UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Notre Dame used four-straight goals including two over the first three minutes of the third period to pull away and defeat Penn State, 4-2, in Big Ten Conference action at Pegula Ice Arena on Saturday night.
Penn State drops to 2-7-1 on the year and 0-3-1 in Big Ten play while the Irish improve to 4-6-0 on the year and 2-2-0 in conference action following the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Penn State opened the scoring as sophomore Justin Poirier collected the puck in the neutral zone and with a great individual effort set up classmate Jackson Smith in the high slot and the defenseman set a wrister through traffic and past Irish net-minder Patrick Quinlan for the 1-0 edge at 14:07 of the first period.
- Notre Dame tied the contest early in the second period as Hagen Burrows slipped a beautiful backhand pass from behind the net to Carter Slaggert atop the goal crease and he didn’t miss bringing the game even 1-1 just 39 ticks into the stanza.
- The Irish then took the lead late in the frame as Danny Nelson collected the puck all alone in the low slot and ripped a wrister past the glove of Nittany Lion sophomore goaltender Josh Fleming for the 2-1 advantage at the 16:47 mark.
- The visitors extended the lead to a pair just 32 ticks into the final frame as Sammy Nelson took the puck away from Fleming behind the net and connected with his brother Danny Nelson out front and he didn’t miss the yawning net for the 3-1 lead.
- A neutral zone turnover led to another Irish goal as Panayionti Fimis picked the far corner over the glove of Fleming for the 4-1 advantage at 2:32 of the third period.
- Penn State cut the deficit to a pair with a powerplay goal as senior Dane Dowiak laced a wrist shot shortside off the bar and in from below the right dot for the 4-2 score at 15:16 of the third period.
GOALTENDING
Fleming made 25 saves while following to 1-4-1 with the loss while Quinlan turned aside 36-of-38 shots in the victory.
NOTES
- Penn State held the 38-29 edge in shots on goal while going 1-for-3 on the man-advantage and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
- With his first period assist Poirier extends his career-long point streak to seven games as he now has points in all but one game so far this season.
- With a goal and assist, Smith secures his third multi-point effort of the season and the 10th of his career. His goal marks the 14th of his career putting him just one shy of Luke Juha ’16 for fourth on the all-time goals list for Nittany Lion defensemen.
- Also with one goal and one assist, Dowiak secures his second multi-point game of the season and the 11th of his career.
NEXT UP
Penn State hits the road to begin a mini two-week, four-game road stint with a trip to Ann Arbor to battle No. 2 Michigan on Friday and Saturday evening.
For more information on the 2026-27 season, visit the men's hockey page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.