By John Fineran
Notre Dame’s hockey team wasn’t its own worst enemy Friday night, but the Irish were close. They just couldn’t stay out of the penalty box once again and then couldn’t solve No. 8 Penn State’s goaltender Josh Fleming.
Fleming, a 6-foot-2 freshman from Montreal, turned aside 41 of 42 shots, including all 20 the Irish launched in the third period after Notre Dame surrendered three power-play goals while taking another eight penalties totaling 27 minutes. It all added up to a 4-1 Big Ten Conference setback for visiting Notre Dame in front of an overflow crowd of 6,455 watching at the Pegula Ice Arena in State College, Pa.
Junior right-wing Evan Werner, a transfer from Michigan, scored his team-high ninth goal for first-year Irish coach Brock Sheahan’s team. Junior center and co-captain Danny Nelson got credited with an assist on the power-play goal at 10:19 of the second period. But Fleming denied Werner on a breakaway after he had finished serving a slashing penalty a little over five minutes later with the Irish trailing 2-1. Fleming also got help from the pipes behind him as three Notre Dame shots clanged off them instead of finding the net.
The loss was the eighth straight and the 14th in the last 15 games for Notre Dame, which is now 4-16-1 overall and 0-11-0 in the Big Ten – the only Division I conference team without a victory this season.
Junior left-wing Matt DiMarsico, who gave Penn State a 2-0 with the first two power-play goals, completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal at 18:14 of the third period with Irish goalie Nicholas Kempf off for an extra skater. Kempf wasn’t bad himself Friday night, turning aside 39 of the 43 Penn State shots for a .907 saves percentage.
Freshman Luke Misa, who assisted on DiMarsico’s first two goals along with standout freshman left wing Gavin McKenna, had the other power-play goal for coach Guy Gadowsky’s Nittany Lions, now 15-6-0 overall and 7-4-0 in the Big Ten for 22 points. Penn State is tied for third place with Wisconsin, two points behind second-place Michigan State and seven behind league-leader, No. 1 Michigan.
Playing without two regular defensemen – junior Paul Fischer (the team’s leading scorer) and freshman Caeden Carlisle were serving Big Ten suspensions – the Irish trailed 1-0 after the first period despite equaling Penn State’s 14 shots. The one shot that eluded Kempf came at 12:42 when DiMarsico beat the Irish goalie with Notre Dame’s Jayden Davis in the box serving the first of his two first-period penalties.
There were 52 seconds remaining on Davis’ second penalty of the game when the second period began, and the Irish managed to kill them off. But at 2:35 of the second period, Notre Dame’s 6-foot-3 freshman left wing Cole Brown got tangled up with Penn State’s 5-foot-10 center Dane Dowiak. Brown’s right elbow made direct contact to Dowiak’s helmet, resulting in a five-minute major penalty and game disqualification. DiMarsico made it 2-0 Penn State at 6:53 with assists from McKenna and Misa.
Because of the penalties, the Nittany Lions had the first 10 shots of the second period, and Kempf stopped nine of them. Meanwhile, the parade to the penalty box continued for both Notre Dame and Penn State, which finished the night with seven minor penalties.
Danny Nelson got Notre Dame’s first shot on goal of the middle period, which Fleming turned aside, at 10:02 while the Irish were on a 4-on-3 power play. Werner followed nine seconds later with a shot that Fleming stopped but Werner wasn’t denied on his next shot at 10:19 to cut the lead in half.
After Fleming denied Werner’s breakaway at 15:22, Notre Dame’s Sutter Muzzatti was sent off for roughing at 16:44. Kempf made a pair of saves before Misa made it 3-1 at 17:35. The Irish then had a power-play that began at 18:25, but Fleming made four saves to end the period.
The Irish then outshot the Nittany Lions 20-13 in the third period but couldn’t get closer. Sheahan pulled Kempf at 15:50 when Penn State’s Reese Laubach went to the sin bin for slashing. But Werner hit the pipe and Fleming made three saves on Danny Nelson and four more afterward before DiMarsico scored into the vacated Irish net at 18:14.
The teams conclude their series Saturday night at 8 p.m. Notre Dame again will be without Fischer.
