SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Irish hockey team rounded out 2023 with the weekend sweep over visiting Augustana Sunday night to improve to 10-8-2 on the season. Three underclassmen scored in the contest, including sophomore Michel Mastrodomenico who net his first collegiate goal and Cole Knuble who capped off his four-goal weekend with the overtime game-winner.
The Irish nearly scored just 48 seconds into the game off a shot on the doorstep from Patrick Moynihan but the Augustana netminder Zack Rose kept it out and play continued in a 0-0 stalemate.
The Vikings took advantage of a loose puck out front early in the contest, jumping out to the 1-0 lead at 3:29 of the opening period, corralling the rebound twice before burying a shot by Ryan Bischel as the Irish faced their first deficit of the series.
The two teams traded a pair of penalties following the Vikings goal but neither team could capitalize on the man-advantage despite numerous shorthanded chances for the Irish penalty killers halfway through the opening period.
Michael Mastrodomenico scored his first collegiate goal at 14:19 of the first period to knot things up. The Kirkland, Quebec, native buried Hunter Strand’s rebound, beating the netminder glove side for the 1-1 tally.
The Irish and Vikings skated to the end of the opening period still tied 1-1 with both teams looking to break the stalemate in the second.
Notre Dame’s defensemen continued the scoring just under seven minutes into the middle frame when a shot from Paul Fischer at the top of the slot hit twine for the 2-1 Irish lead.
The Irish were able to kill off two ensuing penalties shortly after the go ahead tally and looked to be taking the lead into the second break but Augustana tied it back up late in the frame to force the 2-2 tie through two periods of play.
The Vikings carried that late goal momentum into the third period, nearly scoring again early in the frame but a stick play by Fischer on the goal line kept the puck out of the Irish net and the score tied.
Notre Dame and Augustana continued to battle through the remainder of regulation and overtime loomed large over both benches.
A hit along the right halfwall left an Irish skater shaken up in the waning seconds of the third period and the horn sounded on regulation before the next whistle blew. The Irish challenged the hit along the boards at the end of regulation for a potential major and found themselves on the powerplay for the entirety of overtime as the major was awarded and the Augustana player ejected.
It took the Irish just 22 seconds of four-on-three play to net the overtime game winner as Cole Knuble hit twine for his fourth goal of the series.
With the win, the Irish open the second half of the year with a weekend sweep and now sit 10-8-2 at the conclusion of non-conference play.
GOALS
- Hunter Strand raced into the offensive zone with the puck on his stick, ripping a shot on net which bounced off the Augustana netminder and right to Michael Mastrodomenico to the left of the crease. The sophomore lifted a shot over the glove of Rose in the Vikings’ net for his first collegiate goal. Maddox Fleming was also credited with an assist on the play.
- The Irish jumped out to a 2-1 lead partway through the second period when Paul Fischer’s shot from the top of the slot hit twine for his second of the season. Grant Silianoff and Trevor Janicke both earned assists on the second period tally.
- Cole Knuble continued his scoring streak with the game-winning goal just 22 seconds into the overtime session to cap off his four-goal weekend and complete the weekend sweep for the Irish. Ryan Siedem and Strand each picked up assists on the final goal of the night.
KEY STATS
- Cole Knuble’s game-winning tally in overtime is his second game winner in as many games, having scored the go ahead goal in Saturday’s 5-1 win over Augustana.
- Six Irish icers highlighted the box score in Sunday’s contest, including Hunter Strand who picked up two assists to round out a four-point weekend for the junior.
- Notre Dame outshot Augustana 40-24 in game two of the series, led by Trevor Janicke with five on net.
- The Irish defensemen also jumped in front of six shots in the contest while Augustana blocked 24 additional shots by the Irish attackers.
- Ryan Bischel finished with 22 saves between the pipes while Zach Plucinski picked up four blocks in the contest for a team high.
UP NEXT
The Irish open up the new year with another home series as they return to Big Ten Conference play next week against Wisconsin, January 5-6. Fans are encouraged to stick around following Saturday night’s contest for a post game skate with the team.