By james art 
Saturday’s slump continues for Notre Dame hockey.
After a 1-2 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday, the Irish are now winless in their last three Saturday games. Their third straight series split ends a three-week homestand in which the Irish entered each series finale with a chance to win. Each time against Alaska, Long Island and Wisconsin, Notre Dame failed to do so.
This weekend provided the Irish with more questions than answers. For starters, graduate point guard Zach Pluchinski’s elbowing penalty with 21 seconds left in a 2-2 tie put Notre Dame’s usually steady performance Friday in jeopardy of going into overtime. It took a Wisconsin foul penalty and a goal by red-hot sophomore forward Cole Knuble to salvage two points in a 3-2 overtime victory.
Kudos to the Badgers for the good response. They didn’t want to leave the ice after Knuble scored the game-winning goal, believing officials missed an interference call on Irish sophomore forward Danny Nelson that allowed the goal to go in. The loss dropped Wisconsin to 1-6, but they recovered off the mat Saturday. The Badgers sought revenge in the most efficient way possible, beating Notre Dame on every puck, stifling the Irish offense and frustrating Notre Dame’s special teams. Unlike Friday, when they got off to a slow start, the Badgers were the better team from start to finish Saturday night.
But it’s becoming a familiar story for Notre Dame. Notre Dame has already spent three weeks at home, winning ugly on Friday and struggling to find a rhythm on Saturday. Veteran Irish head coach Jeff Jackson even decided to go to his hottest goaltender, junior Owen Seay, on a nightly night for the first time all season in hopes of changing the mood on Saturday night. With a .960 save percentage through five games, Say was one of the hottest goaltenders in the country to start the season, but couldn’t help the Irish buck the trend.
“I know we can be better,” Jackson said. “It’s going to be a bit of a process for us. We’re going through some growing pains with some of the guys we have.”
Notre Dame will now have to find itself on the road. Next week, the Irish will begin a two-week road trip that includes stops at No. 11 Michigan and No. 3 Michigan State.
The Wolverines last weekend beat No. 5 Boston University at Agganis Arena and are finding their stride off to a 5-2-1 start. The Spartans haven’t been in action, but are 5-1 to start the year. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. With Big Ten conference play just beginning, only time will tell for Notre Dame.
Friday: Notre Dame 3, Wisconsin 2 (OT)
Notre Dame got off on the right foot to start the streak. His strong start led to a goal by sophomore defenseman Henry Nelson, assisted by his brother Danny (and graduate forward Blake Biondi, 7:38 into the first period). Wisconsin improved as the period went on and continued to play better in the second period with nothing to show for it.
That all changed after an interference call against Notre Dame. On the power play, rookie forward Ryan Botterill deflected a point shot into the net for his first career goal, tying the game (assists to Logan Hensler and Tyson Dyke at 15:02 of the second period). Wisconsin was at its best in the minutes after Botterill’s goal. Graduate forward Owen Lindmark thought he had given the Badgers the lead when he slipped from the goal line past Say (assists to Ben Dexheimer and Kyle Kukonen at 18:16 of the second), but sophomore forward Brennan Alley scored 31 seconds later for to tie the game (assists by junior guard Axel Kumlin and senior guard Ryan Helliwell at 18:47 of second period). Notre Dame pulled out of the second period tied despite a 21-7 margin against it.
Neither team scored in the third period, but Wisconsin dictated the game. Pluchinski’s penalty gave Wisconsin a 4-on-3 game going into overtime, but the Irish were able to kill it. Wisconsin then committed a disciplinary foul of its own as freshman forward Gavin Morrissey was whistled for tripping. On the ensuing power play, Knuble waltzed across the blue line and scored the game-winning goal.
Saturday: Wisconsin 2, Notre Dame 1
Wisconsin came out ready to play in game two, outscoring the Irish 16-7 over the course of the opening frame. The opening goal was almost scored as Dyke’s shot went through Sei’s arm and sat on the goal line. The referees signaled a goal, but after a long review, they determined that the puck had not crossed the line.
Undeterred, the Badgers continued to press until Lindmark opened the scoring early in the second with his second goal in as many nights (assists to Kukonen and Weston Knox at 5:34 of the second period). Notre Dame’s forwards couldn’t answer, but Helliwell did. He beat senior netminder Tommy Scarfone at the line to tie the game (Knuble and Kumlin assists at 12:26 of the second). The stalemate would continue until the waning moments of the period, when junior forward Simon Tassey connected on the power play to give Wisconsin the lead for good (assists by Christian Fitzgerald and Dexheimer at 19:25 of the second).
Notre Dame had several chances in the third, including Knuble hitting one off the iron. Still, Scarfone only had to make six saves to pick up the win for Wisconsin.