IRISH SCORING DROUGHT ENDS BUT NO. 1 MICHIGAN EXTENDS LOSING STREAK 

IRISH SCORING DROUGHT ENDS BUT NO. 1 MICHIGAN EXTENDS LOSING STREAK 

 

By John Fineran

 

Notre Dame ended its long scoring drought Friday night, but the Irish losing streak continued as No. 1 Michigan jumped to a four-goal lead and finished with a 5-2 Big Ten hockey victory before a sellout crowd of 5,800 watching on the Red Berenson Rink in the Yost Ice Arena at Ann Arbor, Mich.

 

Senior left wing Niko Jovanovic’s goal at 18:14 of the second period – his first of the season and only the second of his career – was Notre Dame’s first in a span of 164 minutes and 18 seconds stretching back to Sutter Muzzatti’s goal at 13:56 of the third period of Notre Dame’s 9-2 loss to Wisconsin back on Dec. 6. A pair of 4-0 non-conference losses to No. 6 Western Michigan to begin 2026 followed. The Wolverines jumped to a 4-0 lead before Jovanovic delivered from 30 feet, jumping in celebration between the two faceoff circles and being mobbed by his teammates.

 

Junior left wing Brennan Ali added a third-period goal for coach Brock Sheahan’s Fighting Irish, who fell to 4-14-1 overall and 0-9-1 in the Big Ten with their sixth straight loss since a 5-4 victory at Merrimack Nov. 26. That victory ended a previous six-game losing streak that began with Michigan’s sweep at Notre Dame Oct. 31 (5-3 victory) and Nov. 1 (2-1 overtime win).

 

Five separate players scored goals for coach Brandon Naurato’s Wolverines who improved to 17-4-0 overall and moved into first place in the Big Ten with their 8-3-1 record, good for 23 points, one more than Wisconsin. Left wing Nick Moldenhauer had an empty-net goal and an assist for a two-point night matched by two-assist nights by his linemates, center T.J. Hughes and right wing Jayden Perron. 

 

Adam Valentini, Malcolm Spence, Kienan Draper and Asher Barnett had the other Michigan goals against Notre Dame sophomore goalie Nicholas Kempf, who was back in the Irish lineup after playing with Team USA in the recent World Juniors Championship in Minnesota. Kempf finished with 28 saves, one less than Michigan freshman goalie Jack Ivankovic, who played for Team Canada and missed Michigan’s 7-5 exhibition victory last week against the U.S. Under-18 Team.

 

The five goals also made Michigan the first team in college hockey this season to reach the century mark. The Wolverines, who host the Irish Saturday night at 7 to conclude their regular-season series, now have 101 goals for the season.

 

The Irish were playing without injured forwards Cole Brown and Will Belle and defenseman and co-captain Michael Mastrodomenico, forcing Sheahan to shuffle his lines and defensive pairings. But Jovanovic, playing in only his second game of the season, and fellow forwards Maddox Fleming and Jack Larrigan and defenseman Drew Mackie stepped in and stepped up.

 

Michigan, which entered the game as the best scoring team (4.8 goals a game) in the nation, pressured the Irish early, but Kempf stopped 11 of the Wolverines’ 12 first-period shots on goal while his teammates managed to block another 12 shots from getting to him. The only shot that eluded them was Valentini’s power-play goal at 11:57 of the first period with Notre Dame defenseman Axel Kumlin off for cross checking. Hughes and Will Horcoff had assists on the first period’s only goal which was also Michigan’s 26th power-play goal of the season.

 

The first period ended with a scuffle between Notre Dame’s Muzzatti and Michigan’s Aidan Park. Both teams received minors for roughing, so the teams started the second period skating four-aside in front of their goaltenders. Michigan went up 2-0 at 1:39 when Spence scored his eighth goal of the season. The Wolverines then doubled the score to 4-0 after goals by Draper at 10:00 and by defenseman Barnett at 12:01 after an Irish turnover.

 

Down 4-0, the Irish began to put pressure on Ivankovic. The 6-foot-4 Jovanovic finally banged home a 30-foot shot at 18:14 off assists from Mackie and Fleming to end the Michigan goalie’s bid for a fourth shutout this season.

