Notre Dame Hockey: Irish Dominate Ohio State Buckeyes, 6-1

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes met for their second series of the season on Friday afternoon, having split their prior series in December. The teams, who currently sit in fourth and sixth place in the Big Ten, respectively, are separated by only five points with just a month left in the season.

First Period

Just under five minutes into the contest, Solag Bakich was called for holding to put Ohio State on the first man advantage of the game. The Notre Dame penalty kill, which has been a weakness of the team for the most of the season, killed off the penalty without allowing a single shot. Later in the period, they would also kill off a Buckeyes 5-on-3. The Irish got on the board first thanks to a beautiful wrister from the red hot Spencer Stastney.

Second Period

The momentum of Stastney’s goal carried the Irish into an incredible second period showing. The scoring started early in the period when Matt Steeves redirected a shot from Stastney to make it 2-0 early in the period. Five minutes later, Alex Steeves, young brother of Matt, scored on a breakaway to further his case for the 2021 Hobey Baker Fan Vote with his tenth of the season, third most in the Big Ten.

Ohio State’s Tate Singleton put an end to the hopes of Dylan St. Cyr’s shutout, but goals by Jesse Lansdell and Landon Slaggert just 25 seconds apart gave the Irish a commanding 5-1 lead. The Irish also continued to get it done on the blue line, allowing just 5 shots from the Buckeyes in the period.

Third Period

The Buckeyes opted to switch netminders going in the final period, but it would not change their fortune. The Irish killed off another penalty after Ryder Rolston was sent to the box for hooking. Shortly after, a Nick Leivermann goal off an Alex Steeves rebound gave Notre Dame another insurance goal. extending their lead to 5. Dylan St. Cyr stopped all 10 Ohio State shots he saw in the third, and the Irish improved to 6-1 on the road this season.

Game Summary

Scoring

Notre Dame: Spencer Stastney at 09:04 of the 1st, assisted by Alex Steeves and Graham Slaggert

Notre Dame: Matt Steeves at 03:44 of the 2nd, assisted by Spencer Stastney and Jesse Lansdell

Notre Dame: Alex Steeves at 08:54 of the 2nd, assisted by Landon Slaggert and Graham Slaggert

Ohio State: Tate Singleton at 16:35 of the 2nd

Notre Dame: Jesse Lansdell at 18:45 of the 2nd

Notre Dame: Landon Slaggert (PPG) at 19:10 of the 2nd, assisted by Alex Steeves and Nick Leivermann

Notre Dame: Nick Leivermann at 09:07 of the 3rd, assisted by Alex Steeves and Solag Bakich

Penalties

Notre Dame: Solag Bakich, 2 for holding at 04:52 of the 1st

Notre Dame: Nate Clurman, 5 for checking from behind at 11:26 of the 1st

Notre Dame: Nate Clurman, game misconduct for checking from behind at 11:26 of 1st

Notre Dame: Landon Slaggert, 2 for hooking at 14:20 of the 1st

Ohio State: Patrick Guzzo, 2 for hooking at 18:01 of the 1st

Ohio State: Gustaf Westlund, 2 for tripping at 18:45 of the 2nd

Ohio State: Patrick Guzzo, 2 for delay of game at 00:03 of the 3rd

Notre Dame: Ryder Rolston, 2 for hooking at 07:06 of the 3rd

Ohio State: Ryan Dickinson, 2 for hooking at 09:24 of the 3rd

Goalies

Notre Dame: Dylan St. Cyr (W) saved 23 of 24 shots

Ohio State: Tommy Nappier (L) saved 20 of 25 shots, Ryan Snowden saved 12 of 13 shots

Up Next

Notre Dame takes on Ohio State in the series finale on Friday at 1:30 PM ET. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.