By John Fineran
SOUTH BEND – Notre Dame hockey coach Brock Sheahan knew it was time to change the script on Ohio State Saturday at the Lefty Smith Rink in the Compton Family Ice Arena.
Winless in the Big Ten for 13 games, losers of 10 straight and 16 of their last 17 games, the Irish needed something to put some fighting back into them without necessarily going to the penalty box to find it.
So how about a change in uniforms, Notre Dame equipment manager Patrick Dooley wondered? On his suggestion prior to Saturday’s game with the Buckeyes, Sheahan sent hit Irish out wearing white tops with a mean-looking skating Leprechaun holding his stick in shooting position. And, boy, did those tops, which first debuted last Oct. 17 in a victory over St. Lawrence, maybe help the Fighting Irish produce.
“Give (credit) to Dools,” smiled Sheahan after his struggling Irish finally showed their potential in a 6-1 Big Ten victory over Ohio State before a joyous capacity crowd of 5,087. “It finally feels good to get one in the league.”
Grad center Sutter Muzzatti scored two goals and assisted on two others and his junior right wing linemate Evan Werner had a goal and two assists. Meanwhile, the Irish power play produced three goals and sophomore goalie Nicholas Kempf made 24 saves as Notre Dame improved to 5-18-1 overall and 1-13-0 in the Big Ten for four points.
All four forward lines figured in the scoring. Junior center and co-captain Danny Nelson had a goal and assist and the Irish got single goals from freshman center Pano Fimis and junior center Maddox Fleming – his first since he scored three as a freshman in the 2023-24 season. A total of 10 skaters produced points – defenseman Axel Kumlin had two assists – as the Irish kept Ohio State’s 6-foot-4 junior goaltender Kristoffer Eberly busy with their 30-25 shot advantage.
And while the Irish, who entered the weekend tied with Michigan State as the nation’s most penalized team at 18.54 minutes per game, committed five minor penalties for 10 minutes, they allowed only one power-play goal in the second period – by Riley Thompson with the Buckeyes skating 5-on-3. But Notre Dame sandwiched two goals on both sides of that one OSU tally during its four-goal second period.
It was easily Notre Dame’s best effort of the season. So we have to ask (with apologies to Al Michaels): Do you believe in Leprechaun-uniform miracles? YESSSSSS!!
“We played the way we’re supposed to play for the majority of the 60 minutes,” Sheahan continued. “I’m proud of the guys. Hopefully we can build off it. It was nice to see our guys finish on some high-level chances.
“When we’re committed to doing the things we’re capable of doing, we can play really good hockey,” Sheahan added.
Kempf made three saves in the first 2:05 of the game before the Irish turned the tables and started pressuring Eberly. The Buckeyes’ Davis Burnside took a boarding penalty on Notre Dame’s Cole Knuble at 4:01 and the Irish responded at 5:33 after Muzzatti worked the puck loose along the boards, got it to Danny Nelson who fed Werner. The Irish right wing waited as Eberly committed and fired into the vacated net for a 1-0 lead.
It stayed that way through the first 20 minutes that saw the Buckeyes go without a shot for 10½ minutes and the Irish eventually finishing with an 11-5 shot advantage. Notre Dame hit two crossbars (Muzzatti and Danny Nelson) and Eberly made three saves at the period’s end, including one on Danny Nelson at the final horn.
The momentum clearly belonged to Notre Dame at the start of the second period and the Irish delivered quickly to make it 3-0 with goals by Fimis and Muzzatti within 49 seconds of each other. Eberly stopped Carter Slaggert’s shot from inside the faceoff circle but the rebound came to Fimis, who deposited it into the wide-open net at 2:10. Forty-nine seconds later, Werner fed Muzzatti, who beat Eberly at 2:59.
The Buckeyes got a chance to get back into it when first Brennan Ali (contact to head minor at 3:08) and Jaedon Kerr (boarding minor at 3:36) gave Ohio State a 5-on-3 power play. Riley Thompson converted at 4:26 to make it 3-1 but the Irish and Kempf killed off the rest of Kerr’s penalty for no further damage.
It remained 3-1 until the Irish went on another power play at 8:44. Danny Nelson converted it at 9:31 off feeds from Kumlin and Muzzatti, his sixth power-play goal of the season and eighth overall to make it 4-1. And then 40 seconds later at 10:11, junior center Maddox Fleming made it 5-1 with help from Henry Nelson and Will Belle.
