By John Fineran
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – If there was anything good for coach Brock Sheahan and his Notre Dame hockey team to take away from a 3-1 Big Ten loss to No. 1 Michigan State Saturday at the Lefty Smith Rink in the Compton Family Ice Arena, it may be that the lights are beginning to shine a little brighter for the struggling Fighting Irish.
But they are not out of the tunnel just yet.
“It was very disappointing. Obviously, we lose another hockey game; we don’t get the result,” said Sheahan after his team (3-8-1, 0-6-0 Big Ten for one point) saw its winless string stretch to seven games with its sixth straight league loss that also was its eighth straight loss to the Spartans.
“But that’s the first time we’ve played like we’re supposed to play for an entire game,” Sheahan continued. “So that’s encouraging. (Goaltender) Nick (Kempf) was good again, and we generated a ton. I would say we out-generated them, the best hockey team in the country.”
Outshot 47-25 and beat at the faceoff circle 39-30 during Friday’s 4-1 loss to the Spartans, the Irish played much better right from the start. At the end of the game, MSU again outshot the Irish but this time only by a 33-29 margin. The Spartans also won the faceoff battles but only by three, 33-30.
But for the 11th time this season, Notre Dame failed to grab the early lead and was chasing all night against coach Adam Nightingale’s two-time defending league champions who improved to 9-1 with their ninth straight victory and fourth straight in the Big Ten. The Spartans are now tied for the league lead at 11 points with Michigan and Wisconsin but with two fewer games.
Freshmen forwards Ryker Lee and Porter Martone gave Michigan State a 2-0 lead early in the second period against Kempf (30 saves). Then Notre Dame junior captain Danny Nelson cut the lead in half with his power-play tip-in goal at 9:43 against MSU junior All-American goaltender Trey Augustine, who had 28 saves, half of them coming in the third period as Notre Dame tried and tried but couldn’t get the equalizer. Junior Tommi Männistö then secured the insurance goal for Michigan State when he took a clearing pass from junior defenseman Maxim Štrbák and deposited it into the empty Irish net at 18:23.
“That’s how Brock wants us to play,” said Nelson, whose fourth goal of the season came off assists from Evan Werner and Paul Fischer after freshman Pano Fimis won a draw – and broke the stick of MSU’s Tiernan Shoudy in the process. “Every line played that way tonight. We had a lot of consistency throughout the lineup and for the whole game. If we keep doing that, we’re going to have a lot of success.”
Sheahan tweaked two of his lines after Friday’s 4-1 loss, moving grad Sutter Muzzatti to center of the second line and putting Cole Knuble at right wing with freshman Cole Brown on the left side. The third line had Pano Fimis back at center between junior wingers Carter Slaggert and Maddox Fleming.
“I thought putting Sutter and Cole together would be useful, and Pano is more of a natural center,” Sheahan said. “I thought all four lines competed tonight. Maddox is playing the best hockey he’s ever played for us. He looks like a completely different player.”
Michigan State opened the scoring at 1:29 of the first period when Lee, who had a goal and an assist Friday, raced past Fimis and got a nice feed from linemate Anthony Romani to beat Kempf with the Spartans’ first shot on goal. The Irish were outshot 10-8 in the period and had the last scoring chance when Slaggert sent Muzzatti in alone on a breakaway with the clock ticking toward 20:00. But Muzzatti, going for Augustine’s stick-side, fired it wide at 19:55.
The Spartans made it 2-0 at 4:17 of the second period when Muzzatti lost the puck trying to skate out of the defensive zone. MSU center Charlie Stramel picked up the loose puck and found Martone in front of Kempf. Martone got the Irish goalie to commit and then put a backhander into an empty net for his third goal of the weekend and his team-high seventh of the season.
But Notre Dame used two power-play opportunities to get itself back in the game. Patrick Geary went off for hooking at 5:16. Notre Dame managed just one shot on the power play as Michigan State killed it off.
But then Eric Nilson was whistled for high sticking Notre Dame’s Michael Schermerhorn in the MSU defensive zone at 9:29. It took Notre Dame just 14 seconds to respond on the power play, with Fischer getting the puck to free-wheeling Werner, who let go a shot from the middle point. Nelson tipped it behind Augustine for his fourth goal of the season to make it 2-1.
