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The Fighting Irish took to the Minneapolis ice to keep a good thing going Saturday following Friday’s 3-2 victory against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. By the end of the night, the Irish locked in a 2-1 win to claim the series.
First Period
Notre Dame’s Solag Bakich wasted no time setting the tone Saturday and scored the first Irish goal less than two minutes into the first period of play. By the end of the period, the Irish had doubled the Gophers’ 9 shots with 18 of their own.
Absolute snipe, @Bakich23. #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/FBL9QH6ijz
— Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) January 16, 2021
Second Period
Several penalties in the second period changed the pace, but Notre Dame’s Max Ellis snagged a second goal for the Irish about halfway through. This time, it was the Golden Gophers who outshot the Irish 22-16.
First career PPG for @Maxellis91!#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/R3lUoAsZL9
— Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) January 17, 2021
Third Period
Just as the third period of play neared its end, Minnesota’s Jaxon Nelson put his team on the board, but it was not enough to change the direction of the game. At the end of the night, the Irish claimed a 2-1 victory.
• 25 saves
— Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) January 17, 2021
• Tonight's First ⭐️
• Victory
, @Dylan37St!#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/NlGG9N4e6B
Game Summary
Scoring
Notre Dame: Solag Bakich at 01:54 in the 1st with an assist from Michael Graham
Notre Dame: Max Ellis at 10:37 in the 2nd with assists from Spencer Stastney and Trevor Janicke
Minnesota: Jaxon Nelson at 17:36 in the 3rd with assists from Ryan Johnson and Sammy Walker
Penalties
Notre Dame: Jake Boltmann for slashing at 06:56 in the 1st
Minnesota: Ben Meyers for slashing at 07:15 in the 1st
Minnesota: Jackson Lacombe for elbowing at 10:43 in the 1st
Notre Dame: Max Ellis for roughing 16:56 in the 1st
Notre Dame: Solag Bakich for roughing at 04:31 in the 2nd
Minnesota: Ben Brinkman for roughing at 04:31 in the 2nd
Minnesota: Blake McLaughlin for hooking at 9:20 in the 2nd
Notre Dame: Landon Slaggert for interference at 11:47 in the 2nd
Notre Dame: Landon Slaggert for delaying the game at 13:51 in the 2nd
Notre Dame: Graham Slaggert for hooking at 18:45 in the 2nd
Minnesota: Ben Meyers for boarding at 19:59 in the 3rd
Goalies
Notre Dame: Dylan St. Cyr, 25 saves
Minnesota: Jack LaFontaine, 22 saves
Moving Forward
The Fighting Irish will take on the Michigan Wolverines in South Bend on Thursday, January 21 at 6:30 p.m. To catch the game, tune in and watch SNY, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports Chicago or NBC Sports Philadelphia+ or stream online with NBC Sports.
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