IRISH STRUGGLE WITH ATTACK AS COLONIALS EARN 2-2 OVERTIME TIE 

IRISH STRUGGLE WITH ATTACK AS COLONIALS EARN 2-2 OVERTIME TIE 

 

By John Fineran

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – First-year Notre Dame hockey coach Brock Sheahan knows his team has work to do as it prepares for the opening of the Big Ten season next Friday and Saturday nights against third-ranked Michigan.

 

The Fighting Irish showed very little of the aggressive offensive effort they showed in three straight non-conference victories, the last a 6-3 triumph Friday night over visiting Robert Morris at the Lefty Smith Rink in the Compton Family Ice Arena.

 

Saturday night, the Irish looked listless against coach Derek Schooley’s Colonials, who outshot the Irish for most of the game while gaining a 2-2 overtime tie (and a 1-0 shootout victory) for their effort.

 

“We didn’t deserve to win that game,” Sheahan said after the Irish fell to 3-2-1. “For us, it’s still about learning how to play our game all the time. I thought we were pretty passive at times tonight, especially on the forecheck. When we are aggressive, we get turnovers. We have to learn how hard it is to win games consistently.”

 

Grad-transfer center Sutter Muzzatti, who had two goals and two assists in Friday’s victory, and junior left wing Brennan Ali had the Irish goals Saturday night while sophomore goaltender Nicholas Kempf finished with 27 saves. 

 

But Notre Dame was outshot 29-25 by Robert Morris, including 20-11 in the first two periods by the Colonials (0-3-1) who got a solid performance from 6-foot-6 freshman netminder Charlie Schenkel, who made 23 saves, including five during the 3-on-3, five-minute overtime. 

 

The Irish seemed frustrated at times, and it showed late in the first period and for much of the second. After Ali’s game-tying goal at 13:40 of the first period tied the game at 1-1, Notre Dame did not have another shot on net until Axel Kumlin’s backhander was smothered by Schenkel at the 13:27 mark of the second period – a total of 19 minutes and 47 seconds. The Irish even had a power-play opportunity during that span and failed to get a shot on goal.

 

The Colonials outshot the Irish 12-6 in the first period which ended tied 1-1. Four of Notre Dame’s six shots came in the first 7:15, while the Colonials pressured Kempf late in the period. The sophomore had to make five saves during and just after a minor penalty to teammate Will Belle for holding at 16:48.

 

As they did in Friday’s 6-3 win by the Irish, the Colonials scored first when center Bruce McDonald sent left wing George Krotiris into the Irish defensive zone. Krotiris then whipped a shot from the mid-slot past Kempf at 12:11 to give Robert Morris a 1-0 lead.

 

Notre Dame responded at 13:40 when freshman center Fimis put a shot on net that Schenkel turned aside. But Ali jumped on the rebound and put it into the net to tie the game at 1-1. It was Ali’s second goal of the series and Cole Knuble also received an assist.

 

Kempf kept the Colonials off the scoreboard in the second period, twice stopping left wing Luca Primerano when he was left unguarded. The first time came at 8:16 when Primerano broke in all alone after an Irish turnover. The second time Primerano broke in at 17:19, Kempf made the save before the two players collided and the net was dislodged by their collision.

 

Kumlin’s shot finally woke the Irish up and they outshot the Colonials 5-0 in the final minutes of the second period but could not beat Schenkel, sending the game into the third period still tied at 1-all.

 

With Robert Morris’ Braden Rourke in the penalty box for tripping at 7:36, the Irish finally took the lead but they took their time doing so. Only seven seconds remained on the penalty when Ali slipped a pass across the crease to the unguarded Muzzatti, who put it past Schenkel at 9:29 for his sixth goal of the season and a 2-1 Irish lead.

 

But the Colonials tied the game just under five minutes later when defenseman Michael Craig beat Kempf with help from teammates Trent Wilson and Greg Japchen. That made it 2-2.

 

Schenkel got a piece of an Evan Werner blast at 18:40, and then the Irish and Kempf got a scare when Ryan Taylor’s shot with 32 seconds remaining in regulation hit off the post.

 

Notre Dame dominated the 3-on-3 overtime with five shots, all turned aside by Schenkel – two each by Werner and Knuble and the last by Cole Brown.

