Notre Dame’s season will come down to the third and final game of its Big Ten quarterfinal series with Minnesota after losing Game 2, 2-1, on Saturday. The winner of Sunday’s contest will play top-seeded Penn State in next weekend’s semifinals.
It took only 84 seconds for the Gophers to get on the board when Ryan Zuhlsdorf scored off a high-slot pass from Sammy Walker. The 1-0 score held firm until early in the third period, when Cullen Munson scored his second goal of the season for a 2-0 lead. Halfway through the frame, Cam Morrison tallied a power-play goal for the Irish, the ninth playoff goal of his career, and that was the last time a puck found the back of either net. Cale Morris, who had 18 saves, was pulled with a minute and a half remaining, but nothing came of it.
The Irish outshot the Gophers, 31-20, but were frustrated by stellar play in net from Jack LaFontaine.