Hockey: Galajda and Janicke lead No. 11 Notre Dame to 3-2 victory for split at Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. – Goalie Matthew Galajda made 30 saves, 15 of them in a busy first period, and Trevor Janicke’s 12th goal of the season at 7:44 of the third period proved to be the game-winner as the No. 11 Notre Dame hockey team won 3-2 over Wisconsin Sunday night to split the teams’ Big Ten Conference series.
A night after the Irish outshot the Badgers 19-5 but trailed 3-1 after the first period on the way to a 5-3 setback despite a 41-15 shot advantage, coach Jeff Jackson’s Irish never trailed after taking the lead on junior left wing Jesse Lansdell’s power-play goal 2:02 into the contest played before an announced crowd of 10,934 on the Bob Johnson Ice Rink in the Kohl Center.
► More:Trevor Janicke’s goal spree has others taking notice at Notre Dame
► More:Notre Dame's Graham scoring in new role as No. 11 Irish hockey team visits Wisconsin
Janicke, a junior right wing, and senior defenseman Spencer Stastney had assists on Lansdell’s goal that found the back of the net through the legs of Wisconsin junior goalie Jared Moe, who finished with 31 saves after stopping 38 shots Saturday night. It was the sixth multi-point game for Janicke this season and the 10th in his career.
Freshman center Hunter Strand made it 2-0 at 6:37 of the second period off assists from Janicke’s freshman brother Justin and grad senior Jack Adams. The shot by Strand came from the faceoff circle to Moe’s left and beat the Wisconsin goalie on his glove side.
Ten minutes later, Wisconsin’s Mathieu De St. Phalle scored a power-play goal, the first surrendered by Notre Dame’s nation-leading penalty-kill units since a 4-1 loss at Ohio State on Jan. 15. It ended a string of 24 straight penalty kills by the Irish, who have now stopped 101 of 109 man-advantages by the opposition (92.7 percent) this season.
But the Irish regained their two-goal cushion at 7:44 of the third period when Trevor Janicke got his stick on Jake Boltman’s shot from the point and tipped it past Moe for a 3-1 Irish lead. Jake Pivonka also received an assist on the goal.
The Badgers again cut the Irish lead to one when Zach Urdahl scored an even-strength goal at 12:53. But Wisconsin would get no closer. Badgers coach Tony Granato pulled Moe for a sixth attacker at 18:14, but 15 seconds later Wisconsin senior Roman Ahcan received a five-minute elbowing major and game misconduct which allowed the Irish to finish the game on the power play.
The victory was the 11th this season for Galajda, who is a grad transfer from Cornell where he won 60 times in three seasons (he did not play last season because Ivy League schools did not compete because of the COVID-19 pandemic) and twice was a finalist for the Mike Richter Goaltender of the Year award.
Notre Dame, which improved to 21-9-0 overall and 13-7-0 in the Big Ten for 35 points, remained in fourth place in the league, seven points behind third-place Ohio State. The Irish travel to Michigan State for a Friday-Saturday series. Both games have 7 p.m. faceoffs. The regular season ends Feb. 25-26 when the Irish play host to first-place Michigan (45 points), which is two points ahead of second-place Minnesota.
If the Irish do not move up in the standings, they will host the fifth-place team in a best-of-three first-round playoff series March 4-6 and could end up playing the Badgers (9-20-3 overall, 6-15-1 Big Ten) again. Wisconsin (20 points), Penn State (17) and Michigan State (14) trail the Irish.
NOTRE DAME 3, WISCONSIN 2
At Bob Johnson Rink in Kohl Center, Madison, WIsconsin
Notre Dame | 1 | 1 |1—3
Wisconsin | 0 | 1 | 1—2
First Period—Scoring: 1. Notre Dame, Jesse Lansdell 7 (Trevor Janicke, Spencer Stastney) PP 2:02. Penalties: Notre Dame 1-2, Wisconsin 1-2.
Second Period—Scoring: 2. Notre Dame, Hunter Strand 6 (Justin Janicke, Jack Adams) EV 6:37. 3. Wisconsin, Mathieu De St. Phalle 10 (Corson Ceulemans, Brock Caufield) PP 16:37. Penalties (total): Notre Dame 2-4 (3-6), Wisconsin 0-0 (1-2).
Third Period—Scoring: 4. Notre Dame, Trevor Janicke 12 (Jake Boltmann, Jake Pivonka) EV 7:44. 5. Wisconsin, Zach Urdahl 3 (Caden Brown, Sam Stange) EV 12:53. Penalties (total): Notre Dame 1-2 (4-8), Wisconsin 2-15 (3-17).
Shots on goal: Notre Dame 34 (8-13-13), Wisconsin 32 (15-9-8).
Goalie saves: Notre Dame, Matthew Galajda 30 (15-8-7), Wisconsin, Jared Moe 31 (7-12-12).
Power-play opportunities: Notre Dame 1 of 2, Wisconsin 1 of 4.
Faceoffs won: Notre Dame 29 (8-9-12), Wisconsin 28 (8-11-9).
Blocked shots: Notre Dame 9 (4-3-2), Wisconsin 11 (4-6-1).
Referees: Joseph Carusone and Kevin Corbett. Linesmen: Nick Bradshaw and Sam Shikowsky.
Attendance: 10,934 (15,359).
Records: Notre Dame 21-9-0 (13-7-0 Big Ten for 35 points), Wisconsin 9-20-3 (6-15-1 Big Ten for 20 points).
BIG TEN STANDINGS
(Conference)
Pts, GP, W-L-T, SOW, OW-OL, GF-GA
Michigan 45, 20, 14-6-0, 0, 0-3, 81-50
Minnesota 43, 20, 14-6-0, 0, 1-2, 68-45
Ohio State 42, 22, 13-7-2, 1, 1-1, 73-51
Notre Dame 35, 20, 13-7-0, 0, 5-1, 62-50
Wisconsin 20, 22, 6-15-1, 0, 1-2, 53-83
Penn State 17, 20, 5-14-1, 1, 1-1, 52-78
Michigan State 14, 20, 5-15-0, 0, 1-0, 43-75
(Overall, W-L-T, .Pct, GF-GA)
Michigan 23-7-1, .758, 125-70; Minnesota 19-11-0, .633, 102-72; Ohio State 21-9-2, .688, 115-71; Notre Dame 21-9-0, .700, 105-66; Wisconsin 9-20-3, .328, 69-111; Penn State 14-15-1, .483, 96-98; Michigan State 11-18-1, .383, 67-95.
Friday, Feb. 11
Minnesota 3, Ohio State 2
Michigan 6, Michigan State 2
Saturday, Feb. 12
Wisconsin 5, Notre Dame 3
Minnesota 5, Ohio State 1
Michigan 7, Michigan State 3
Sunday, Feb. 13
Notre Dame 3, Wisconsin 2
Friday, Feb. 18
Notre Dame at Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Penn State, 6:30 p.m.
Ohio State at Michigan, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 19
Notre Dame at Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Penn State, 6 p.m.
Ohio State at Michigan, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 25
Michigan at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m.
Penn State at Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Wisconsin at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 26
Michigan at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.
Penn State at Michigan State
Wisconsin at Minnesota