 

In the third period, Ali, returning after a two-game suspension for his five-minute major of hitting a player from behind against Wisconsin, banged home a rebound of defenseman Paul Fischer’s shot at 6:41 to bring the Irish back within two goals. Notre Dame kept up the pressure and had several good looks to pull closer. The best came when Fleming took a pass from Larrigan and beat Ivankovic but not the goal post at 15:41 which would have made it a one-goal game.

 

Sheahan pulled Kempf at 16:45 for a sixth attacker, but Moldenhauer closed out the scoring with his empty-net score at 17:55.

 

MICHIGAN 5, NOTRE DAME 2

At Gordon “Red” Berenson Rink in Fielding Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Mich.

 

Notre Dame  0          1          1—2

Michigan        1          3          1—5

                         

            First Period—Scoring: 1. Michigan, Adam Valentini 6 (Will Horcoff, T.J. Hughes) PP 11:57. Penalties: Notre Dame 2-4, Michigan 1-2.

            Second Period—Scoring: 2. Michigan, Malcolm Spence 8 (Nick Moldenhauer, Luca Fantilli) EV 1:39; 3. Michigan, Kienan Draper 3 (Garrett Schifsky, Jayden Perron) EV 10:00; 4. Michigan, Asher Barnett 1 (unassisted) EV 12:01; 5. Notre Dame, Niko Jovanovic 1 (Drew Mackie, Maddox Fleming) EV 18:14. Penalties: Notre Dame 1-2 (3-6), Michigan 2-4 (3-6).

            Third Period—Scoring: 6. Notre Dame, Brennan Ali 4 (Paul Fischer, Axel Kumlin) EV 6:41; 7. Michigan, Nick Moldenhauer 4 (T.J. Hughes, Jayden Perron) EN 17:55. Penalties: Notre Dame 0-0 (3-6), Michigan 0-0 (3-6).    

Shots on goal: Notre Dame 31 (8-14-9), Michigan 33 (12-14-7).

            Goalie saves: Notre Dame, Nicholas Kempf 28 (11-11-6); Michigan, Jack Ivankovic 29 (8-13-8). 

Power-play opportunities: Notre Dame 0 of 1, Michigan 1 of 1.

            Faceoffs won: Notre Dame 19 (7-7-5), Michigan 39 (12-14-13).

            Blocked shots: Notre Dame 18 (12-5-1), Michigan 16 (6-6-4).

            Referees: Jacob Rekucki and Colin Kronforst. Linesmen: Pat Richardson and Justin Cornell. Attendance: 5,800 (5,800).

            Records: Notre Dame 4-14-1, 0-9-1 Big Ten for 1 point; Michigan 17-4-0, 8-3-0 Big Ten for 23 points).

 

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           11        23        8-3-0-0-1-0                46-27              17-4-0 101-43

(3/3) Wisconsin        10        22        8-2-0-0-2-0                49-31              14-3-2 80-46

(2/2) Michigan St.     9          18        6-3-0-0-1-1                28-16              15-4-0 69-33

(9/9) Penn State       9          16        5-4-0-0-0-1                20-25              13-6-0 61-50

(nr/nr) Minnesota      9          13        4-5-0-0-0-1                24-26              8-11-1 58-66

(nr/nr) Ohio State     9          6          2-7-0-0-1-1                29-44              6-12-1 57-68

(nr/nr) Notre Dame  9          1          0-9-0-0-0-1                15-42              4-14-1 47-78

THIS WEEK

Sunday, Jan. 4

Penn State 7, RIT 3

Michigan State 4, U.S. Under-18 Team 2 (exhibition)

Friday, Jan. 9

Michigan 5, Notre Dame 2

Penn State 3, Minnesota 0

Michigan State 6, Ohio State 2

Wisconsin 5, Alaska Anchorage 0

Saturday, Jan. 10

Notre Dame at Michigan, 7 p.m.

Michigan State at Ohio State, 5 p.m.

Minnesota at Penn State, 6 p.m.

Alaska Anchorage at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.

UPCOMING

Thursday, Jan. 15

Michigan State at Wisconsin, 9 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 16

Notre Dame at Penn State, 7 p.m.

Michigan State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.

Michigan at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 17

Notre Dame at Penn State, 8 p.m.

