Another line, another goalie shine for No. 2 Irish skaters

OMAHA, Neb. — No. 2 Notre Dame got a big night from another forward line and sophomore goalie Dylan St. Cyr stopped 20 of 21 shots as the Irish skated to a 4-1 victory over Omaha Friday night before 6,209 fans at Baxter Arena.

Junior center Mike O’Leary, junior left wing Cam Morrison and freshman right wing Michael Graham each scored a goal and the trio totaled six points. Notre Dame (2-0-1) also got a third-period shorthanded goal from senior center Jack Jenkins.

St. Cyr was making his first start since facing the Mavericks last Oct. 26 in South Bend as Irish coach Jeff Jackson decided to give junior All-American Cale Morris a rest. Morris backstopped the Irish to a 6-6 overtime tie (and 1-0 shootout win) over Mercyhurst and a 3-0 shutout of Providence last weekend as Notre Dame won the Ice Breaker Tournament in Erie, Pa.

The Irish and Mavericks (0-2-1) were set to meet again Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET.

Morrison gave the Irish a 1-0 lead at 4:26 of the first period when he scored from a pass off the end boards by defenseman Tory Dello. Dello’s blueline partner Bobby Nardella also assisted on the goal.

Omaha tied the game on Fredrik Olofsson’s power-play goal at 6:00, but O’Leary put the Irish up for good at 17:08 when he tipped home a pass from Dello. Morrison also assisted.

Five minutes into the second period, St. Cyr kept the Irish in front when he made a right pad save as Omaha’s Cole Pickup skated in on a breakaway.

Then Graham notched the first goal of his career at 9:59 of the second to extend the Notre Dame lead to 3-1 after two periods of play. O’Leary intercepted a pass in the high slot and fed Graham, who worked a give-and-go with Morrison.

In the third, Notre Dame’s penalty kill came up big, blanking the Mavericks on their three chances and with Jenkins adding his first career shorthanded tally. Freshman Graham Slaggert forced a turnover and Jenkins picked up the errant pass, skated in and beat Omaha goalie Evan Weninger at 17:55.

The Irish outshot the Mavericks 41-21 for the game, including 24-8 in the second period. Notre Dame went 0-for-3 on the power play; Omaha finished 1-for-6.