UMD – Notre Dame Tie Again

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

A little over 24 hours after the University of Minnesota Duluth and the University of Notre Dame had played to a 3-3 tie in their series opener, the two clubs duplicated that result in the rematch. But unlike Friday night when the host Irish overcame a two-goal deficit to salvage the deadlock, this time it was the Bulldogs turn to do the same

Senior center Tony Cameranesi figured in on all three goals, scoring twice in the second period and then assisting on Neal Pionk‘s game-tying tally early in the third as No. 5 UMD erased a 3-1 Notre Dame lead at the Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Ind.

The Irish’s Dylan Malmquist got the only goal of the opening period with a sharp angle shot near the lower edge of the left faceoff circle. Notre Dame (1-1-2 overall) made it 2-0 just under five minutes into the second period when Thomas DiPauli cashed in on the power play before Cameranesi got the Bulldogs (2-1-2) on the board with a nifty backhand-to-forhand deke move and stuffing the puck low on the blocker side of Notre Dame netminder Cal Peterson.

Malquist needed just 29 seconds to answer, however, and put the Irish up by two again. Midway through that same period, Cameranesi whacked in Karson Kuhlman‘s rebound to cut the lead in half and capped off the fourth, three-goal night of his career.

With 16:15 to go in regulation, Cameranesi fed a pass back to Pionk on the right point and the rookie’s blast found its way through traffic and into the back of the Irish net for his first goal with the Bulldogs.

    
Cameranesi, Pionk (one goal and one assists), junior winger Austin Farley (two assists) became the first Bulldogs to post a multi-point evening this season.

Both Cameranesi and junior defenseman Willie Raskob put a game-high seven shots on net. UMD outshot Notre Dame 42-30 (including 19-9 in the second period) on the night and 84-59 on the weekend.

UMD will be back at AMSOIL Arena next Friday and Saturday to face a second straight Hockey East member, the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

The No. 7 River Hawks, who are off to an unbeaten 3-0-2 start in 201516, also skated away with a pair of ties this weekend (1-1 both Friday and Saturday)  in their home-and-home league series with Merrimack College.

NOTES: Tony Cameranesi extended his personal scoring streak to five games and has collected two goals and five assists during that stretch. Cameranesi and Farley were both a +3 Saturday  … UMD was held scoreless on all 12 of its power play opportunities at Notre Dame. It went 0- on Saturday … Sophomore goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo made 27 saves in his 17th consecutive start … Sophomore left winger Blake Young made his 2015-16 debut Saturday, the last non-Bulldog goalie to do so. His last appearance was on Feb. 14, 2015 at AMSOIL Arena … Scott Sandelin is now 73-40-16 against non-conference competition during his 16 seasons behind the Bulldog bench.