No. 8 Penn State Men’s Hockey Defeats Notre Dame 4-1
No. 8 Penn State men’s hockey (15-6-0, 7-4-0 Big Ten) bested Notre Dame (4-16-1, 0-11-0 Big Ten) 4-1 on Friday night at Pegula Ice Arena.
In what wound up being an incredibly physical game from the opening puck drop, the Nittany Lions controlled the pace of play for the majority of the action. The game featured 14 power plays and a Matt DiMarsico hat trick that propelled the Nittany Lions to victory.
How It Happened
Guy Gadowsky rolled out a starting line of Gavin McKenna, Dane Dowiak, and Aiden Fink to begin the game. Jackson Smith and Jarod Crespo were the starting blueliners, and Josh Fleming got the nod between the pipes.
Penn State controlled the opening faceoff and immediately found itself in a rush. Aiden Fink registered a shot, but a scrambling goalie, Nicholas Kempf, was able to deflect it away. Notre Dame followed up with a chance of its own, as a Sutter Muzzatti wraparound attempt was stuffed by Fleming.
The game began with high physicality and a quick tempo, as Luke Misa leveled a big hit behind the Notre Dame goal following a series of offensive sequences. The head coach of the Fighting Irish decided to challenge the Misa hit for a potential major penalty, but the referee crew ultimately decided that the contact was clean.
McKenna tried to catch Notre Dame in a change, as he gained the zone with speed alongside Nic Chin-DeGraves. Chin-DeGraves passed it off to Carter Schade, whose shot deflected several feet in the air. When it landed, Schade got a great second scoring chance, but his shot hit the post.
Nearly eight minutes into the action, the game saw its first controversy. Crespo registered a shot on goal that ricocheted off the post and nearly crossed the goal line. The puck was sitting on the line for a moment before Kemph was able to use his glove to cover it. The horn sounded at Pegula, but the call on the ice was no goal. After a lengthy video review, the call stood.
One minute later, Michael Mastrodomenico of Notre Dame hit a post of his own. Despite a few close calls for both teams, the score remained knotted at zero halfway through the opening period.
After a small flurry of action in the offensive zone for the Nittany Lions, Will Belle had a near breakaway opportunity courtesy of a strong play in the neutral zone. Crespo retreated quickly to make a great defensive play, pushing Belle out of a scoring chance.
Jayden Davis was called for the game’s first penalty. He would head off the ice and give Penn State a two-minute man-advantage with exactly eight minutes to go in the period.
Just 30 seconds into the power play, Matt DiMarsico lit the lamp. Luke Misa found DiMarsico waiting between the circles, who lasered a shot into the back of the net. Gavin McKenna was credited with a secondary assist on the score at 12:42, helping to give the Nittany Lions a 1-0 lead.
Pretty, pretty passing!!
— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) January 17, 2026#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/RHQPu1KjCY
Two minutes following the goal, Fleming came up big for Penn State, making a handful of saves. During the sequence, Crespo was called for holding after getting caught up with a Notre Dame player. Kempf skated to the bench, but Penn State was able to gain control of the puck. The Fighting Irish would head to the power play with 4:20 left in the frame.
The Nittany Lions were able to muster a successful kill with no high-danger chances. Shortly after the kill, Davis was called for high-sticking with one minute to go in the period. Penn State was unable to get set up, and Notre Dame found themselves on a 3-on-2 rush right off the bat.
The blue and white were able to enter the zone for one last gasp before the horn, but JJ Wiebusch’s shot trickled through the crease to no avail as the first period drew to a close. Penn State would begin the second period on the power play for just under a minute.
Penn State won the faceoff to begin the second period. Gavin McKenna fired a shot on net, but Kempf turned it away. The Nittany Lion power play would expire.
In the first moments of even strength, Mac Gadowsky appeared to be shaken up after taking a hit, but he did not head to the locker room. Gadowsky would re-enter the game a few shifts later.
After Penn State controlled an offensive zone faceoff, Fink rocketed a shot that was absorbed by Kemph. During the next sequence, Cole Brown delivered a massive hit on Nittany Lion captain Dane Dowiak, knocking him to the ice. Jackson Smith had some words for the Notre Dame winger who was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for head contact.
.On the power play, McKenna whiffed on a shot that allowed Notre Dame to enter the zone shorthanded. The Nittany Lions immediately regained control of the puck and skated up ice. After once again failing to get set up, the Fighting Irish nearly forced a blue line turnover, but a nice stick check by Jackson Smith kept the puck in.