The Irish maintained that lead past the midway point of the third period until Ohio State’s Sam McGinley went off for tripping at 13:21. Werner came down the slot and fired a shot that Eberly saved. The puck came to Knuble, whose shot was denied again by Eberly. But the puck came out to Muzzatti, who buried it for his 10th goal of the season, tying him with Werner for the team lead. Muzzatti and Werner now lead the Irish in scoring with 21 and 20 points, respectively.
Notre Dame takes a break from the Big Ten next weekend by playing former CCHA rival Bowling Green in a home-and-home series which begins Friday night at 7 in South Bend. The 14-6-4 Falcons completed a road sweep of Bemidji State Saturday with their 5-1 victory, their eighth in the last 10 games (8-1-1).
Coach Steve Rohlik’s Buckeyes, meanwhile, fell to 8-13-1 overall and 4-8-0 Big Ten for 12 points. Next weekend, Ohio State plays host to No. 1 Michigan, which had the weekend off.
NOTRE DAME 6, OHIO STATE 1
At Lefty Smith Rink in Compton Family Ice Arena, South Bend, Ind.
Ohio State 0 1 0—1
Notre Dame 1 4 1—6
First Period—Scoring: 1. Notre Dame, Evan Werner 10 (Danny Nelson, Sutter Muzzatti) PP 5:33. Penalties: Ohio State 1-2, Notre Dame 1-2.
Second Period—Scoring: 2. Notre Dame, Pano Fimis 4 (Carter Slaggert, Jaedon Kerr) EV 2:10; 3. Notre Dame, Sutter Muzzatti 9 (Evan Werner) EV 2:59; 4. Ohio State, Riley Thompson 8 (Jake Karabela, Broten Sabo) PP 4:26; 5. Notre Dame, Danny Nelson 8 (Axel Kumlin, Sutter Muzzatti) PP 9:31; 6, Notre Dame, Maddox Fleming 1 (Henry Nelson, William Belle) EV 10:11. Penalties: Ohio State 1-2 (2-4), Notre Dame 3-6 (4-8).
Third Period—Scoring: 7. Notre Dame, Sutter Muzzatti 10 (Evan Werner, Axel Kumlin) PP 14:00. Penalties: Ohio State 2-4 (4-8), Notre Dame 1-2 (5-10).
Shots on goal: Ohio State 25 (5-12-8), Notre Dame 30 (11-13-6).
Goalie saves: Ohio State, Kristoffer Eberly 24 (10-9-5); Notre Dame, Nicholas Kempf 24 (5-11-8).
Power-play opportunities: Ohio State 1 of 5, Notre Dame 3 of 4.
Faceoffs won: Ohio State 30 (8-14-8), Notre Dame 36 (9-15-12).
Blocked shots: Ohio State 9 (6-1-2), Notre Dame 8 (4-4-0).
Referees: Logan Gruhl and Anthony Vikhter. Linesmen: Christopher Libett and Nick Huff. Attendance: 5,087 (4.852c).
Records: Ohio State 8-13-1, 4-8-0 Big Ten for 12 points; Notre Dame 5-18-1, 1-13-0 Big Ten for 4 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 14 31 11-3-0-0-2-0 61-34 20-4-0 116-50
(8/8) Penn State 14 31 10-4-0-0-0-1 45-34 18-6-0 86-59
(2/2) Michigan St. 14 30 10-4-0-0-1-1 43-25 19-5-0 84-42
(5/5) Wisconsin 14 22 8-6-0-0-2-0 56-49 15-7-2 90-66
(nr/nr) Minnesota 14 14 4-10-0-0-0-2 32-45 8-16-1 66-85
(nr/nr) Ohio State 12 12 4-8-0-0-1-1 36-53 8-13-1 64-77
(nr/nr) Notre Dame 14 4 1-13-0-0-0-1 31-64 5-18-1 63-100
Friday, Jan. 23
Ohio State 4, Notre Dame 2
Michigan State 3, Minnesota 1
Penn State 7, Wisconsin 2
Saturday, Jan. 24
Notre Dame 6, Ohio State 1
Michigan State 3, Minnesota 2
Penn State 3, Wisconsin 1
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.
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
Big Ten Conference
Notre Dame 6, Ohio State 1
Michigan State 3, Minnesota 2
Penn State 3, Wisconsin 1
Connecticut Ice Tournament (at New Haven, Conn.)
