Bischel returns to home state and comes up big as No. 17 Irish beat No. 6 Minnesota, 4-2

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – No. 17 Notre Dame once again got a big night from graduate goaltender Ryan Bischel in the second period when the Irish were outshot 17-2, and four different players scored as the Irish skated to a 4-2 Big Ten Conference victory over No. 6 Minnesota Friday night in the 3M Arena at Mariucci.

Drew Bavaro scored the game-winning goal, his fourth of the season, when he beat Minnesota goaltender Justen Close at 3:30 of the third period. Then Irish captain and South Bend native Landon Slaggert scored an empty-net goal at 19:33 to assure the victory for coach Jeff Jackson’s team, which improved to 7-3-2 overall and 3-0-2 in the Big Ten, good for 12 points to tie Wisconsin for second place, a point behind league-leader Michigan State.

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Also scoring for the Irish were Patrick Moynihan and Grant Silianoff.

“Ryan plays well no matter where we play,” Jackson said of Bischel, a native of nearby Medina, Minn., who made 16 of his 32 saves in the game in the second period. “It’s a matter of everyone contributing.

Bischel,  a West All-American last season, was at his best from the start as Notre Dame killed off a 5-on-3 power-play advantage which lasted 1:39 of  the first five minutes of the game.  

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After the Gophers took a 1-0 lead at 10:10 of the first period on a goal by Rhett Pitlick, the Irish answered just under two minutes later when Silianoff, who hails from nearby Edina, scored at 12:08 with a backhanded assist from freshman linemate Brennan Ali.

The Irish went up 2-1 just 47 seconds into the second period when Moynihan, a grad-transfer right wing from Providence, scored his third goal in the last two games on a wraparound with an assist from Minnesota native Justin Janicke, who hails from nearby Maple Grove. It would be just one of two shots on net for the Irish in the period. The only one of 17 shots directed at Bischel in the middle session that he didn’t save was Jimmy Snuggerud’s eighth goal of the season on a power play with 18:39.

Bavaro put the Irish into the lead for good with assists from Moynihan and Slaggert early in the third period. Then Ryan Siedem and Danny Nelson, who along with brother Henry also hail from Maple Grove, assisted on Slaggert’s empty-net goal, his team-high ninth of the season.

The two teams conclude their series Saturday night at 8.

NOTRE DAME 4, MINNESOTA 2

At 3M Arena at Mariucci, Minneapolis, Minn.

Notre Dame | 1 | 1 | 2—4

Minnesota | 1 | 1 | 0—2 

First Period—Scoring: 1. Minnesota, Rhett Pitlick 2 (Bryce Brodzinski, Jaxon Nelson) EV 10:10; 2. Notre Dame, Grant Silianoff 2 (Brennan Ali) EV 12:08. Penalties: Notre Dame 2-4, Minnesota 0-0.

Second Period—Scoring: 3. Notre Dame, Patrick Moynihan 3 (Justin Janicke) EV 0:47; 4. Minnesota, Jimmy Snuggerud 8 (Bryce Brodzinski, Rhett Pitlick) PP 18:39. Penalties: Notre Dame 2-4 (4-8), Minnesota 1-2 (1-2).

Third Period—Scoring: 5. Notre Dame, Drew Bavaro 4 (Patrick Moynihan, Landon Slaggert) EV 3:30; 6. Notre Dame, Landon Slaggert 9 (Ryan Siedem, Danny Nelson) EN 19:33. Penalties: Notre Dame 0-0 (4-8), Minnesota 0-0 (1-2).

Shots on goal: Notre Dame 23 (7-2-14), Minnesota 34 (9-17-8).

Goalie saves: Notre Dame, Ryan Bischel 32 (8-16-8); Minnesota, Justen Close 19 (6-1-12)

Power-play opportunities: Notre Dame 0 of 1, Minnesota 1 of 4.

Faceoffs won: Notre Dame 26 (Danny Nelson 9, Cole Knuble 7), Minnesota 22 (Jaxon Nelson 6, Aaron Huglen 6).

Blocked shots: Notre Dame 24 (Danny Nelson 3, Paul Fischer 3, Zach Plucinski 3), Minnesota 6 (Jimmy Snuggerud 2).

Referees: Colin Kronforst, Andrew Bruggeman. Linesmen: Samuel Shikowsky, Gabe Halonen. Attendance: 9,741 (10,000).

            Records: Notre Dame 7-3-2 (3-0-2 Big Ten for 12 points), Minnesota 5-4-2 (1-3-1 Big Ten for 4 points).