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Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Observer

Summerhays rebounds to shut out Northeastern

The No. 15 Irish used a shutout from senior goaltender Steven Summerhays in a 3-0 win Saturday to gain a series split with No. 11 Northeastern after dropping Friday’s contest 4-0.

Freshman center Vince Hinostroza skates ahead against Northeastern in Notre Dame's 4-0 loss Friday.
Michael Yu
Freshman center Vince Hinostroza skates ahead against Northeastern in Notre Dame's 4-0 loss Friday.
 

Summerhays — who gave up four goals on just seven shots before being pulled Friday — made 36 saves Saturday en route to his Division I-leading fifth shutout of the season.

“Tonight I was able to get into the game a little more,” Summerhays said. “I was able to feel the puck early and that helped my confidence.”

Notre Dame (15-9-1, 4-6-1 Hockey East) got on the board six minutes into the game Saturday as freshman center Vince Hinostroza scored his sixth goal of the season, converting on a cross-ice pass from sophomore forward Mario Lucia.

“We got a quick goal off the beginning and then we fed off that,” Lucia said. “I saw [Hinostroza] and it’s a play you work on every day in practice.”

Several minutes later, just six seconds into an Irish power play, Lucia followed up on his assist with a career-high 13th goal of the season after being set up by junior forward Austin Wuthrich and Hinostroza at the 10:17 mark of the first period.

In the second period, junior forward Peter Schneider, who also recorded an assist on the Hinostroza goal, completed a trio of goals for the third-line teammates when he received the puck from senior captain and forward Jeff Costello and senior defenseman Kevin Lind to tally a shorthanded goal 4:45 into the second period.

Irish senior goaltender Steven Summerhays picks up his stick in Friday's 4-0 loss to Northeastern. Summerhays made 36 saves in Saturday's 3-0 shutout win.
Irish senior goaltender Steven Summerhays picks up his stick in Friday's 4-0 loss to Northeastern. Summerhays made 36 saves in Saturday's 3-0 shutout win.
 

“I thought that Hinostroza’s line was much better tonight,” Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said. “Schneider’s been playing much better for us this season and I thought he might help that line with some speed.”

The Irish had a potential second shorthanded goal waved off at the end of the second period after time had expired. Despite committing six penalties on the evening, the penalty-kill unit was able to hold Northeastern (15-8-1, 8-5-1) without a goal in addition to creating chances on its own.

On Friday evening, Northeastern took advantage of its opportunities and scored four times in their first seven shots to gain a 4-0 victory.

The Huskies got on the board inside the first six minutes when Huskies junior forward Adam Reid blocked a shot at the blue line and took it the rest of the way, finishing top-shelf on the breakaway at the 5:46 mark.

It took just 2:13 more for Northeastern to go up 2-0 as Reid parked himself in front of the net and netted his second goal of the game.

“You give up a breakaway goal and a two-on-one in the first 10 minutes and we’re down 2-0,” Jackson said. “That dictates everything.”

Northeastern added a third goal just 1:44 into the second when Huskies freshman forward Mike Szmatula tallied his 10th of the season on a power play goal.

Following the goal, Costello earned himself a 10-minute misconduct penalty after shooting the puck in frustration.

“I was upset because my guy scored the goal,” Costello said. “I think the ref thought I was shooting at him.”

Reid’s linemate Mike McMurty scored on Northeastern’s seventh shot of the night at 11:26 of the second period, running Summerhays out of the game in favor of freshman goaltender Chad Katunar who would go on to make seven saves the remainder of the game to keep it at 4-0.

The Irish travel to Durham, N.H., to take on New Hampshire next weekend in a two-game series before returning to the Compton Family Ice Arena for a home series with Maine on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8.

 

Contact Alex Carson at acarson1@nd.edu