PC Hockey Friars Can’t Beat the Luck of the Irish

PC news release…

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Cal Petersen turned aside all 38 shots he faced as Notre Dame edged the tenth-ranked Providence College Men’s Hockey team 2-0 on Friday night at the Compton Family Ice Arena (4,562).

Thomas DiPauli netted the power-play, game-winning goal for Notre Dame (13-14-4, 8-5-4 HEA), while Vince Hinostroza added a goal late in the third period.Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine) made 17 saves in the Providence (17-10-2, 9-7-1) net.   

Despite Providence dominating play in the early going, it was the Irish who scored first when DiPauli sent a snapshot past Gillies from the low slot while Notre Dame was on the power play. The goal, assisted by Hinostroza and Jordan Gross, was scored at 11:50. It snapped a streak of 27-consecutive penalty kills by the Friars and came with just four seconds remaining in the power-play chance.

The Friars went on to outshoot Notre Dame 12-5 in the first period, but the Irish held the 1-0 lead.

Providence continued the offensive pressure in the second but could not solve Petersen. Brian Pinho (North Andover, Mass.) tested him early on in the frame but Petersen kicked out his right pad to make the save on Pinho, who fired from the top of the near circle.

Brooks Behling (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had another great chance down low for the Friars midway through the period, but his backhander from outside the crease went just wide

With under a minute to play in the second, Brandon Tanev (Toronto, Ontario) spun around in the slot and fired a wrist shot on net but Petersen made his 15th save of the period.

In the Friar net, Gillies stopped all eight shots he faced to keep it a 1-0 game after two periods of play.

At 15:30 of the third period, Gillies made one of his best saves of the game when he denied Hinostroza on a breakaway attempt just after a Providence power-play chance had expired.

The Friars continued to search for a game-tying goal. With 5:06 left in the third, Petersen made one of his best saves of the game when he slid to his far post to deny Trevor Mingoia’s (Fairport, N.Y.) shot from the doorstep.

After several more Friar chances, Notre Dame extended its lead to 2-0 at 18:21 when Hinostroza knocked in a rebound in front after an initial shot by Anders Bjork

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The Friars pulled Gillies in favor of the extra attacker with time winding down but Petersen held on for his third career shutout.

Providence finished 0-for-3 on the power play, while Notre Dame was 1-for-3 with the man advantage.  

The Friars and Irish close out their weekend Hockey East series tomorrow night at 8:05 p.m. at the Compton Family Ice Arena in game that will also be televised on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN).

Notes
With Notre Dame’s first period power-play goal, Providence streak of consecutive penalty kills ended at 27 (which dated back to the Friars’ final penalty kill against Brown on Jan. 10) … Nick Saracino’s point streak was snapped at five games (4-6-10) … Providence was shutout for just the second time this season and first since Nov. 8, 2014 (L, 1-0 at Merrimack).