PENN STATE 4, NOTRE DAME 1
At Pegula Ice Arena, State College, Pa.
Notre Dame 0 1 0—1
Penn State 1 2 1—4
First Period—Scoring: 1. Penn State, Matt DiMarsico 11 (Luke Misa, Gavin McKenna) PP 12:42. Penalties: Notre Dame 2-4, Penn State 1-2.
Second Period—Scoring: 2. Penn State, Matt DiMarsico 12 (Gavin McKenna, Luke Misa) PP 6:53; 3. Notre Dame, Evan Werner 9 (Danny Nelson) PP 10:19; 4. Penn State, Luke Misa 4 (Ben Schoen, JJ Wiebusch) PP 17:35. Penalties: Notre Dame 5-21 (7-25), Penn State 3-6 (4-8).
Third Period—Scoring: 5. Penn State, Matt DiMarsico 13 (JJ Wiebusch, Reese Laubach) EN 18:14. Penalties: Notre Dame 1-2 (8-27), Penn State 3-6 (7-14).
Shots on goal: Notre Dame 42 (14-8-20), Penn State 43 (14-16-13).
Goalie saves: Notre Dame, Nicholas Kempf 39 (13-14-12); Penn State, Joshua Fleming 41 (14-7-20).
Power-play opportunities: Notre Dame 1 of 5, Penn State 3 of 6.
Faceoffs won: Notre Dame 29 (9-9-11), Penn State 35 (12-13-10).
Blocked shots: Notre Dame 11 (4-5-2), Penn State 11 (5-0-6).
Referees: Kevin Corbett and Andy Thackaberry. Linesmen: Nick Huff and Logan Bellgraph. Attendance: 6,455c (6,014)
Records: Notre Dame 4-16-1 overall, 0-11-0 Big Ten for 1 point; Penn State 15-6-0 overall, 7-4-0 Big Ten for 22 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 13 29 10-3-0-0-1-0 58-32 19-4-0 113-48
(4/3) Michigan St. 12 24 8-4-0-0-1-1 37-22 17-5-0 78-39
(2/2) Wisconsin 12 22 8-4-0-0-2-0 53-39 15-5-2 87-56
(8/8) Penn State 11 22 7-4-0-0-0-1 29-28 15-6-0 70-53
(nr/nr) Minnesota 11 13 4-7-0-0-0-1 27-36 8-13-1 61-76
(nr/nr) Ohio State 10 9 3-7-0-0-1-1 31-45 7-12-1 59-69
(nr/nr) Notre Dame 11 1 0-11-0-0-0-1 20-53 4-16-1 52-89
Thursday, Jan. 15
Michigan State 4, Wisconsin 3
Friday, Jan. 16
Penn State 4, Notre Dame 1
Michigan State 4, Wisconsin 1
Michigan 5, Minnesota 1
Saturday, Jan. 17
Notre Dame at Penn State, 8 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Michigan at Minnesota, 7 p.m. (B1G+, FOX 9)
UPCOMING
Friday, Jan. 23
Ohio State at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Penn State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24
Ohio State at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.
Minnesota at Michigan State, 6 p.m.
Penn State at Wisconsin, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30
Bowling Green at Notre Dame 7 p.m.
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, 1 p.m. (Beaver Stadium)
Michigan at Ohio State, 5 p.m.
Wisconsin at Minnesota, 7 p.m.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Thursday, Jan. 15
Big Ten Conference
Michigan State 4, Wisconsin 3
Friday, Jan. 16
Big Ten Conference
Penn State 4, Notre Dame 1
Michigan State 4, Wisconsin 1
Michigan 5, Minnesota 1
Atlantic Hockey America
Canisius 5, RIT 3
Holy Cross 3, Air Force 2 (OT)
Mercyhurst 3, Niagara 0
Sacred Heart 3, Bentley 2
Army 3, Robert Morris 2 (OT)
CCHA
Michigan Tech 3, Minnesota State 1
Bowling Green 3, Lake Superior State 1
St. Thomas 5, Bemidji State 1
Augustana 4, Ferris State 0
ECAC
Quinnipiac 5, Colgate 1
Cornell 2, Princeton 1
Dartmouth 2, Clarkson 2 (OT) (Dartmouth wins shootout, 1-0)
Harvard 5, St. Lawrence 1
Yale 8, RPI 3
Union 4, Brown 0
Hockey East Association
Massachusetts 4, Merrimack 2
UMass Lowell 4, Boston University 3 (OT)
Connecticut 4, Vermont 1
Providence 4, Boston College 3 (OT)
Northeastern 4, New Hampshire 0
NCHC
St. Cloud State 6, Minnesota-Duluth 0
North Dakota 5, Denver 0
Miami 3, Omaha 0
Non-conference
Lindenwood 6, Stonehill 2
Alaska Anchorage at Alaska Fairbanks, late (Governor’s Cup)
Saturday, Jan. 17
Big Ten Conference
Notre Dame at Penn State, 8 p.m.