Connecticut 4, Quinnipiac 2 (championship)
Sacred Heart 3, Yale 2 (consolation)
Atlantic Hockey America
Canisius 5, Mercyhurst 0
RIT 3, Niagara 3 (OT) (RIT wins shootout, 1-0)
Robert Morris 1, Holy Cross 0
CCHA
St. Thomas 5, Lake Superior State 0
Northern Michigan 3, Michigan Tech 2
Minnesota State 4, Augustana 1
Bowling Green 5, Bemidji State 1
ECAC
Colgate 5, Dartmouth 2
Cornell 4, Harvard 1
St. Lawrence 5, Clarkson 2
Hockey East Association
Maine 6, UMass Lowell 5 (OT)
Providence 4, Boston University 0
Boston College 3, New Hampshire 0
Massachusetts 1, Vermont 0
NCHC
North Dakota 5, Arizona State 3
Denver 6, St. Cloud State 0
Western Michigan 4, Minnesota Duluth 3 (OT)
Colorado College 3, Omaha 1
Non-conference
Union 5, RPI 4 (OT) (Mayor’s Cup)
Stonehill 3, Brown 2 (OT)
Bentley 2, Princeton 2 (OT) (Bentley wins shootout, 3-2)
Royal Military Canada at Army (exhibition), cancelled because of weather concerns
Long Island 4, Alaska Anchorage 0
Lindenwood 7, Alaska Fairbanks 4
UPCOMING SCHEDULES FOR USCHO.COM TOP 20 TEAMS AND OTHERS
1. Michigan (Big Ten) (20-4-0) did not play this week. Next: Jan. 30 at Ohio State; Jan. 31 at Ohio State.
2. Michigan State (Big Ten) (19-5-0) beat Minnesota Saturday, 3-2. Next: Jan. 30 at No. 8 Penn State; Jan. 31 at No. 8 Penn State (Beaver Stadium).
3. Western Michigan (NCHC) (18-6-0) won at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth Saturday, 4-3 (OT). Next: Jan. 30 vs. Omaha; Jan. 31 vs. Omaha.
4. North Dakota (NCHC) (20-6-0) won at Arizona State Saturday, 5-3. Next: Feb. 6 at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth; Feb. 7 at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.
5. Wisconsin (Big Ten) (15-7-2) lost to No. 8 Penn State Saturday, 3-1. Next: Jan. 30 at Minnesota; Jan. 31 at Minnesota.
6. Quinnipiac (ECAC) (19-5-2) lost to No. 13 Connecticut Saturday, 4-2, in Connecticut Ice Tournament championship at Yale. Next: Jan. 30 at St. Lawrence; Jan. 31 at Clarkson.
7. Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) (17-9-0) lost to No. 3 Western Michigan Saturday, 4-3 (OT). Next: Jan. 30 at No. 9 Denver; Jan. 31 at No. 9 Denver.
8. Penn State (Big Ten) (18-6-0) won at No. 5 Wisconsin Saturday, 3-1. Next: Jan. 30 vs. No. 2 Michigan State; Jan. 31 vs. No. 2 Michigan State (Beaver Stadium).
9. Denver (NCHC) (14-11-2) beat St. Cloud State Saturday, 6-0. Next: Jan. 30 vs. No. 7 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 31 vs. No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.
10. Dartmouth (ECAC) (14-6-1) lost at Colgate Saturday, 5-2. Next: Jan. 30 vs. Union; Jan. 31 vs. RPI.
11. Providence (Hockey East) (15-7-2) won at No. 18 Boston University Saturday, 4-0. Next: Jan. 31 at No. 17 Maine; Feb. 6 at New Hampshire; Feb. 7 vs. Vermont.
12. Cornell (ECAC) (14-5-0) beat Harvard Saturday, 4-1. Next: Jan. 30 at Yale; Jan. 31 at Brown.
13. Connecticut (Hockey East) (15-7-3) beat No. 6 Quinnipiac Saturday, 4-2, in Connecticut Ice Tournament championship at Yale. Next: Feb. 6 at Northeastern; Feb. 13 at No. 17 Maine; Feb. 14 at No. 17 Maine.
14. Augustana (CCHA) (16-7-3) lost at No. 20 Minnesota State Saturday, 4-1. Next: 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) (13-8-1) won at New Hampshire Saturday, 3-0. Next: Jan. 30 at No. 18 Boston University; Feb. 2 vs. Harvard in Beanpot.
16. St. Thomas (CCHA) (16-7-3) won at Lake Superior State Saturday, 5-0. Next: Jan. 30 vs. No. 19 Michigan Tech; Jan. 31 vs. No. 19 Michigan Tech.
17. Maine (Hockey East) (14-9-2) won at UMass Lowell Saturday, 6-5 (OT). Next: Jan. 31 vs. No. 11 Providence; Feb. 6 at No. 18 Boston University.
18. Boston University (Hockey East) (12-12-1) lost to No. 11 Providence Saturday, 4-0. Next: Jan. 30 vs. No. 15 Boston College; Feb. 2 vs. Northeastern in Beanpot.
