UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Despite 34 saves from Dylan St. Cyr, Notre Dame dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to Penn State on Thursday night at the Pegula Ice Arena.
The Irish had taken a 1-0 lead on Alex Steeves’ team-leading eighth goal of the season midway through the second period but Penn State tied it up in the third and then won in 3-on-3 overtime on an Alex Limoges tally.
“They are hard to play against and I thought we did a good job for the most part,” Fighting Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said. “I thought both goalies played well. I thought Dylan did a good job for us, I don’t know if he saw the first one and the second one was just a great shot.”
Nittany Lions goaltender Oskar Autio totaled 31 saves, including all 16 shots he faced in the first period, to earn the win. St. Cyr’s 34 saves marked a season-high total.
Both teams finished 0-for-1 on the power play.
How It Happened
The Fighting Irish put together a strong first period, outshooting Penn State 16-8, but Oskar Autio kept it scoreless through the first 20 minutes.
Notre Dame’s chances included Colin Theisen’s pair of backhanded looks, while Alex Steeves was denied on the doorstep and Grant Silianoff’s wrister from the slot was stopped with seven minutes left in the first.
Just over two minutes into the second, St. Cyr made a glove stop on Tyler Gratton for one of his best saves of the period.
Chances came at both ends as the period wore on, including back-to-back chances by Ryder Rolston and Solag Bakich from the top of the goal crease at 7:27.
Alex Steeves broke the deadlock at 12:01 of the second period when he knocked home a rebound in front after Nate Clurman’s shot from the point was saved by Autio. Graham Slaggert had the other assist on the goal, which was Steeves’ team-leading eighth of the season.
The Irish took that 1-0 lead to the locker room after two periods of play.
The Nittany Lions went on their first power play of the game early in the third but the Notre Dame penalty kill held Penn State without a shot on goal during the two minute man advantage.
Penn State was able to tie it up at 1-1 when Clayton Phillips’ shot from the point deflected through a screen in front at 6:10 of the third.
With time winding down in the third, Landon Slaggert had a chance at the far post after a quick passing sequence from Clurman and Graham Slaggert, but his stick snapped and the teams headed to overtime tied at 1-1.
In the 3-on-3 overtime, Theisen had Notre Dame’s best chance when he beat the Penn State defense but didn’t have quite enough room to get a shot off before Autio smothered it.
Then with 1:52 left, Penn State won it on an Alex Limoges goal from the low slot as he redirected a pass from Phillips.
Notes
- Tonight’s game kicked off a swing of eight of Notre Dame’s next 10 games coming on the road.
- Senior Matt Hellickson skated in his 134th-consecutive game, dating back to the first game of his freshman season.
- With a goal, Alex Steeves has now recorded at least one point in 12 of Notre Dame’s 17 games and he has a two-game goal scoring streak (2-0-2).
- With an assist, Graham Slaggert now has a two-game point streak (0-2-2).
Next Up
- Notre Dame and Penn State close out their two-game series Friday.