Michigan at Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey America
Robert Morris at Army, 4 p.m.
Bentley at Sacred Heart, 6 p.m.
Mercyhurst at Niagara, 6 p.m.
Air Force at Holy Cross, 7 p.m.
Canisius at RIT, 7 p.m.
CCHA
Lake Superior State at Bowling Green, 6 p.m.
Minnesota State at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Ferris State at Augustana, 7:07 p.m.
Bemidji State at St. Thomas, 8:07 p.m.
ECAC
Brown at RPI, 4 p.m.
Yale at Union, 5 p.m.
Clarkson at Harvard, 7 p.m.
St. Lawrence at Dartmouth, 7 p.m.
Princeton at Colgate, 7 p.m.
Quinnipiac at Cornell, 7 p.m.
Hockey East Association
Vermont at Connecticut, 4 p.m.
Boston University at UMass Lowell, 6:05 p.m.
Merrimack at Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
Boston College at Providence, 7 p.m.
NCHC
Omaha at Miami, 6:05 p.m.
Minnesota Duluth at St. Cloud State, 7 p.m.
Denver at North Dakota, 7:07 p.m.
Non-conference
Simon Fraser at Colorado College, 6 p.m. (exhibition)
Stonehill at Lindenwood, 8:10 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Alaska Fairbanks, 11:07 p.m. (Governor’s Cup)
Sunday, Jan. 18
Hockey East Association
New Hampshire at Northeastern, 4 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 19
ECAC
Union at Harvard, 4 p.m.
SCHEDULES FOR THE USCHO.COM MEDIA POLL TOP 20 TEAMS AND OTHERS
1. Michigan (Big Ten) (19-4-0) won at Minnesota Friday, 5-1. Next: Saturday at Minnesota; Jan. 30 at Ohio State; Jan. 31 at Ohio State.
2. Wisconsin (Big Ten) (15-5-2) lost to No. 4 Michigan State Thursday, 4-3; lost to No. 4 Michigan State Friday, 4-1. Next: Jan. 23 vs. No. 8 Penn State; Jan. 24 vs. No. 8 Penn State.
3. Western Michigan (NCHC) (16-6-0) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 23 at No. 6 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 24 at No. 6 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 30 vs. Omaha; Jan. 31 vs. Omaha.
4. Michigan State (Big Ten) (17-5-0) won at No. 2 Wisconsin Thursday, 4-3; won at No. 2 Wisconsin Friday, 4-1. Next: Jan. 23 vs. Minnesota; Jan. 24 vs. Minnesota.
5. North Dakota (NCHC) (18-5-0) beat No. 9 Denver Friday, 5-0. Next: Saturday vs. No. 9 Denver; Jan. 23 at Arizona State; Jan. 24 at Arizona State.
6. Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) (16-7-0) lost at St. Cloud State Friday, 6-0. Next: Saturday at St. Cloud State; Jan. 23 vs. No. 3 Western Michigan; Jan. 24 vs. No. 3 Western Michigan.
7. Quinnipiac (ECAC) (17-4-2) won at Colgate Friday, 5-1. Next: Saturday at No. 13 Cornell; Jan. 23 vs. Sacred Heart in CT Ice Tournament at Yale; Jan. 24 vs. No. 11 Connecticut or Yale in CT Ice Tournament at Yale.