19. Michigan Tech (CCHA) (17-9-2) lost to Northern Michigan Saturday, 3-2. Next: Jan. 30 at No. 16 St. Thomas; Jan. 31 at No. 16 St. Thomas.
20. Minnesota State (CCHA) (13-8-5) beat No. 14 Augustana Saturday, 4-1.Next: 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) was idle Saturday. Next: Jan. 30 at Massachusetts; Feb. 2 vs. No. 18 Boston University in Beanpot.
St. Cloud State (NCHC) (13-13-0) lost at No. 9 Denver Saturday, 6-0. Next: Jan. 30 vs. Miami; Jan. 31 vs. Miami.
Union (ECAC) (15-8-2) beat RPI Saturday, 5-4 (OT), in Mayor’s Cup. Next: Jan. 30 at No. 10 Dartmouth; Feb. 6 at St. Lawrence; Feb. 7 at Clarkson.
Arizona State (NCHC) (12-13-1) lost to No. 4 North Dakota Saturday, 5-3. Next: Jan. 30 at Colorado College; Jan. 31 at Colorado College.
Miami (NCHC) (14-8-2) did not play 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) (14-10-0) won at Vermont Saturday, 1-0. Next: Jan. 30 vs. Northeastern; Feb. 1 at UMass Lowell.
Bentley (Atlantic Hockey) (13-7-4) tied Princeton Saturday, 2-2 (OT) (Bentley won shootout, 3-2). Next: Jan. 30 at Robert Morris; Jan. 31 at Robert Morris.
Princeton (ECAC) (11-8-1) tied at Bentley Saturday, 2-2 (OT) (Bentley won shootout, 3-2). Next: Jan. 30 at Clarkson; Jan. 31 at St. Lawrence.
Harvard (ECAC) (11-8-1) lost at No. 12 Cornell Saturday, 4-1. Next: Jan. 30 vs. RPI; Feb. 2 vs. No. 15 Boston College in Beanpot.
Colorado College (NCHC) (10-11-3) won at Omaha Saturday, 3-1. Next: Jan. 30 vs. Arizona State; Jan. 31 vs. Arizona State.
Bemidji State (CCHA) (9-14-3) lost to Bowling Green Saturday, 5-1. Next: Jan. 30 at Northern Michigan; Jan. 31 at Northern Michigan.
New Hampshire (Hockey East) (11-12-0) lost to No. 15 Boston College Saturday, 3-0. Next: Jan. 30 at Merrimack; Jan. 31 vs. Merrimack.
RIT (Atlantic Hockey) (14-11-1) tied Niagara Saturday, 3-3 (OT) (RIT won shootout, 1-0). Next: Jan. 30 at Mercyhurst; Jan. 31 at Mercyhurst.
Minnesota (Big Ten) (8-16-1) lost at No. 2 Michigan State Saturday, 3-2. Next: Jan. 30 vs. No. 5 Wisconsin; Jan. 31 vs. No. 5 Wisconsin.
Ohio State (Big Ten) (8-14-1) lost at Notre Dame Saturday, 6-1. Next: Jan. 30 vs. No. 1 Michigan; Jan. 31 vs. No. 1 Michigan.
Notre Dame (Big Ten) (5-18-1) beat Ohio State Saturday, 6-1. Next: Jan. 30 vs. Bowling Green; Jan. 31 at Bowling Green.
Bowling Green (CCHA) (14-6-4) won at Bemidji State Saturday, 5-1. Next: Jan. 30 at Notre Dame; Jan. 31 vs. Notre Dame.
Clarkson (ECAC) (11-13-2) lost at St. Lawrence Saturday, 5-2. Next: Jan. 30 vs. Princeton; Jan. 31 vs. No. 6 Quinnipiac.
Merrimack (Hockey East) (12-12-0) was idle Saturday. Next: Jan. 30 vs. New Hampshire; Jan. 31 at New Hampshire.
Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey) (13-8-3) won at Yale Saturday, 3-2, in Connecticut Ice Tournament consolation. Next: Jan. 30 at Air Force; Jan. 31 at Air Force.
Holy Cross (Atlantic Hockey) (11-11-2) lost at Robert Morris Saturday, 1-0. Next: Jan. 29 vs. Army; Jan. 30 vs. Army.
Canisius (Atlantic Hockey) (13-9-2) won at Mercyhurst Saturday, 5-0. Next: Jan. 30 vs. Niagara; Jan. 31 at Niagara.
Lindenwood (Independent) (12-12-0) won at Alaska Fairbanks Saturday, 7-4. Next: Feb. 6 at Stonehill; Feb. 7 at Stonehill.