Michigan at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

 

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE

Sunday, Jan. 4

CCHA

Lake Superior State 2, Northern Michigan 1

Non-conference

Penn State 7, RIT 3

New Hampshire 3, Colgate 2

Michigan State 4, U.S. Under-18 Team 2 (exhibition)

 

Friday, Jan. 9

Big Ten Conference

Michigan 5, Notre Dame 2

Penn State 3, Minnesota 0

Michigan State 6, Ohio State 2

Non-conference

Wisconsin 5, Alaska Anchorage 0

Cornell 7, Alaska Fairbanks 1

Minnesota Duluth 6, Lindenwood 3

Boston College 8, Stonehill 2 (exhibition)

Hockey East Association

Providence 6, Maine 1

UMass Lowell 5, Connecticut 3

Boston University 1, Massachusetts 0

Vermont 3, Northeastern 2

NCHC

Omaha 6, St. Cloud State 2

Colorado College 3, North Dakota 2 (OT)

Western Michigan 4, Denver 1

Miami 2, Arizona State 1 (OT)

ECAC

Dartmouth 5, Harvard 4

Quinnipiac 7, Union 2

Princeton 5, RPI 2

Clarkson 3, Brown 2

Princeton 5, RPI 2

Yale 8, St. Lawrence 1

CCHA

Bowling Green 3, Ferris State 1

Augustana 3, Northern Michigan 0

Michigan Tech 5, Bemidji State 2

Atlantic Hockey America

Sacred Heart 5, Niagara 4 (OT)

Mercyhurst 3, Army 0

RIT 4, Robert Morris 1

Bentley 5, Air Force 1

 

Saturday, Jan. 10

Big Ten Conference

Notre Dame at Michigan, 7 p.m.

Michigan State at Ohio State, 5 p.m.

Minnesota at Penn State, 6 p.m.

Alaska Anchorage at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.

Hockey East Association

Massachusetts at Boston University, 6 p.m.

Maine at Providence, 6 p.m.

Connecticut at UMass Lowell, 6:05 p.m.

Northeastern at Vermont, 7 p.m.

NCHC

Miami at Arizona State, 7 p.m.

North Dakota at Colorado College, 8 p.m.

Western Michigan at Denver, 8 p.m.

St. Cloud State at Omaha, 8 p.m.

ECAC

St. Lawrence at Brown, 7 p.m.

Union at Princeton, 7 p.m.

RPI at Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

Clarkson at Yale, 7 p.m.

CCHA

Augustana at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.

Bowling Green at Ferris State, 7 p.m.

St. Thomas at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.

Michigan Tech at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.

Atlantic Hockey America

Army at Mercyhurst, 5 p.m.

Sacred Heart at Niagara, 5 p.m.

Robert Morris at RIT, 5:05 p.m.

Bentley at Air Force, 7:05 p.m.

Non-conference

Lindenwood at Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m.

Alaska Anchorage at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.

Alaska Fairbanks at Cornell, 7 p.m.

Merrimack at Holy Cross, 7 p.m.

 

Sunday, Jan. 11

Non-conference

Long Island at Stonehill, 3 p.m.

 

Monday, Jan. 12

Non-conference

Boston University at Harvard, 7 p.m.

 

 

