Notre Dame Hockey: Irish Rally, Tie With Air Force Academy Falcons 5-5

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took on the Air Force Academy Falcons Saturday at the Air Force Academy’s Cadet Ice Arena following Friday’s loss to Denver. The Falcons initially dealt a blow to the normally solid Irish penalty kill, but Notre Dame turned on the jets in the third to bring it to an official 5-5 tie.

First Period

After a bit more than half a period of back and forth, Air Force’s Nate Horn scored the game’s first goal on the power play following a tripping penalty on Notre Dame’s Ben Brinkman. By the end of the first, the Irish and Falcons matched with 11 shots each.

Second Period

Nate Horn came back in the second to set the tone of the period with his second goal of the night. As the period approached its halfway point, Air Force’s Luke Rowe scored to bring it to 3-0, Falcons.

It was Zach Plucinski who scored the first Irish goal of the night soon after.

After another tripping penalty on Brinkman, Air Force defenseman Brandon Koch netted a power play goal to bring the game to 4-1, Falcons with just two seconds left in the period. This time around, the Irish narrowly outshot the Falcons, 10-8.

Third Period

Notre Dame’s Solag Bakich sparked an Irish rally in the third with his team’s second goal of the game. Trevor Janicke added to the action with a power play goal about four minutes later. Air Force’s Bennett Norlin wasted no time and scored a fifth goal for the Falcons less than a minute after that, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Irish momentum and a goal from Notre Dame’s Jake Boltmann soon followed.

To end the regulation burst, the Irish pulled netminder Jack Williams and Notre Dame’s Ryder Rolston tied it up 5-5 with just about a minute left in regulation to send it to OT.

OT

The Falcons later snapped the Irish momentum and took the shootout 2-1.

Game Summary

Scoring

Air Force: Nate Horn on the power play at 12:41 in the 1st with assists from Brandon Koch and Will Gavin

Air Force: Nate Horn on the power play at 16:57 in the 2nd with assists from Will Gavin and Willie Reim

Air Force: Luke Rowe at 10:37 in the 2nd, unassisted

Notre Dame: Zach Plucinski at 09:15 in the 2nd with assists from Grant Silianoff and Trevor Janicke

Air Force: Brandon Koch on the power play at 00:02 in the 2nd with an assist from Willie Reim

Notre Dame: Solag Bakich at 13:43 in the 3rd, unassisted

Notre Dame: Trevor Janicke on the power play at 09:47 in the 3rd with assists from Drew Bavaro and Ryder Rolston

Air Force: Bennett Norlin at 09:02 in the 3rd with an assist from Lucas Coon

Notre Dame: Jake Boltmann at 08:10 in the 3rd with assists from Landon Slaggert and Trevor Janicke

Notre Dame: Ryder Rolston at 01:12 in the 3rd with assists from Drew Bavaro and Jackson Pierson

Penalties

Notre Dame: Ben Brinkman for tripping at 13:01 in the 1st

Notre Dame: Hunter Strand for tripping at 17:22 in the 2nd

Air Force: Brian Adams for tripping at 16:09 in the 2nd

Air Force: Andrew DeCarlo for high-sticking at 04:27 in the 2nd

Notre Dame: Ben Brinkman for tripping at 01:57 in the 2nd

Air Force: Chris Hedden for tripping at 10:17 in the 3rd

Air Force: Chris Hedden for holding at 07:36 in the 3rd

Goalies

Notre Dame: Ryan Bischel, 12 saves and Jack Williams, 11 saves

Air Force: Aaron Randazzo, 32 saves

Moving Forward

The Irish will take on the Northern Michigan Wildcats Saturday, October 14 at 7:30 in South Bend.

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