was idle Friday. Next: Saturday vs. RPI; Jan. 30 at No. 10 Dartmouth; Feb. 6 at St. Lawrence; Feb. 7 at Clarkson.
Arizona State (NCHC) (12-12-1) lost to No. 4 North Dakota Friday, 7-4. Next: Saturday vs. No. 4 North Dakota; Jan. 30 at Colorado College; Jan. 31 at Colorado College.
Miami (NCHC) (14-8-2) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 30 at St. Cloud State; Jan. 31 at St. Cloud State; Feb. 6 vs. No. 3 Western Michigan; Feb. 7 vs. No. 3 Western Michigan.
Massachusetts (Hockey East) (13-10-0) won at Vermont Friday, 4-0. Next: Saturday at Vermont; Jan. 30 vs. Northeastern; Feb. 1 at UMass Lowell.
Bentley (Atlantic Hockey) (13-7-3) beat Princeton Friday, 4-1. Next: Saturday vs. Princeton; Jan. 30 at Robert Morris; Jan. 31 at Robert Morris.
Princeton (ECAC) (11-8-0) lost at Bentley Friday, 4-1. Next: Saturday at Bentley; Jan. 30 at Clarkson; Jan. 31 at St. Lawrence.
Harvard (ECAC) (11-7-1) won at Colgate Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday at No. 12 Cornell; Jan. 30 vs. RPI; Feb. 2 vs. No. 15 Boston College in Beanpot.
Colorado College (NCHC) (9-11-3) lost at Omaha Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday at Omaha; Jan. 30 vs. Arizona State; Jan. 31 vs. Arizona State.
Bemidji State (CCHA) (9-13-3) lost to Bowling Green Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday vs. Bowling Green; Jan. 30 at Northern Michigan; Jan. 31 at Northern Michigan.
New Hampshire (Hockey East) (11-11-0) lost at No. 15 Boston College Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday vs. No. 15 Boston College; Jan. 30 at Merrimack; Jan. 31 vs. Merrimack.
RIT (Atlantic Hockey) (14-11-0) won at Niagara Friday, 4-2. Next: Saturday vs. Niagara; Jan. 30 at Mercyhurst; Jan. 31 at Mercyhurst.
Minnesota (Big Ten) (8-15-1) lost at No. 2 Michigan State Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday at No. 2 Michigan State; Jan. 30 vs. No. 5 Wisconsin; Jan. 31 vs. No. 5 Wisconsin.
Ohio State (Big Ten) (8-12-1) won at Notre Dame Friday, 4-2. Next: Saturday at Notre Dame; Jan. 30 vs. No. 1 Michigan; Jan. 31 vs. No. 1 Michigan.
Notre Dame (Big Ten) (4-18-1) lost to Ohio State Friday, 4-2. Next: Saturday vs. Ohio State; Jan. 30 vs. Bowling Green; Jan. 31 at Bowling Green.
Bowling Green (CCHA) (13-6-4) won at Bemidji State Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday at Bemidji State; Jan. 30 at Notre Dame; Jan. 31 vs. Notre Dame.
Clarkson (ECAC) (11-12-2) tied at St. Lawrence Friday, 5-5 (OT) (St. Lawrence won shootout, 1-0). Next: Saturday at St. Lawrence; Jan. 30 vs. Princeton; Jan. 31 vs. No. 6 Quinnipiac.
Merrimack (Hockey East) (12-12-0) beat Northeastern Friday, 3-1. Next: Jan. 30 vs. New Hampshire; Jan. 31 at New Hampshire.
Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey) (12-8-3) lost to No. 6 Quinnipiac Friday, 5-1, in Connecticut Ice Tournament at Yale. Next: Saturday at Yale in Connecticut Ice Tournament consolation; Jan. 30 at Air Force; Jan. 31 at Air Force.
Holy Cross (Atlantic Hockey) (11-10-2) lost at Robert Morris Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday at Robert Morris; Jan. 29 vs. Army; Jan. 30 vs. Army.
Canisius (Atlantic Hockey) (12-9-2) won at Mercyhurst Friday, 4-3. Next: Saturday at Mercyhurst; Jan. 30 vs. Niagara; Jan. 31 at Niagara.
Lindenwood (Independent) (11-12-0) lost at Alaska Fairbanks Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday at Alaska Fairbanks; Feb. 6 at Stonehill; Feb. 7 at Stonehill.