Kempf finished the period with eight saves and had 20 through two periods. Then at 6:51 of the third period it appeared the Spartans went ahead 3-1, but Sheahan asked for a review and the apparent goal by Männistö was waved off because Nathan Mackie was in the Irish crease when the puck crossed the goal line.
Fleming then hit the goal pipe at 9:18 of the period and Slaggert followed with a shot that Augustine stopped sat 9:24. Two seconds later, Slaggert and Geary were sent to the penalty box with matching cross-checking penalties and the teams skated four-aside. Fleming stole the puck at mid-ice and fired a shot that Augustine kicked out at 11:23 just before the coincidental penalties ended.
Just before the final media timeout at 15:56, the Irish got another good look when Schermerhorn’s scoring bid was turned aside by Augustine. Kempf then kept the deficit at one goal when he made saves on Stramel and Russell and twice on Martone.
Notre Dame then got two good looks but Augustine stopped first Brennan Ali and then Werner from in close before the Irish called a timeout with 17:28 to talk about the final minutes and when Kempf might be pulled. The Irish goalie exited for the bench at 17:53.
Nelson’s shot at 18:14 was blocked out of the rink by Stramel. On the ensuing faceoff, Tiernan Shoudy got the puck back to Štrbák who got it up ice to Männistö who got it to center ice and broke in for the empty-net goal at 18:23.
The Irish again pulled Kempf at 18:49 and Augustine stopped Werner, Knuble and Fischer before the final horn.
Michigan State, likely the unanimous No. 1 team again next week, returns home for a two-game Big Ten series to play No. 7 Wisconsin, which avenged its 5-1 home loss to Ohio State Friday with a 6-5 overtime victory Saturday. Notre Dame takes a break from the Big Ten next weekend and then travels to Massachusetts for afternoon games Wednesday, Nov. 26 at Merrimack and Friday, Nov. 28 against Boston College. The Irish return to the Big Ten with a home series against Wisconsin Dec. 5-6.
MICHIGAN STATE 3, NOTRE DAME 1
At Charles W. “Lefty” Smith Rink in Compton Family Ice Arena, South Bend, Ind.
Michigan State 1 1 1—3
Notre Dame 0 1 0—1
First Period—Scoring: 1. Michigan State, Ryker Lee 3 (Anthony Romani, Travis Shoudy) EV 1:29. Penalties: Michigan State 0-0, Notre Dame 1-2.
Second Period—Scoring: 2. Michigan State, Porter Martone 7 (Charlie Stramel, Owen West) EV 4:17; 3. Notre Dame, Danny Nelson 4 (Evan Werner, Paul Fischer) PP 9:43. Penalties: Michigan State 2-4 (2-4), Notre Dame 0-0 (1-2).
Third Period—Scoring: 4. Michigan State, Tommi Männistö 4 (Maxim Štrbák, Tiernan Shoudy) EN 18:23. Penalties: Michigan State 1-2 (3-6), Notre Dame 1-2 (2-4).
Shots on goal: Michigan State 33 (10-12-11), Notre Dame 29 (8-7-14).
Goalie saves: Michigan State, Trey Augustine 28 (8-6-14); Notre Dame, Nicholas Kempf 30 (9-11-10).
Power-play opportunities: Michigan State 0 of 1, Notre Dame 1 of 2.
Faceoffs won: Michigan State 33 (12-12-9), Notre Dame 21 (11-10-9).
Blocked shots: Michigan State 9 (2-5-2), Notre Dame 9 (5-2-2).
Referees: Jacob Rekucki and David Marcotte. Linesmen: Pat Richardson and Justin Cornell. Attendance: 4,822 (4,852c).
