Notre Dame hockey bookended fall break with a four-game unbeaten streak. A two-game sweep of St. Lawrence (8-2, 3-0) opened the home schedule — and new head coach Brock Sheahan’s career at Compton Family Ice Arena — on a positive note. On the back side of the academic break, the Irish welcomed Robert Morris with a 6-3 victory but finished the weekend on a disappointing note, tying the Colonials 2-2.
Kempf earns first shutout
After a difficult start to the season — allowing five plus goals in each of Notre Dame’s first two games — sophomore goaltender Nick Kempf has settled in nicely over the last four games.
Game two against St. Lawrence marked his first career shutout, as the Irish blanked the Saints 3-0. Kempf stopped 26 Saints shots en route to his first win of the season.
Sheahan has frequently touted Kempf’s raw talent and ability, but the USA Hockey National Development Program product remains young. He appeared in 13 games for the Irish last season, posting a .895 save percentage. Sheahan has seemingly handed him the reins for good this year — only eight goaltenders in college hockey have played more minutes than Kempf to start the year.
The more comfortable Kempf gets in net, the higher Notre Dame’s ceiling this season rises. The last two weekends have provided evidence that he’s well on the right path.
Slow starts for skating Irish
In three out of Notre Dame’s last four contests, the Irish have conceded the first goal, at least. The Irish went down 2-0 in the first 10 minutes of game one against both St. Lawrence and Robert Morris, and also allowed the first goal in the first period of game two against the Colonials.
“I don’t think the maturity of our game is there yet, but that’s why we play these games and practice,” Sheahan said after the Irish conceded the first two in Friday night’s 6-3 over Robert Morris. “Overall, I thought it took us a while to truly get to how we are capable of playing, literally until the third period in a way.”
On Saturday night, it wasn’t Notre Dame’s start that was the issue. The Irish went down 1-0 in the first, but unlike their previous three wins, weren’t able to generate anything later in the contest.
“I actually thought we had a good start,” Sheahan said after Saturday’s tie. “We just didn’t sustain it. Credit [Robert Morris] ... They made it hard on us, and in my opinion, we didn’t break them down.”
Muzzatti lighting the lamp
The top goal scorer for Notre Dame through six games played: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduate transfer Sutter Muzzatti. Muzzatti scored three goals over the course of the series against Robert Morris, bringing his total this season to six.
“For a guy that size, you usually don’t have hockey sense to the level that he has. He’s reliable, you can put him in all situations, and he played to his capability almost the entire game tonight, maybe one shift I thought he could’ve done better,” Sheahan said after Muzzatti netted two goals in Friday’s win.
Muzzatti, whose four-year career with the Engineers was severely limited due to injury, graduated early from RPI. According to Sheahan, he has one year of eligibility in addition to this season with the Irish. He’s healthy, and playing like the imposing veteran Notre Dame needs.
“He’s tough to stop in practice, it’s not someone you want to go up against,” senior captain Michael Mastrodomenico said of Muzzatti Friday. “He has the longest stick in the league, and he uses his frame and his length so well.”
Muzzatti, for his part, seems to be enjoying the change of scenery — and the change in health — as well.
“Absolutely no complaints here,” Muzzatti said. “Campus is beautiful, academics are great, this program’s unreal. We have everything here to make us better and keep us healthy.”
No. 2 comes to town
Don’t look now, but Notre Dame’s next opponent, Michigan, was rated No. 2 in the nation in Monday’s U.S. College Hockey Online poll.
The Wolverines are 7-1, with their only loss last weekend to defending national champions Western Michigan. They sport the nation’s most goals per game (5.8) and fewest goals against per game (1.5) and are looking like a wagon.
In years past, Notre Dame has been a thorn in the side of Michigan’s most talented teams. Another new chapter of the rivalry begins this weekend.
