Hockey: Bischel stands tall in net and Ellis scores twice in 4-2 Irish win at Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Goalie Ryan Bischel made a career-high 38 saves and fellow junior Max Ellis bookended No. 13 Notre Dame’s scoring with a pair of goals as the Fighting Irish overcame Penn State 4-2 in a Big Ten Hockey Conference game at the Pegula Ice Arena.

The victory lifted Jeff Jackson’s Irish (14-6 overall, 7-4-0 Big Ten for 20 points) ahead of Ohio State into third place in the conference, three points behind league-leader Michigan, which has played one more game, and two points behind Minnesota, which skated to a 4-1 conference victory Friday night at Michigan State.

► More:Hockey: Center Cam Burke doing some of his best work on the road for Irish skaters

Coming off his first career shutout, a 5-0 victory over Niagara last Sunday, Bischel stopped 29 of the shots in the final two periods after getting the nod from Jackson to start over grad-transfer (from Cornell) Matthew Galajda. Bischel and Galajda entered the weekend No. 9 and No. 8, respectively, in the nation in goals-against average (1.83 to 1.74) and saves percentage (0.928 to 0.930).

Bischel outdueled Penn State senior Oskar Autio, who turned aside 30 Irish shots. The Nittany Lions fell to 12-9 overall and 3-8-0 in the Big Ten.

After a scoreless first period, Ellis got the Irish started when he backdoored a pass into the crease by Jake Pivonka behind Autio 37 seconds into the second period. His final goal – his 13th of the season – came into an empty net at 18:09 after Penn State coach Gus Gadowsky pulled Autio for a sixth attacker. It was Ellis’ fourth multi-goal game of the season.

In between his two goals, Notre Dame got a power-play tally from Grant Silianoff at 3:01 of the second period and the game-winner from Landon Slaggert at 13:02 of the third period to offset two second-period goals by Penn State’s Adam Pilewicz (4:23) and Tyler Paquette (19:20) during a 19-10 shot barrage by the hosts.

Junior Jesse Lansdell added a pair of assists for Notre Dame, which concluded its two-game series with Penn State Saturday evening at Pegula where 5,639 were in attendance.

The Irish started slowly and trailed in shots 5-1 in the first 3:03 of the gane before finding themselves and outshooting the Nittany Lions the rest of the period 13-4 for a 14-9 advantage.

Penn State had the only power-play opportunity of the period when Zach Plucinski was called for tripping at 10:50. The Nittany Lions managed three shots which Bischel turned aside, the last by Kevin Wall at 12:28 of the period.

That also would be Penn State’s last shot on goal as the Irish then tested Autio six times. Four of the shots – by Landon Slaggert, Trevor Janicke, Ellis and Lansdell – came within 57 seconds of each other beginning at 14:26. The Penn State goalie then frustrated Pivonka and Lansdell in the final minute of the scoreless period.

But the Irish ended that frustration 37 seconds into the second period when Lansdell fed Pivonka, who centered to Ellis on the doorstep for the junior right wing’s team-leading 12th goal and a 1-0 Irish lead.

Penn State’s Connor Dyck then went off for kneeing and the Irish made it 2-0 when Lansdell and Stastney fed Grant Silianoff at the back door at 3:01.

But the Nittany Lions came roaring back and by period’s end had tied the game at 2-2. Adam Pilewicz’s slapper from the point got past a screened Bischel at 4:23, and the goal seemed to give the Nittany Lions the life they needed.

They would eventually outshoot Notre Dame 19-10 in the period, with Paquette tying the game at 19:20 of the period. Bischel finished with 17 saves in the period for 26, four more than Autio in the first 40 minutes.

Penn State got the first six shots of the third period before Notre Dame finally righted itself and got the game winner when defensemen Adam Karashik and Jake Boltmann set up Slaggert for the game-winner at 13:02.

NOTRE DAME 4, PENN STATE 2

At Pegula Ice Arena, University Park, Pennsylvania

Notre Dame  0-2-2—4

Penn State    0-2-0—2 

First Period—Scoring: None. Penalties: Notre Dame 1-2, Penn State 0-0.

Second Period—Scoring: 1. Notre Dame, Max Ellis 12 (Jake Pivonka, Jesse Lansdell) EV 0:37. 2. Notre Dame, Grant Silianoff 3 (Jesse Lansdell, Spencer Stastney) PP 3:01. 3. Penn State, Adam Pilewicz 2 (Connor MacEachern, Ben Schoen) EV 4:23. 4. Penn State, Tyler Paquette (unassisted) EV 19:20. Penalties: Notre Dame 1-2 (2-4), Penn State 1-2 (1-2).

Third Period—Scoring: 5. Notre Dame, Landon Slaggert 6 (Adam Karashik, Jake Boltmann) EV 13:02. 6. Notre Dame, Max Ellis 13 (unassisted) EN 18:09. Penalties (total): Notre Dame 1-2 (3-6), Penn State 2-4 (3-6).

Shots on goal: Notre Dame 34 (14-10-10), Penn State 40 (9-19-12).

Goalie saves: Notre Dame, Ryan Bischel 38 (9-17-12); Penn State, Oskar Autio 30 (14-8-8).

Power-play opportunities: Notre Dame 1 of 3, Penn State 0 of 3.

Faceoffs won: Notre Dame 34 (8-13-13), Penn State 41 (14-13-14).

Blocked shots: Notre Dame 16 (4-6-6), Penn State 10 (5-4-1).

Referees: Brett Sheva and Tom DellaFranco. Linesmen: Tommy George and Ryan Knapp. Attendance: 5,639 (6,014).

Records: Notre Dame 14-6-0 (7-4-0 Big Ten for 20 points), Penn State 12-9-0 (3-8-0 Big Ten for 8 points).

BIG TEN STANDINGS

(Conference)

Pts, GP, W-L-T, OW-OL, SW, GF-GA

Michigan 23, 12, 7-5-0, 0-2, 0, 45-34

Minnesota 22, 11, 7-4-0, 0-1, 0, 37-27

Notre Dame 20, 11, 7-4-0, 2-1, 0, 33-24

Ohio State 18, 10, 6-4-0, 0-0, 0, 32-24

Michigan State 14, 11, 5-6-0, 1-0, 0, 25-34

Wisconsin 9, 10, 3-7-0, 1-1, 0, 22-34

Penn State 8, 11, 3-8-0, 1-0, 0, 28-45

(Overall, W-L-T, .Pct, GF-GA)

Michigan 14-6-1, .690, 81-51; Minnesota 11-8-0, .579, 65-50; Notre Dame 14-6-0, .700, 68-38; Ohio State 14-6-0, .700, 74-44; Michigan State 11-9-1, .548, 49-54; Wisconsin 6-12-2, .350, 38-62; Penn State 12-9-0, .571, 72-65.

Friday, Jan. 7

Notre Dame 4, Penn State 2

Minnesota 4, Michigan State 1

Saturday, Jan. 8

Notre Dame at Penn State, 5 p.m.

Massachusetts at Michigan, 5 p.m.

Minnesota at Michigan State, 7:30 p.m.

Ohio State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 9

Massachusetts at Michigan, 4 p.m.

Ohio State at Wisconsin, 5 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 14

Notre Dame at Ohio State, 7 p.m.

Penn State at Michigan, 7:30 p.m.

Michigan State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.

Alaska at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 15

Alaska at Minnesota, 6 p.m.

Penn State at Michigan, 7 p.m.

Notre Dame at Ohio State, 8 p.m.

Michigan State at Wisconsin, 9 p.m.