Records: Michigan State 9-1-0, 3-0-0 Big Ten for 8 points; Notre Dame 3-7-1, 0-5-0 Big Ten for 1 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-OW-OL-SW GF-GA W-L-T GF-GA
(1/1) Michigan St. 4 11 4-0-0-1-0-0 14-3 9-1-0 37-14
(2/2) Michigan 6 11 4-2-0-1-0-0 24-19 11-3-0 70-31
(7/7) Wisconsin 6 11 4-2-0-1-0-0 26-20 8-2-2 48-29
(5/5) Penn State 6 10 3-3-0-0-1-0 13-21 10-4-0 47-42
(nr/rv) Minnesota 4 6 2-2-0-0-0-0 9-10 5-8-1 37-45
(rv/rv) Ohio State 4 4 1-3-0-0-1-0 15-14 5-5-0 33-24
(nr/nr) Notre Dame 6 1 0-6-0-0-1-0 7-21 3-8-1 31-40
THIS WEEK
Friday, Nov. 14
Michigan State 4, Notre Dame 1
Michigan 7, Penn State 1
Ohio State 5, Wisconsin 1
Long Island 6, Minnesota 2 (non-conference)
Saturday, Nov. 15
Michigan State 3, Notre Dame 1
Penn State 4, Michigan 2
Wisconsin 6, Ohio State 5 (OT)
Minnesota 6, Long Island 3 (non-conference)
NEXT WEEK
Friday, Nov. 21
Wisconsin at Michigan State, 8:30 p.m.
Ohio State at Michigan, 7 p.m.
Penn State at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 22
Wisconsin at Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Ohio State at Michigan, 7 p.m.
Penn State at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE FOR TOP 20 TEAMS IN USCHO.com MEDIA POLL
- Michigan State (Big Ten) (9-1-0) won at Notre Dame Saturday, 3-1. Next: Nov. 21-22 vs. No. 7 Wisconsin.
- Michigan (Big Ten) (11-3-0) lost at No. 5 Penn State Saturday, 4-2. Next: Nov. 21-22 vs. Ohio State.
- Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) (11-3-0) lost to Omaha Saturday, 2-0. Next: Nov. 21-22 at No. 17 Colorado College.
- Denver (NCHC) (8-3-1) won at No. 17 Colorado College Saturday, 3-2. Next: Nov. 21-22 at Arizona State.
- Penn State (Big Ten) (10-4-0) beat No. 2 Michigan Saturday, 4-2. Next: Nov. 21-22 at Minnesota.
- North Dakota (NCHC) (8-4-0) lost to Arizona State Saturday, 4-2. Next: Nov. 21 vs. U.S. Under-18 Team (exhibition).
- Wisconsin (Big Ten) (8-2-2) beat Ohio State Saturday, 6-5 (OT). Next: Nov. 21-22 at No. 1 Michigan State.
- Maine (Hockey East) (7-4-1) lost to Vermont Saturday, 2-1. Next: Nov. 21-22 at No. 18 Boston College.
- Western Michigan (NCHC) (7-5-0) beat Miami Saturday, 6-2. Next: Nov. 21-22 at Omaha.
- Quinnipiac (ECAC) (7-3-2) beat No. 13 Boston University Saturday, 6-2. Next: Nov. 21 vs. Clarkson, Nov. 22 vs. St. Lawrence.
- Northeastern (Hockey East) (7-3-0) lost to No. 14 Connecticut Saturday, 4-3 (OT). Next: Nov. 21 vs. No. 13 Boston University, Nov. 22 at No. 13 Boston University.
- Massachusetts (Hockey East) (7-6-0) lost to No. 18 Boston College Saturday, 4-0. Next: Nov. 20 at No. 15 Providence, Nov. 22 vs. No. 15 Providence.
- Boston University (Hockey East) (5-6-1) lost at No. 10 Quinnipiac Saturday, 6-2. Next: Nov. 21 at No. 11 Northeastern, Nov. 22 vs. No. 11 Northeastern.
- Connecticut (Hockey East) (6-4-2) won at No. 11 Northeastern Saturday, 4-3 (OT). Next: Nov. 21 at New Hampshire, Nov. 22 vs. New Hampshire.
- Providence (Hockey East) (5-4-2) lost at Merrimack Saturday, 3-2. Next: Nov. 20 vs. No. 12 Massachusetts, Nov. 22 at No. 12 Massachusetts.
- Minnesota State (CCHA) (6-2-4) won at Lake Superior State Saturday, 4-2. Next: Nov. 21-22 vs. Michigan Tech.
- Colorado College (NCHC) (6-5-1) lost to No. 4 Denver Saturday, 3-2. Next: Nov. 21-22 vs. No. 3 Minnesota Duluth.