 

In the shootout, Notre Dame’s Werner hit the post with his shot in round one. Then Cameron Garvey of Robert Morris beat Kempf for a 1-0 lead. Notre Dame sent out Knuble for the second round, but Knuble never got off a shot as Schenkel poked the puck off his stick. Kempf then denied Primerano to keep it 1-0. But in the third round, Danny Nelson’s shot went off the far post, giving the shootout victory to the Colonials.

 

After opening the season with seven straight victories, including a 4-0 victory over defending NCAA champion and second-ranked Western Michigan in Ann Arbor on Thursday, the third-ranked Wolverines lost 5-2 when the two teams met Friday in Kalamazoo. Both games this weekend at the Compton are expected to be sellouts.

 

NOTRE DAME 2, ROBERT MORRIS 2 (OT)

At Lefty Smith Rink in Compton Family Ice Arena, South Bend, Ind.

 

Robert Morris            1          0          1          0—2

Notre Dame              1          0          1          0—2

                         

            First Period—Scoring: 1. Robert Morris, George Krotiris 1 (Bruce McDonald) EV 12:11; 2. Notre Dame, Brennan Ali 2 (Pano Fimis, Cole Knuble) EV 13:40.  Penalties: Robert Morris 0-0, Notre Dame 1-2.

Second Period—Scoring: None. Penalties: Robert Morris 1-2 (1-2), Notre Dame 0-0 (1-2).

            Third Period—Scoring: 3. Notre Dame, Sutter Muzzatti 6 (Brennan Ali, Cole Brown) PP 9:29; 4. Robert Morris, Michael Craig 1 (Trent Wilson, Greg Japchen) EV 14:17. Penalties: Robert Morris 1-2 (2-4), Notre Dame 0-0 (1-2).

Overtime—Scoring: None. Penalties: Robert Morris 0-0 (2-4), Notre Dame 0-0 (1-2).

            Shootout—Round 1: Notre Dame, Evan Werner (miss, off pipe), Robert Morris, Cameron Garvey (make); Round 2: Notre Dame, Cole Knuble (miss, no shot), Robert Morris, Luca Primerano (miss); Round 3: Notre Dame, Danny Nelson (miss, off pipe). Robert Morris wins shootout 1-0.

Shots on goal: Robert Morris 29 (12-8-9-0), Notre Dame 25 (6-5-9-5).

            Goalie saves: Robert Morris, Charlie Schenkel 23 (5-5-8-5); Notre Dame, Nicholas Kempf 27 (11-8-8-0).

            Power-play opportunities: Robert Morris 0 of 1, Notre Dame 1 of 2.

            Faceoffs won: Robert Morris 22 (9-6-6-1), Notre Dame 34 (14-7-11-2).

            Blocked shots: Robert Morris 10 (2-3-5-0), Notre Dame 10 (2-1-6-1).

            Referees: Sean Fernandez and Logan Gruhl. Linesmen: Riley Bowles and Mike Daltrey. Attendance: 4,162 (4,852c). Records: Robert Morris 0-3-1, Notre Dame 3-2-1.

 

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                 5-1-0   23-11

(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                  7-1-0   34-21

(12/12) Minnesota                0          0          0-0-0   0-0                  2-5-1   20-26

(14/15) Ohio State               0          0          0-0-0   0-0                 4-2-0   18-10

(17/16) Wisconsin                0          0          0-0-0   0-0                  4-0-2   22-9

(nr/nr) Notre Dame             0          0          0-0-0   0-0                 3-2-1   24-19

RESULTS

Saturday, Oct. 25

            Notre Dame 2, Robert Morris 2 (OT)

            Ohio State 3, Sacred Heart 0

            Penn State 4, Stonehill 2

            Michigan State 6, Northern Michigan 2

Wisconsin 4, Alaska Fairbanks 1

            Minnesota Duluth 4, Minnesota 1

Thursday, Oct. 23

Michigan 4, Western Michigan 0

Friday, Oct. 24

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

UPCOMING

Thursday, Oct. 30

            Penn State at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.

            Minnesota at Wisconsin, 9 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 31

            Michigan at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.

