IRISH NEWCOMERS SHINE IN 5-2 EXHIBITION WIN OVER TEAM USA
By John Fineran
First-year Notre Dame head coach Brock Sheahan had to like what he saw as his Fighting Irish began their 2025-26 season with a 5-2 exhibition victory over the United States National Team Development Program Under-18 squad Friday night at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich.
The unranked Irish, picked to finish seventh in the preseason Big Ten poll of coaches after two losing seasons under retired future U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame coach Jeff Jackson, never trailed against Team USA, which was Jackson’s brainchild after he led Lake Superior State to a pair of NCAA titles in the 1990s.
Seven newcomers found their way into the lineup as Sheahan, who played for Jackson’s first Frozen Four team at Notre Dame, skated 20 players, 10 of whom scored points in front of returning goaltenders Nick Kempf and Jack Williams. Three of the 10 scorers – returning defenseman Michael Mastrodomenico, returning right wing Cole Knuble and freshman right wing Will Belle – each had a goal and an assist as Notre Dame outshot Team USA 26-12, including 17-6 over the final two periods in preparation for next Friday’s regular-season opening game in the Ice Breaker Tournament against host and 14th-ranked Arizona State in Tempe.
Freshman center Pano Fimis, a 21-year-old former standout for the Erie (Pa.) Otters of the major Ontario Hockey League, got the Irish started when he converted feeds from captain Mastrodomenico and junior Knuble to beat Team USA goaltender Brady Knowling at 3:27.
After Team USA tied the game less than three minutes later when future Irish forward AJ Garcia beat sophomore starter Kempf to make it 1-1 at 6:19, Notre Dame took control of the game at 11:42 when Knuble, last season’s leading scorer and a preseason Big Ten first-team pick, whistled home from the deep slot a pass from Paul Fischer on the power play at 11:42. Team captain Danny Nelson also drew an assist on the goal which eventually gave the Irish a 2-1 lead after the first period.
From there on out, the Irish dominated.
Kempf, a former Team USA standout, protected the Irish one-goal lead with several brilliant saves late in the second period. After his last one, the Irish broke into the Team USA zone in the final minute and Mastrodomenico scored to make it 3-1 with 57.3 seconds remaining in the period. Dashel Oliver, a freshman right wing born in Bloomington, Ind., who played for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, fed 6-foot-6 transfer (from RPI) center Sutter Muzzatti, who slipped a cross-ice pass to Mastrodomenico as the Irish converged on Knowling.
Leading 3-1 heading into the third, Sheahan substituted Williams for Kempf, who had eight saves in 40 minutes. That two-goal lead lasted just 1:04 into the third when Belle, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound former Team USA standout who was born in mainland China, stunned Knowling for a goal to make it 4-1 Irish.
Team USA cut into the Irish lead, however, scoring a fluke goal at 9:18 when a pass hit off center Dayne Beuker and the puck ended up behind a stunned Williams.
But Notre Dame, in the midst of a 12-3 shot barrage in the final 20 minutes, closed out the scoring at 14:43 when sophomore left wing Jack Larrigan got the puck to Belle who then found junior center Jayden Davis between the two faceoff circles. Davis wasted little time whistling home a quick shot past Knowling for the final goal.
NOTRE DAME 5, U.S. UNDER-18 TEAM 2
At USA Hockey Arena, Plymouth, Mich.
Notre Dame 2 1 2—5
U.S. Under-18 Team 1 0 1—2
First Period—Scoring: 1. Notre Dame, Pano Fimis (Michael Mastrodomenico, Cole Knuble) EV 3:27; 2. Team USA, AJ Garcia (Victor Plante, Sam Wathier) EV 6:19; 3. Notre Dame, Cole Knuble (Paul Fischer, Danny Nelson) PP 11:42. Penalties: Notre Dame 1-2, Team USA 2-4.
Second Period—Scoring: 4. Notre Dame, Michael Mastrodomenico (Sutter Muzzatti, Dashel Oliver) EV 19:02. Penalties (total): Notre Dame 1-2 (2-4), Team USA 1-2 (3-6).
Third Period—Scoring: 5. Notre Dame, Will Belle (unassisted) EV 1:04; 6. Team USA, Dayne Beuker (Mikey Berchild, Lukas Zajic) EV 9:18; 7. Notre Dame, Jayden Davis (Will Belle, Jack Larrigan) EV 14:43. Penalties (total): Notre Dame 2-4 (4-8), Team USA 0-0 (3-6).
Shots on goal: Notre Dame 26 (9-5-12), Team USA 12 (6-3-3).
Saves: Notre Dame (10), Nick Kempf 8 (5-3-dnp) and Jack Williams 2 (dnp-dnp-2), Team USA, Brady Knowling 21 (7-4-10).
Power-play opportunities: Notre Dame 1 of 3, Team USA 0 of 4.
Referees: Stephen McInchak and Jacob Rekucki.
Linesmen: Jake Davis and Takaji St. Pierre.
Attendance: 1,339 (3,504).
ELSEWHERE AROUND COLLEGE HOCKEY …
BIG TEN
Friday’s scores
Notre Dame 5, U.S. Under-18 Team 2 (exhibition)
Michigan State 4, Windsor 0 (exhibition)
Michigan 11, Mercyhurst 1
Minnesota 6, Michigan Tech 3
Wisconsin 3, Lindenwood 0
Penn State at Arizona State, late
Saturday’s schedule
Mercyhurst at Michigan, 7 p.m.
Penn State at Arizona State, 8 p.m.
Wisconsin at Lindenwood, 8 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
HOW THE USCHO.com MEDIA TOP 25 TEAMS FARED FRIDAY
- Western Michigan (NCHC) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Boston University (HEA) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Michigan State (Big Ten) (0-0-0) beat Windsor 4-0 (exhibition).
- Denver (NCHC) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Penn State (Big Ten) (0-0-0) at No. 14 Arizona State, late.
- Boston College (HEA) (0-1-0) lost to No. 13 Quinnipiac, 4-3.
- Maine (HEA) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Minnesota (Big Ten) (1-0-0) beat Michigan Tech 6-3.
- Providence (HEA) (0-0-0) beat Simon Fraser 7-1 (exhibition).
- Connecticut (HEA) (0-1-0) lost at Colorado College 4-2.
- North Dakota (NCHC) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Michigan (Big Ten) (1-0-0) beat Mercyhurst 11-1.
- Quinnipiac (ECAC) (1-0-0) won at No. 6 Boston College, 4-3.
- Arizona State (NCHC) (0-0-0) vs. No. 5 Penn State, late.
- Massachusetts (HEA) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Ohio State (Big Ten) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Cornell (ECAC) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Minnesota State (CCHA) (0-0-0) did not play.
- St. Thomas (CCHA) (0-0-0) did not play.
- Wisconsin (Big Ten) (1-0-0) beat Lindenwood 3-0.