8. Penn State (Big Ten) (15-6-0) beat Notre Dame Friday, 4-1. Next: Saturday vs. Notre Dame; Jan. 23 at No. 2 Wisconsin; Jan. 24 at No. 2 Wisconsin.
9. Denver (NCHC) (12-10-2) lost at No. 5 North Dakota Friday, 5-0. Next: Saturday at No. 5 North Dakota; Jan. 23 vs. St. Cloud State; Jan. 24 vs. St. Cloud State.
10. Dartmouth (ECAC) (13-4-1) tied Clarkson Friday, 2-2 (OT) (Dartmouth won shootout 1-0). Next: Saturday vs. St. Lawrence; Jan. 23 at No. 13 Cornell; Jan. 24 at Colgate.
11. Connecticut (Hockey East) (13-6-3) beat Vermont Friday, 4-1. Next: Saturday vs. Vermont; Jan. 23 at Yale in CT Ice Tournament; Jan. 24 vs. No. 7 Quinnipiac or Sacred Heart in CT Ice Tournament at Yale.
12. Boston College (Hockey East) (11-7-1) lost to No. 14 Providence Friday, 4-3 (OT). Next: Saturday at No. 14 Providence; Jan. 23 vs. New Hampshire; Jan. 24 at New Hampshire; Jan. 30 at No. 20 Boston University.
13. Cornell (ECAC) (12-4-0) beat No. 18 Princeton Friday, 2-1. Next: Saturday vs. No. 7 Quinnipiac; Jan. 23 vs. No. 10 Dartmouth; Jan. 24 vs. Harvard.
14. Providence (Hockey East) (12-7-2) won at No. 12 Boston College Friday, 4-3 (OT). Next: Saturday vs. No. 12 Boston College; Jan. 23 vs. No. 20 Boston University; Jan. 24 at No. 20 Boston University; Jan. 31 at No. 16 Maine.
15. Augustana (CCHA) (15-6-3) beat Ferris State Friday, 4-0. Next: Saturday vs. Ferris State; Jan. 24 at No. 17 Minnesota State; Jan., 30 vs. Lake Superior State; Jan. 31 vs. Lake Superior State.
16. Maine (Hockey East) (12-9-2) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 23 at UMass Lowell; Jan. 24 at UMass Lowell; Jan. 31 vs. No. 14 Providence.
17. Minnesota State (CCHA) (12-7-5) lost at Michigan Tech Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday at Michigan Tech; Jan. 24 vs. No. 15 Augustana; Jan. 30 at Ferris State; Jan. 31 at Ferris State.
18. Princeton (ECAC) (11-6-0) lost at No. 13 Cornell Friday, 2-1. Next: Saturday at Colgate; Jan. 23 at Bentley; Jan. 24 at Bentley.
19. St. Thomas (CCHA) (13-7-3) beat Bemidji State Friday, 5-1. Next: Saturday vs. Bemidji State; Jan. 23 at Lake Superior State; Jan. 24 at Lake Superior State.
20. Boston University (Hockey East) (11-10-1) lost to UMass Lowell Friday, 4-3 (OT). Next: Saturday at UMass Lowell; Jan. 23 at No. 14 Providence; Jan. 24 vs. No. 14 Providence; Jan. 30 vs. No. 12 Boston College.
Others
Union (ECAC) (14-6-2) beat Brown Friday, 4-0. Next: Saturday vs. Yale; Jan. 19 at Harvard; Jan. 24 vs. RPI; Jan. 30 at No. 10 Dartmouth.
Northeastern (Hockey East) (11-9-0) won at New Hampshire Friday, 4-0. Next: Sunday vs. New Hampshire; Jan. 22 at Merrimack; Jan. 23 at Merrimack; Jan. 30 at Massachusetts.
Michigan Tech (CCHA) (15-8-2) beat No. 17 Minnesota State Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday vs. No. 17 Minnesota State; Jan. 23 at Northern Michigan; Jan. 24 vs. Northern Michigan.
New Hampshire (Hockey East) (11-9-0) lost to Northeastern Friday, 4-0. Next: Sunday at Northeastern; Jan. 23 at No. 12 Boston College; Jan. 24 vs. No. 12 Boston College.