            Penn State at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 1

            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

1. Michigan State(Big Ten) (5-1-0) won at Northern Michigan Friday, 4-0; won at Northern Michigan Saturday, 6-2. Next: Nov. 7-8 vs. Penn State.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Boston University(Hockey East) (3-3-1) lost to No. 11 Connecticut Friday, 8-4; won at No. 11 Connecticut Saturday, 3-1. Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Maine.
5. Penn State(Big Ten) (7-1-0) beat Stonehill Friday, 3-2; beat Stonehill Saturday, 4-2. Next: Oct. 30-31 at Ohio State.
6. Quinnipiac(ECAC) (5-2-1) won at Holy Cross 4-1 Tuesday;  lost at Merrimack Friday, 4-1; won at New Hampshire Saturday, 2-0. Next: Nov. 4 vs. Alaska Fairbanks.
7. Denver (NCHC) (3-2-1)won at No. 9 Boston College Friday, 7-3; lost at Northeastern Saturday, 1-0. Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Alaska-Anchorage.
8. North Dakota (NCHC) (4-2-0) lost at Clarkson Friday, 5-2; won at Clarkson Saturday, 1-0. Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota Duluth.
9. Boston College(Hockey East) (2-2-1) lost to No. 7 Denver Friday, 7-3. Next: Oct. 30 vs. Northeastern; Oct. 31 at Northeastern.
10. Maine(Hockey East) (3-2-1) lost to Colgate Friday, 3-2; beat Colgate Saturday, 3-2 (OT). Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Boston University.
11. Connecticut(Hockey East) (3-3-0) won at No. 4 Boston University Friday, 8-4; lost to No. 4 Boston University Saturday, 3-1. Next: Oct. 31 vs. Harvard, Nov. 1 vs. Merrimack.
12. Minnesota (Big Ten) (2-5-1) lost to No. 18 Minnesota Duluth Friday, 3-0; lost to No. 18 Minnesota Duluth Saturday, 4-1. Next: Thursday, Oct. 30 at Wisconsin, Saturday, Nov. 1 at Wisconsin.
13. Massachusetts(Hockey East) (5-2-0) won at Omaha Friday, 5-4; lost at Omaha Saturday, 5-2. Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Cornell.
14. Ohio State(Big Ten) (4-2-0) lost to Sacred Heart Friday, 2-1 (OT); beat Sacred Heart Saturday, 3-0. Next: Oct. 30-31 vs. Penn State.
15. Providence(Hockey East) (2-2-1) tied at St. Thomas Friday, 2-2 (OT); won at St. Thomas Saturday, 7-4. Next: Oct. 31 vs. UMass Lowell, Nov. 1 at UMass Lowell.
16. Colorado College(NCHC) (5-1-0) was idle. Next. Oct. 31-Nov. 1 vs. Omaha.
17. Wisconsin(Big Ten) (4-0-2) beat Alaska Fairbanks Friday, 5-3; beat Alaska Fairbanks Saturday, 4-1. Next: Oct. 30 vs. Minnesota, Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota.
18. Minnesota Duluth(NCHC) (7-1-0) won at No. 12 Minnesota Friday, 3-0; won at No. 12 Minnesota Saturday, 4-1. Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at North Dakota.
19. Cornell (ECAC) (0-0-0) beat U.S. Under-18 Team Saturday, 5-4 (exhibition). Next: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Massachusetts.
20. Minnesota State (CCHA) (3-1-2) beat RPI Friday, 4-2; beat RPI Saturday, 2-1. Next: Oct. 31 at St. Thomas, Nov. 1 vs. St. Thomas.

 

OTHER GAMES

Saturday, Oct. 25

Atlantic Hockey Association

Holy Cross 5, Army 1

RIT 7, Air Force 3

Bentley 3, Canisius 0

CCHA

Michigan Tech 4, Ferris State 2

Bowling Green 3, Lake Superior State 2

Bemidji State 3, Augustana 2

Non-conference

UMass Lowell 4, Mercyhurst 2

Long Island 5, Merrimack 2

St. Cloud State 5, Alaska-Anchorage 1

Miami 5, Lindenwood 4 (OT)

St. Lawrence 3, Toronto 2 (exhibition)

Princeton 2, Simon Fraser 0 (exhibition)

 

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)

 

NEXT WEEK

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.