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Notre Dame hockey runs into hot goaltender as RIT skates to 3-0 victory

tribune staff report
·4 min read

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Junior goaltender Tommy Scarfone made 36 saves, 17 in the second period, and Cody Laskosky had a goal and assist as the Rochester Institute of Technology hockey team blanked Notre Dame 3-0 Saturday night at the Blue Cross Arena.

Coach Jeff Jackson’s youthful Fighting Irish, who again played 10 newcomers including eight freshmen, were frustrated early and often by the 22-year-old Scarfone, who got the only goal he needed at 2:57 of the first period when 24-year-old senior defenseman Gianfranco Cassaro beat Ryan Bischel at 2:57 with the Tigers on a power play. RIT, the preseason pick to win the Atlantic Hockey Association title, improved to 1-1.

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The night became even longer for the Irish (1-2-0) at 6:19 when they couldn’t convert on a 5-on-3 power-play advantage with RIT being penalized for too many men on the ice and also a tripping call at 6:19. Scarfone made three saves, got help when the goal post stopped a shot by Drew Bavaro and then had another two shots blocked by teammates.

Carter Wilkie made it 2-0 RIT at 12:26 with the teams skating at full strength off assists from Laskosky and Tanner Andrew. That’s how the period ended despite Notre Dame’s 11-8 advantage in shots and 15-5 advantage in faceoff wins.

Scarfone then stood his ground at the beginning of the second period as Notre Dame fired eight shots at him to begin the period. At the media timeout at 12:04, the Irish shot advantage was 24-10. But a little over three minutes later, Laskosky made it 3-0 at 15:41 of the second period with an unassisted goal.,

The Irish received a five-minute major power play when RIT’s Christian Catalano was banished for making contact to the head of an Irish player at 17:11. But Notre Dame again could not solve Scarfone in the time remaining in the second period and early in the scoreless third period.

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For the game, Notre Dame outshot RIT 36-23 and won the faceoff battles handily 40-23 with freshman center Cole Knuble winning 18 of 26 and fellow freshman center Jaylen Davis going 9-3. Knuble also led the Irish with shots on goal with five, one more than freshman left wing Brennan Ali.

But Scarfone also received plenty of help from his teammates, who finished with an 18-15 edge in blocked shots. Grad-transfer (from Harvard) Ryan Siedem had a team-high four blocks for Notre Dame.

The Irish return to the Lefty Smith Rink at the Compton Family Ice Arena to play Boston University Friday night at 7:30 and Saturday evening at 6. The 1-1 Terriers were ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls but lost 6-4 in their Hockey East season opener at New Hampshire Friday night and then dropped an 8-2 exhibition decision to the U.S. Under-18 team Saturday.

NOTRE DAME 0, RIT 3, NOTRE DAME 0

At Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, N.Y.

Notre Dame 0 0 0—0

RIT 2 1 0—3

First Period—Scoring: 1. RIT, Gianfranco Cassaro 1 (Aiden Hansen-Bukata, Carter Wilkie) PP 2:57. 2. RIT, Carter Wilkie 2 (Tanner Andrew, Cody Laskosky) EV 12:26. Penalties: Notre Dame 1-2, RIT 2-4.

Second Period—Scoring: 3. RIT, Cody Laskosky 1 (unassisted) EV 15:41. Penalties: Notre Dame 0-0 (1-2), RIT 3-9 (6-23).

Third Period—Scoring: None. Penalties: Notre Dame 4-8 (5-10), RIT 2-4 (8-27).

Shots on goal: Notre Dame 36 (11-17-8), RIT 23 (8-8-7). Goalie saves: Notre Dame, Ryan Bischel 20 (6-7-7), RIT, Tommy Scarfone 36 (11-17-8).

Power-play opportunities: Notre Dame 0 of 6, RIT 1 of 4. Faceoffs won: Notre Dame 40 (15-17-8), RIT 23 (5-7-11). Blocked shots: Notre Dame 15 (8-4-3), RIT 18 (7-4-7).

Referees: Mark Dungan and Andy Bethmann. Linesmen: Brian Kimmins and Joe Sherman. Records: Notre Dame 1-2-0, RIT 1-1-0.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame hockey falls on the road to RIT