Michigan
9-2-0, 2-1-0
Notre Dame
4-5-2, 1-3-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Michigan Scores Four Unanswered Goals to Dismantle No. 18 Notre Dame
11/11/2022 11:26:00 PM | Ice Hockey
» Mackie Samoskevich opened the scoring and added an assist for his sixth multi-point game of the year.
» Adam Fantilli chipped in a pair of assists for his seventh multi-point performance in 11 games.
» The game featured a combined 68 penalty minutes, with Notre Dame receiving 10 penalties to U-M's nine.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Four straight goals in the second period, including a pair in a 21-second span, propelled the No. 3-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team past No. 18 Notre Dame in a dominant 5-1 win on Friday night (Nov. 11) inside Compton Family Ice Arena.
Back between the pipes after missing last week's split at Penn State with an illness, Erik Portillo was excellent per usual. The big Swede stopped 23 of 24 shots that the Irish poured on his cage en route to his eighth win of the season and the third of his career over Notre Dame (4-5-2, 1-3-1 Big Ten).
Exactly three minutes into the game, the Michigan power-play unit stayed hot when Mackie Samoskevich took a long-distance snapshot that pinged off the post before bouncing off the goaltender and crossing the goal line. Luke Hughes earned the primary assist on the power-play tally while Adam Fantilli collected the secondary on the icebreaker. With the assist, Fantilli continued his tear with at least a point for the 10th time in 11 total games.
Michigan's first penalty was assessed to Luca Fantilli for holding with 8:52 remaining. After a solid effort on the penalty kill, the Irish converted with just two seconds left on the advantage when an attacking player worked with the puck behind the net and popped a diving pass out to the left dot where the Notre Dame captain was able to bang home a one-timer and tie the game with 6:54 left in the first period.
Just over two minutes later, Michigan (9-2-0, 2-0-0 Big Ten) began its second power play after Notre Dame was called for having six skaters on the ice. Thirty-nine seconds into the opportunity, Samoskevich was buried in the corner with an immediate major penalty and game misconduct. With U-M preparing for a limitless five-minute power play, the Irish challenged a prior play for head contact. After an extended review, Adam Fantilli was given a major penalty for contact to the head but was not given a misconduct and was able to stay in the game. With the matching major penalties, the teams finished the period at even-strength after Michigan's initial power play had expired.
After 20 minutes, the longtime rivals were tied at one goal apiece after a penalty-ridden, animosity-filled period. Faceoffs were tied, with each side winning 11 draws, while Michigan held a 13-11 edge in shots on goal.
Starting the second period with the same energy that characterized the first five minutes of the night, U-M was able to reclaim the lead when T.J. Hughes found Eric Ciccolini moving through the UND zone. The senior from Ontario collected the puck as he carved across the high slot before ripping a wrist shot through traffic that found twine 54 seconds into the second stanza.
Toward the middle of the second period, the Wolverines capitalized with a pair of goals in rapid succession, scoring the team's third and fourth goals in a 21-second span to break the game open.
First it was the phenomenal freshman, Adam Fantilli, who worked along the half wall on the left flank before lacing a shot one foot off the ice toward the blue paint that was redirected into the net by linemate Dylan Duke at 11:11. Jacob Truscott collected the secondary assist.
On the following shift, Jackson Hallum used his speed to break away from the pack, collecting a pass from Keaton Pehrson before deking to his backhand and tucking the puck in the top-shelf to put Michigan ahead 4-1 with 8:28 left in the second frame.
Yet another review resulted in a minor penalty on the Irish with 2:38 left. As the clock ticked under two minutes, T.J. Hughes took advantage of a momentary opportunity to show off his skill with a beautifully-placed shot to the top-right corner from the slot. Samoskevich assisted on the goal, his third point of the night, while Luke Hughes earned the secondary assist for his second point.
With one period left, Michigan carried a commanding 5-1 lead into the dressing room as well as a 31-15 advantage in shots on goal. U-M's red-hot power play was 2-for-4 through 40 minutes.
The Maize and Blue continued to dominate in the third period as play was consistently hemmed into the UND zone for long stretches. Tempers flared at times during the period, as they had throughout the game, but neither side altered the 5-1 score as the Wolverines continued to pile up shots on goal.
Things got heated with 1:22 remaining in regulation after Michigan drove the net and steamrolled into the netminder amidst a flurry of cross-checks. The post-whistle melee resulted in a pair of minor penalties for U-M in addition to a single minor infraction on the Irish, giving the home team a late power-play opportunity.
In total, the teams were assessed a combined 19 penalties. Notre Dame led the way with 10 infractions and 39 PIM while Michigan was not far behind, registering nine penalties for 29 PIM. On top of a 5-1 margin on the scoreboard, U-M outshot the home team 44-24 and also ended the evening with a 26-23 edge in the faceoff dot.
On Saturday night (Nov. 12), the Wolverines and Fighting Irish will face off once again in South Bend, Ind., to finish off their two-game series. Puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on Peacock.
