SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame hockey team improved to 8-5-2 on the season following a dominant 6-1 victory over visiting No. 13/12 Michigan Friday night to open the season series. Five individuals scored for the Irish in the home victory to give Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach Jeff Jackson his 400th career win behind the Irish bench in the sold out Compton Family Ice Arena.
Landon Slaggert scored his team-leading 11th goal of the season to give the Irish the 1-0 lead early in the first period but the Wolverines would knot the tally back up, 1-1, with a five-on-three goal at 10:01 of the first.
It was all Irish the rest of the night though as Justin Janicke scored the eventual game-winner less than two minutes after the Michigan equalizer to carry the 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Coming back after the break, Patrick Moynihan wasted no time extending the Irish lead off a feed from Paul Fischer just 53 seconds into the middle frame.
The Irish would score once more in the second period as Landon net his second of the night at 17:59 to take the 4-1 lead into the locker room through 40 minutes played.
Similar to the first two periods of the night, the Irish scored twice more in the final frame for the 6-1 final while Ryan Bischel finished the night with 27 saves on 28 shots faced.
KEY STATS
- Landon Slaggert’s two goal night was his third of the season and gives him 12 on the season, tying his previous season high set as a sophomore. His 12 goals thus far ranks second in the nation and leads all Big Ten skaters.
- Danny Nelson also posted a two-point night with a goal and an assist for a team-best on the night. The rookie now boasts 14 points on the season and ranks second among Irish forwards in the category.
- The Irish outshot the Wolverines 38-28 in the contest as they held Michigan to just 12 shots over the final 40 minutes of play.
- With four shots each, Patrick Moynihan and Cole Knuble tied for a team-high Friday night.
- Eleven Irish skaters highlighted the box score in the 6-1 victory, as Landon, Danny, Moynihan, Justin Janicke and Tyler Carpenter each found the back of the net in the tilt.
- Boasting just one goal against, which came on Notre Dame’s five-on-three penalty kill, Ryan Bischel registered 27 saves in the victory and improved to 8-5-2 between the pipes in his graduate season.
- His .930 save percentage ranks third nationally.
- With the win, Coach Jackson now boasts 400 career victories as head coach of the Fighting Irish in his 19 seasons at the helm.
UP NEXT
The Irish close out their fall semester home slate Saturday night against the Wolverines before the first half finale next weekend at Michigan State, December 8-9.
Puck drop for game two against Michigan is set for 6:05 p.m. with a post-game teddy bear toss scheduled.