Notre Dame and Michigan State split their two-game series over the weekend, concluding the first half of the college hockey schedule.

Notre Dame won the first game, 2-1 in a shootout. Then, Michigan State took a high scoring Game 2, 4-3 in overtime.

But, some of the issues Head Coach Jeff Jackson brought up last week plagued the Fighting Irish again. “Our power-play is really letting us down,” Jackson said. “We’re trying to use personnel that we think gives us the best chance [of scoring] but we’re going to have to take a hard look at it.”

All of the Notre Dame’s goals came at even strength. They also killed all four of their penalties in the two-game series. However, Jackson reiterated his desire for stronger goaltending.

“We need more consistency in goal,” Jackson said. “We need to be able to get a 92 save percentage on our team in order to have a chance to win games that are close like this.”

Goaltending was the story in Game 1, but not for Notre Dame. Michigan State goalie Drew DeRidder made 47 saves through three periods and overtime. However, Max Ellis and Nick Lievermann beat him in the shootout to secure the extra point for the Fighting Irish. Tommy Apap scored in the first period for Michigan State, then Alex Steeves tied the game in the second for Notre Dame.

DeRidder has been lights out all season. In eight games, he has a 1.96 GAA and a .940 SV% despite a 3-3-2 record. He’s only allowed 11 goals at even strength all season, a testament to the team’s defensive prowess.

Notre Dame’s Ryan Bischel was solid in net as well. He stopped a more modest 19 of shots and two more in the shootout in Game 1. But, he allowed four goals on 24 shots in Game 2. Bischel ended the weekend with a 2-2-1 record, a 2.58 GAA and .903 SV%. His counterpart Dylan St. Cyr ends the first half 2-3-0 with a 2.82 GAA and .887 SV%.

Graham Slaggert’s third goal of the season opened the flood gates for Notre Dame on Sunday. Michigan State answered with goals from Charlie Combs and Mitch Lewandowski. Notre Dame came back with two more from Grant Silianoff and Michael Graham. Then Tommy Apap tied the game late in the third before Tommy Miller won the game on a beautiful goal in overtime.

END-TO-END MILLER pic.twitter.com/VIoSCPvkOB

— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) December 21, 2020

Despite the back and forth affair in Game 2, Jackson felt his team played well. “I thought we controlled the pace of the game for the majority of the game,” Jackson said. “They scored some timely goals, they got a chance and they finished.”

The result catapulted Notre Dame to third in the Big Ten standings, even though they dropped below .500. Michigan State sits in 6th place but with two games in hand heading into the second half of the season.

Jeff Jackson felt he could have gotten more considering how the effort he believed his team displayed. “I thought we played two pretty good hockey games and to just come out with three points is disappointing,” Jackson said.

The Big Ten announced Notre Dame’s second half schedule. It starts January 9th against Arizona State and concludes March 6th against last place Penn State. Notre Dame will also play first place Minnesota four times. The Fighting Irish will travel to East Lansing, Michigan, for a rematch with the Spartans February 26th and 27th.

Ben Baruch

Born and raised on Long Island. Isles fan since 2009. Studying journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.