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Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Observer

Offense struggles in 3-1 loss

Another game, same old story.Despite another good game in goal by Morgan Cey, the Irish offense wasn't able to step it up and could only score one goal for the third straight game as Notre Dame (1-5-2, 0-4-1 in CCHA) lost 3-1 to Bowling Green (4-1-0, 2-1-0) Thursday night.In their eight games so far this season, the Irish have only scored a total of 11 goals. In the critical third period of games, they have only scored one, and Thursday night was no different as the Falcons scored two goals in the third to break a 1-1 tie and come away with the victory while the Irish were held scoreless in the final 20 minutes.Two of the Falcons' three goals were power play tallies, as the Irish penalty kill continued to struggle on the road. In their last road conference series, Notre Dame allowed a total of six power play goals in two games against Miami of Ohio.Cey ended the game with 34 saves, while Jordan Sigalet made 30 in net for Bowling Green. Of the 11 goals Cey has allowed this season, only four have come at even-strength.The Falcons got on the board first with a power play goal a little less than seven minutes into the game. Derek Whitmore notched the tally at 6:50 of the first period to give the home team a 1-0 lead. That lead lasted into the first intermission, as the Irish survived being outshot 17-9 by Bowling Green in the first period.Notre Dame tied the game back up in the second period, as freshman forward Mark Van Guilder scored his first game of the season. The goal was assisted by Cory McLean, and allowed the Irish to go into the second intermission with a tie game and a newfound momentum.Dana Hanson's power play goal at 8:10 of the third period helped temper the Irish momentum somewhat, and Alex Foster's goal at 16:21 all but extinguished Notre Dame's hopes for its first road victory of the season.The Irish pulled Cey late in the game on the power play, but were unable to score on the 5-on-3 advantage, only getting off one shot on the power play.Notre Dame returns home Friday to take on the Falcons in the second game of the home-and-home series. Face-off is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. at the Joyce Center.