Arizona State (NCHC) (12-11-1) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 23 vs. No. 5 North Dakota; Jan. 24 vs. No. 5 North Dakota; Jan. 30 at Colorado College; Jan. 31 at Colorado College.
Bentley (Atlantic Hockey) (12-7-2) lost at Sacred Heart Friday, 3-2. Next: Saturday at Sacred Heart; Jan. 23 vs. No. 18 Princeton; Jan. 24 vs. No. 18 Princeton.
St. Cloud State (NCHC) (12-11-0) beat No. 6 Minnesota Duluth Friday, 6-0. Next: Saturday vs. No. 6 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 23 at No. 9 Denver; Jan. 24 at No. 9 Denver.
Massachusetts (Hockey East) (11-10-0) won at Merrimack Friday, 4-2. Next: Saturday vs. Merrimack; Jan. 23 at Vermont; Jan. 24 at Vermont.
Bowling Green (CCHA) (12-5-4) beat Lake Superior State Friday, 3-1. Next: Saturday vs. Lake Superior State; Jan. 23 at Bemidji State; Jan. 24 at Bemidji State.
Harvard (ECAC) (8-7-1) beat St. Lawrence Friday, 5-1. Next: Saturday vs. Clarkson; Jan. 19 vs. Union; Jan. 23 at Colgate; Jan. 24 at No. 13 Cornell.
Bemidji State (CCHA) (9-11-3) lost at No. 19 St. Thomas Friday, 5-1. Next: Saturday at No. 19 St. Thomas; Jan. 23 vs. Bowling Green; Jan. 24 vs. Bowling Green.
Miami (NCHC) (13-8-2) beat Omaha Friday, 3-0. Next: Saturday vs. Omaha; Jan. 30 at St. Cloud State; Jan. 31 at St. Cloud State.
Colorado College (NCHC) (9-10-3) is idle Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Simon Fraser (exhibition); Jan. 23 at Omaha; Jan. 24 at Omaha.
Merrimack (Hockey East) (10-11-0) lost to Massachusetts Friday, 4-2. Next: Saturday at Massachusetts; Jan. 22 vs. Northeastern; Jan. 23 vs. Northeastern.
RIT (Atlantic Hockey) (13-10-0) lost at Canisius Friday, 5-3. Next: Saturday vs. Canisius; Jan. 23 at Niagara; Jan. 24 vs. Niagara.
Minnesota (Big Ten) (8-13-1) lost to No. 1 Michigan Friday, 5-1. Next: Saturday vs. No. 1 Michigan; Jan. 23 at No. 4 Michigan State; Jan. 24 at No. 4 Michigan State.
Ohio State (Big Ten) (7-12-1) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 23 at Notre Dame; Jan. 24 at Notre Dame.
Notre Dame (Big Ten) (4-16-1) lost at No. 8 Penn State Friday, 4-1. Next: Saturday at No. 8 Penn State; Jan. 23 vs. Ohio State; Jan. 24 vs. Ohio State.
Clarkson (ECAC) (11-11-1) tied at No. 10 Dartmouth Friday, 2-2 (OT) (Dartmouth wins shootout 1-0). Next: Saturday at Harvard; Jan. 23 vs. St. Lawrence; Jan. 24 at St. Lawrence.
Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey) (12-7-2) beat Bentley Friday, 3-2. Next: Saturday vs. Bentley; Jan. 23 vs. No. 7 Quinnipiac in CT Ice Tournament at Yale; Jan. 24 vs. Yale or No. 11 Connecticut in CT Ice Tournament at Yale.
Holy Cross (Atlantic Hockey) (11-8-2) beat Air Force Friday, 3-2 (OT). Next: Saturday vs. Air Force; Jan. 23 at Robert Morris; Jan. 24 at Robert Morris.
Air Force (Atlantic Hockey) (10-11-2) lost at Holy Cross Friday, 3-2 (OT). Next: Saturday at Holy Cross; Jan. 30 vs. Sacred Heart; Jan. 31 vs. Sacred Heart.
Lindenwood (Independent) (10-11-0) beat Stonehill Friday, 6-2. Next: Saturday vs. Stonehill; Jan. 23 at Alaska Fairbanks; Jan. 24 at Alaska Fairbanks.