SCHEDULES FOR THE USCHO.COM MEDIA POLL TOP 20 TEAMS AND OTHERS

1. Michigan (Big Ten) (17-4-0) beat Notre Dame Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday vs. Notre Dame; Jan. 16 at Minnesota; Jan. 17 at Minnesota.
2. Michigan State (Big Ten) (15-4-0) won at Ohio State Friday, 6-2. Next: Saturday at Ohio State; Jan. 15 at No. 3 Wisconsin; Jan. 16 at No. 3 Wisconsin.
3. Wisconsin(Big Ten) (14-3-2) beat Alaska-Anchorage Friday, 5-0. Next: Jan. 10 vs. Alaska-Anchorage; Jan. 15 vs. No. 2 Michigan State; Jan. 16 vs. No. 2 Michigan State.
4. North Dakota(NCHC) (16-5-0) lost at Colorado College Friday, 3-2 (OT). Next: Saturday at Colorado College; Jan. 16 vs. No. 7 Denver; Jan. 17 vs. No. 7 Denver.
5. Minnesota Duluth(NCHC) (15-6-0) beat Lindenwood Friday, 6-3. Next: Saturday vs. Lindenwood; Jan. 16 at St. Cloud State; Jan. 17 at St. Cloud State.
6. Western Michigan (NCHC) (15-6-0) won at No. 7 Denver Friday, 4-1 Next: Saturday at No. 7 Denver; Jan. 23 at Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 24 at Minnesota Duluth.
7. Denver(NCHC) (12-8-2) lost to No. 6 Western Michigan Friday, 4-1. Next: Saturday vs. No. 6 Western Michigan; Jan. 16 at No. 4 North Dakota; Jan. 17 at No. 4 North Dakota.
8. Quinnipiac(ECAC) (15-4-2) beat Union Friday, 7-2. Next: Saturday vs. RPI; Jan. 16 at Colgate; Jan. 17 at No. 14 Cornell.
9. Penn State (Big Ten) (13-6-0) beat Minnesota Friday, 3-0. Next: Saturday vs. Minnesota; Jan. 16 vs. Notre Dame; Jan. 17 vs. Notre Dame.
10. Connecticut(Hockey East) (11-6-3) lost to UMass Lowell Friday, 5-3. Next: Saturday at UMass Lowell; Jan. 16 vs. Vermont; Jan. 17 vs. Vermont.
11. Dartmouth(ECAC) (13-4-0) beat Harvard Friday, 5-4. Next:: Jan. 16 vs. Clarkson; Jan. 17 vs. St. Lawrence.
12. Maine (Hockey East) (12-8-2) lost at No. 18 Providence Friday, 6-1. Next: Saturday at No. 18 Providence; Jan. 23 at UMass Lowell; Jan. 24 at UMass Lowell.
13. Boston College(Hockey East) (11-6-1) beat Stonehill Friday, 8-2 (exhibition). Next: Jan. 16 vs. No. 18 Providence; Jan. 17 at No. 18 Providence.
14. Cornell (ECAC) (10-4-0) beat Alaska Fairbanks Friday, 7-1. Next: Saturday vs. Alaska Fairbanks; Jan. 16 vs. No. 20 Princeton; Jan. 17 vs. No. 8 Quinnipiac.
15. Minnesota State (CCHA) (12-5-5) was idle Friday. Next: Saturday vs. St. Thomas; Jan. 16 at Michigan Tech; Jan. 17 at Michigan Tech.
16. Northeastern(Hockey East) (10-8-0) lost at Vermont Friday, 3-2. Next: Saturday at Vermont; Jan. 16 at New Hampshire; Jan. 18 vs. New Hampshire.
17. Augustana (CCHA) (13-6-3) won at Northern Michigan Friday, 3-0. Next: Saturday at Northern Michigan; Jan. 16 vs. Ferris State; Jan. 17 vs. Ferris State.
18. Providence(Hockey East) (10-7-2) beat No. 12 Maine Friday, 6-1. Next: Saturday vs. No. 12 Maine; Jan. 16 at No. 13 Boston College; Jan. 17 vs. No. 13 Boston College.
19. Boston University(Hockey East) (10-8-1) won at Massachusetts Friday, 1-0. Next: Saturday vs. Massachusetts; Jan. 12 at Harvard; Jan. 16 vs. UMass Lowell; Jan. 17 at UMass Lowell.
20. Princeton(ECAC) (11-4-0) beat RPI Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday vs. Union; Jan. 16 at No. 14 Cornell; Jan. 17 at Colgate.

 

Others

Union (ECAC) (12-6-2) lost at No. 8 Quinnipiac Friday, 7-2. Next: Saturday at No. 20 Princeton; Jan. 16 vs. Brown; Jan. 17 vs. Yale; Jan. 19 at Harvard.

Harvard (ECAC) (7-6-1) lost at No. 11 Dartmouth Friday, 5-4. Next: Jan. 12 vs. No. 19 Boston University; Jan. 16 vs. St. Lawrence; Jan. 17 vs. Clarkson; Jan. 19 vs. Union.

New Hampshire (Hockey East) (11-8-0) was idle this week. Next: Jan. 16 vs. No. 16 Northeastern; Jan. 18 at No. 16 Northeastern; Jan. 23 at No. 13 Boston College; Jan. 24 vs. No. 13 Boston College.