- Boston College (Hockey East) (6-4-1) won at No. 12 Massachusetts Saturday, 4-0. Next: Nov. 21-22 vs. No. 8 Maine.
- Dartmouth (ECAC) (6-0-0) won at Clarkson Saturday, 3-1. Next: Nov. 28 vs. Vermont, Nov. 29 vs. Merrimack.
- Cornell (ECAC) (4-2-0) beat Yale Saturday, 5-2. Next: Nov. 21 vs. Union, Nov. 22 vs. RPI.
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Saturday, Nov. 8 (Late)
Simon Fraser 1, Alaska Fairbanks, 1 (OT) (Simon Fraser won shootout, 2-1) (exhibition)
Sunday, Nov. 9
Atlantic Hockey America
Bentley 3, Army 2
Tuesday, Nov. 11
Non-conference
St. Thomas 3, St. Cloud State 1
Friday, Nov. 14
Big Ten Conference
Michigan State 4, Notre Dame 1
Ohio State 5, Wisconsin 1
Michigan 7, Penn State 1
Long Island 6, Minnesota 2 (non-conference)
Hockey East Association
Maine 7, Vermont 0
Connecticut 4, Northeastern 2
Boston College 7, Massachusetts 3
Providence 4, Merrimack 2
NCHC
Western Michigan 5, Miami 2
Minnesota Duluth 5, Omaha 2
North Dakota 5, Arizona State 2
Denver 2, Colorado College 1
ECAC
Cornell 4, Brown 1
Dartmouth 6, St. Lawrence 1
Harvard 2, Clarkson 1
Colgate 4, Yale 3 (OT)
CCHA
Minnesota State 2, Lake Superior State 1 (OT)
Bemidji State 2, Michigan Tech 2 (OT) (Bemidji State wins shootout, 2-1)
Bowling Green 9, Ferris State 5
Atlantic Hockey America
Niagara 6, Army 4
Sacred Heart 6, Canisius 1
RIT 2, Robert Morris 1
Holy Cross 3, Air Force 2
Non-conference
Long Island 6, Minnesota 2
New Hampshire 6, RPI 3
Bentley 2, Alaska Anchorage 1 (OT)
Union 7, UMass Lowell 1
Lindenwood 7, Grand Canyon 2 (exhibition)
Saturday, Nov. 15
Big Ten Conference
Michigan State 3, Notre Dame 1
Penn State 4, Michigan 2
Wisconsin 6, Ohio State 5 (OT)
Minnesota 6, Long Island 3 (non-conference)
Hockey East Association
Merrimack 3, Providence 2
Boston College 4, Massachusetts 0
Vermont 2, Maine 1
Connecticut 4, Northeastern 3 (OT)
NCHC
Western Michigan 6, Miami 2
Omaha 2, Minnesota Duluth 0
Arizona State 4, North Dakota 2
Denver 3, Colorado College 2
CCHA
Minnesota State 4, Lake Superior State 2
Michigan Tech 2, Bemidji State 1 (OT)
Bowling Green 5, Ferris State 2
Augustana 4, St. Thomas 4 (OT) (Augustana wins shootout, 1-0)
ECAC
Dartmouth 3, Clarkson 1
Colgate 4, Brown 0
Cornell 5, Yale 2
Harvard 4, St. Lawrence 3
Atlantic Hockey America
Sacred Heart 3, Canisius 2
Niagara 4, Army 1
RIT 3, Robert Morris 2
Holy Cross 4, Air Force 1
Non-conference
Minnesota 6, Long Island 3
Quinnipiac 6, Boston University 2
RPI 2, UMass Lowell 0
Union 6, New Hampshire 0
Alaska Anchorage 3, Bentley 2
Princeton 3, Stonehill 2
Lindenwood 10, Grand Canyon 0 (exhibition)
Tuesday, Nov. 18
Atlantic Hockey America
RIT at Niagara, 7 p.m.
Non-conference
Alaska Anchorage at Stonehill, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Non-conference
Alaska Anchorage at Brown, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 20
Hockey East Association
Massachusetts at Providence, 7 p.m.
Non-conference
Alaska Anchorage at Holy Cross, 7 p.m.