OMAHA, Neb. – No. 2 Notre Dame spoiled the Omaha hockey team's home-opening weekend, winning 8-2 on Saturday night to complete the two-game sweep.
The Mavericks fell to 0-3-1 on the season while the Fighting Irish improved to 3-0-1. Notre Dame won 4-1 on Friday.
Similar to Friday's game, the Fighting Irish scored early in the first when Joe Wegwerth slid home his third of the year at 3:26.
Dylan Malmquist added a power play goal at 6:17, and Wegwerth tipped in a shot by Bobby Nardella late in the period to put Notre Dame up 3-0 at the first break.
Notre Dame stretched its lead in the second period on a pair of unassisted goals by Cal Burke, the latter shorthanded, to make it 5-0 after two.
The Fighting Irish tacked on goals from Malmquist and Nardella in the first 1:18 of the third period before the Mavericks finally broke through.
Riley Alferd forced a turnover, feeding
Mason Morelli for a power play goal at 7:14.
Nardella scored again shorthanded at 8:59 but less than a minute later,
Chayse Primeau tallied his first collegiate goal, knocking in the rebound of a shot by
Kevin Conley at 9:53 to make it 8-2.
Matej Tomek, in his first start for the Mavericks, took the loss with five goals against on 15 shots.
Alex Blankenburg finished up, making nine saves on 12 shots in nearly 30 minutes of work.
Cal Morris stopped 31 shots for Notre Dame as the Mavericks outshot the Fighting Irish, 33-27.
The Mavericks are back on the road next weekend for a non-conference series at Arizona State. The two teams square off on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-27, in Tempe, Ariz.
NOTES:
- The Mavericks were swept in their home-opening weekend for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
- With Morelli's power play goal, the Mavericks have now registered a power play goal in all four games this season.
- Morelli's goal also extending his point-scoring streak to four games.
- Primeau's goal was the first by the Mavericks' group of six freshmen.
- The Mavericks finished the night 1-for-9 on the power play while Notre Dame went 1-for-5.
- Omaha has not posted a home win against Notre Dame since November of 2006.
Three Stars: 1. Cal Burke – ND (2-3-5); 2. Bobby Nardella – ND (2-3-5); 3. Joe Wegwerth – ND (2 goals)