Arizona State (NCHC) (11-11-1) lost to Miami Friday, 2-1 (OT). Next: Saturday vs. Miami; Jan. 23 vs. No. 4 North Dakota; Jan. 24 vs. No. 4 North Dakota.

Michigan Tech (CCHA) (13-8-2) won at Bemidji State Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday at Bemidji State; Jan. 16 vs. No. 15 Minnesota State; Jan. 17 vs. No. 15 Minnesota State.

St. Cloud State (NCHC) (10-11-0) lost at Omaha Friday, 6-2. Next: Saturday at Omaha; Jan. 16 vs. No. 5 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 17 vs. No. 5 Minnesota Duluth.

Bentley (Atlantic Hockey) (11-6-2) won at Air Force Friday, 5-1. Next: Saturday at Air Force; Jan. 16 at Sacred Heart; Jan. 17 at Sacred Heart.

St. Thomas (CCHA) (11-7-3) was idle Friday. Next: Saturday at Minnesota State; Jan. 16 vs. Bemidji State; Jan. 17 vs. Bemidji State.

Massachusetts (Hockey East) (9-10-0) lost to No. 19 Boston University Friday, 1-0. Next: Saturday at No. 19 Boston University; Jan. 16 at Merrimack; Jan. 17 vs. Merrimack.

Bemidji State (CCHA) (9-9-3) lost to Michigan Tech Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday vs. Michigan Tech; Jan. 16 at St. Thomas; Jan. 17 at St. Thomas.

Bowling Green (CCHA) (10-5-4) won at Ferris State Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday at Ferris State; Jan. 16 vs. Lake Superior State; Jan. 17 vs. Lake Superior State.

Holy Cross (Atlantic Hockey) (10-7-2) was idle Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Merrimack; Jan. 16 vs. Air Force; Jan. 17 vs. Air Force.

Miami (NCHC) (12-7-2) won at Arizona State Friday, 2-1 (OT). Next: Saturday at Arizona State; Jan. 16 vs. Omaha; Jan. 17 vs. Omaha.

Colorado College (NCHC) (9-9-3) beat No. 4 North Dakota Friday, 3-2 (OT). Next: Saturday vs. No. 4 North Dakota; Jan. 17 vs. Simon Fraser (exhibition); Jan. 23 at Omaha; Jan. 24 at Omaha.

RIT (Atlantic Hockey) (12-9-0) beat Robert Morris Friday, 4-1. Next: Saturday vs. Robert Morris; Jan. 16 at Canisius; Jan. 17 vs. Canisius.

Minnesota (Big Ten) (8-11-1) lost at No. 9 Penn State Friday, 3-0. Next: Saturday at No. 9 Penn State; Jan. 16 vs. No. 1 Michigan; Jan. 17 vs. No. 1 Michigan.

Ohio State (Big Ten) (6-12-1) lost to No. 2 Michigan State Friday, 6-2. Next: Saturday vs. No. 2 Michigan State; Jan. 23 at Notre Dame; Jan. 24 at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame (Big Ten) (4-14-1) lost at No. 1 Michigan Friday, 5-2. Next: Saturday at No. 1 Michigan; Jan. 16 at No. 9 Penn State; Jan. 17 at No. 9 Penn State.

Merrimack (Hockey East) (9-10-0) was idle Friday. Next: Saturday at Holy Cross; Jan. 16 vs. Massachusetts; Jan. 17 at Massachusetts.

Clarkson (10-11-0) (ECAC) won at Brown Friday, 3-2. Next: Saturday at Yale; Jan. 16 at No. 11 Dartmouth; Jan. 17 at Harvard.

Air Force (Atlantic Hockey) (10-9-2) lost to Bentley Friday, 5-1. Next: Saturday vs. Bentley; Jan. 16 at Holy Cross; Jan. 17 at Holy Cross.

Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey) (10-7-2) won at Niagara Friday, 5-4 (OT). Next: Saturday at Niagara; Jan. 16 vs. Bentley; Jan. 17 vs. Bentley.

Lindenwood (Independent) (9-10-0) lost at No. 5 Minnesota Duluth Friday, 6-3. Next: Saturday at No. 5 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 16 vs. Stonehill; Jan. 17 vs. Stonehill.