Notre Dame hockey is gearing up for No. 2 Wisconsin, an impressive Big 10 opponent who has steadily climbed the rankings.
Over Thanksgiving break, the Irish traveled to Massachusetts to face Merrimack College and No. 15 Boston College. The Irish split the road trip, earning an electric 5-4 win over Merrimack. Two days later, the Irish fell 5-3 to Boston College, despite getting on the board first with a power play goal by junior forward Danny Nelson.
The weekend before Thanksgiving, the Badgers traveled to No. 3 Michigan State and won both games. The first was a 5-4 victory, followed by a thrilling 2-1 victory in overtime.
Against Boston College, Notre Dame was able to score one goal in each period. The consistency of the Irish offensive production is vital for a team that has struggled to maintain momentum for an entire game. As predicted, the Irish have grown steadier and more consistent, and their ability to stay focused and search for scoring opportunities against a powerhouse like Boston College will prove valuable as the season progresses. Junior forward Evan Werner led the Irish offensive effort with one goal and one assist while sophomore goaltender Nick Kempf recorded 29 high-quality saves from an Eagles team that is notorious for precise shots.
Scoring has been an area for improvement for the Irish, especially when preparing for a high-scoring team like Wisconsin. Graduate student forward Sutter Muzzatti leads the Irish in points, with seven goals and six assists, and juniors defenseman Paul Fischer and forward Cole Knuble tallied nine assists each. Notre Dame has struggled with scoring, being outscored by opponents 39-49, but the quality of its goals is its strength. Most shots are precise snipes from a distance and come off the sticks of brilliant playmakers like Fischer and Knuble, proving that when the Irish score, they score in excellent fashion.
Regardless, Wisconsin is a team who centers its style of play around scoring fast and strong, with lethal puck movement and communication that leaves defenses scrambling to anticipate its next moves. Senior forward Christian Fitzgerald leads the Badgers with nine goals and four assists, and sophomore forward Gavin Morrissey takes the title of playmaker with three goals and 10 assists. The Badgers significantly outscore their opponents in most games, with a 55-34 goal comparison.
Despite their different records, Notre Dame and Wisconsin have similar styles of play. The upcoming matchups are going to be decided based on penalty minutes, power play goal statistics and goaltender performance.
The Irish have a tendency to rack up penalties, accruing 193 minutes, far higher than the 145 combined minutes of their opponents. Notre Dame recorded 13 power-play goals this season, and they have only allowed eight of the same kind. Wisconsin is similar on the ice, with 196 minutes compared to their opponents’ 259. The teams have served similar minutes, but when compared to their opponents, Notre Dame serves proportionately more.
The Irish have proven they can capitalize on power-play goals, and the one-man advantage is the edge the Irish need to find the back of the net. The Irish are a small team in terms of size, and they know they must capitalize on as many advantages as possible, especially when facing the dominant defensemen in the Big 10. The Badgers have more than doubled their opponents’ production on the powerplay, with 19 goals for Wisconsin and only eight for its opponents.
The Irish must be successful in limiting their penalties, especially errant high-sticks and unnecessary tripping calls, so they do not give up any goals to a Wisconsin team that can and will take advantage.
Goaltending is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the upcoming games. In net for the Irish, Kempf has played all 14 games and has a .902 save percentage, which is less than Wisconsin freshman goaltender Daniel Hauser, who has a .913 save percentage in 12 of Wisconsin’s 14 games. Interestingly, Hauser was not in the projected lineup for Team Canada in the upcoming 2026 World Juniors Tournament, whereas Kempf is projected to start for Team USA, a significant difference in the quality of the goaltenders. On paper, Hauser holds the better record, but Kempf has made 415 saves in comparison to Hauser’s 272. Between the two goaltenders, Kempf blocks harder, more impressive shots than Hauser and the matchup between the two will determine who emerges victorious.
The Irish take the ice against the Badgers at 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday in Compton Family Ice Arena.