With roughly 30 seconds remaining on the man-advantage, DiMarsico scored his second of the evening after tapping a McKenna shot across the goal line. Penn State doubled its lead, now up 2-0. Misa recorded the secondary assist at 6:53.
Halfway through the frame, DiMarsico was called for holding, and Davis was simultaneously assessed for a hook. Just 20 seconds after the start of the 4-on-4, Crespo was also sent to the box for interference.
Notre Dame took advantage of the 4-on-3, as Evan Werner scored off the assist from Danny Nelson at 10:18. Penn State now led 2-1.
The penalties continued to rain down. Werner was called for a slash three minutes after scoring his team’s first goal. The Nittany Lions would once again have a chance to extend their lead on the man-advantage.
DiMarsico could sense the hat trick on the power play. He tried to go between the legs for the goal, but the puck narrowly missed wide to the left. Notre Dame responded to the attempt with a Werner shorthanded breakaway, but Fleming stood tall to make the clutch save.
Shortly after the penalty expired, Sutter Muzzatti was called for roughing, putting Notre Dame down a man for the sixth time in a two-period span.
This time, Penn State was able to convert. Misa found the back of the net with a clapper off the assists from Ben Schoen and Jackson Smith. The time of the goal was 17:35, with the score giving the Nittany Lions a 3-1 advantage.
Nolan Collins was sent to the box for a cross-check in the sequence following the Misa goal. DiMarsico and Schade gained the zone shorthanded, with the forward maintaining possession of the puck. DiMarscio elected to fire one to Kemph’s stick side, but the netminder made the save.
Fleming came up with a tremendous save to close out the period, bringing Pegula to its feet, as Penn State would take the 3-1 lead into the break. Notre Dame would begin the third period with 25 seconds left on the power play.
Notre Dame controlled the faceoff to begin the third. The Fighting Irish had the first bit of sustained pressure, but Fleming faced no high-danger chances.
Guy Gadowsky challenged a play for a potential major penalty, but after a review, it was determined that there was, in fact, none. Penn State would lose a timeout for the failed challenge. Shortly after, the Nittany Lions found themselves shorthanded after Schade was guilty of a hook.
Penn State would kill the penalty with the Fighting Irish finding little action on the man-advantage. Following the Notre Dame power play, Kempf came through with one of the most unbelievable saves of the season. Reese Laubach faced a relatively open net, but Kempf pushed off hard with his left foot and came across to make the sprawling save.
With Kempf now out of position, Cade Christenson fired the puck at the net, but the shot was met with a wall of three Notre Dame defenders. The Nittany Lions were somehow unable to capitalize on the chaos, but to no fault of their own.
The third period continued to play as physically as the first two. Lev Katzin delivered a blow in the corner, and Notre Dame followed it up with a big hit on Ben Schoen. No matter the records, when these two teams play, a Penn State-Notre Dame matchup is always must-see, hard-fought hockey.
Right on cue, Smith laid out a Notre Dame player, earning him an interference penalty. The Fighting Irish retaliated with force to the hit, as Muzzatti was called for boarding before all hell broke loose in the corner. Despite the fighting, the two were the only ones sent to the box. Play would resume 4-on-4.
Following the chaos, Penn State was called for another penalty shortly after. Reese Laubach was sent to the box for a slash. Notre Dame would then pull its goalie to set up a 5-on-3. Fleming came up with a couple of big saves off the bat to keep the score 3-1.
The Nittany Lions would wind up killing off both penalties, prompting a standing ovation from the crowd.
With just under two minutes to go in regulation, DiMarsico secured the hat trick on the empty net. JJ Wiebusch and Reese Laubach set him up, giving Penn State a 4-1 lead at 18:14.
When the clock hit zero, Penn State would walk away with a very entertaining 4-1 victory over the Fighting Irish.
Takeaways
- This game had penalties galore. Notre Dame was on the power play 7 times, as was Penn State. The physicality on both sides began right out of the gate, making for an intense, fast-paced game.
- Matt DiMarsico shone once again. Even with the absence of his typical linemate, Charlie Cerrato, the left winger tallied three goals, good for his third hat trick of the season.
- Luke Misa continues to excel. His skating remains a strength, and he was able to tally his fourth goal of the season.
- Josh Fleming was fantastic once again. He came up with 41 saves and allowed just one goal in the netminder’s duel tonight.
- Penn State was able to capitalize three times on the power play and killed six of its penalties. Special teams were fantastic, something Guy Gadowsky needs out of his team if it wants to make a postseason push.
What’s Next?
Penn State and Notre Dame will face off again tomorrow night, Saturday, January 17, at Pegula Ice Arena. Puck drop is slated for 8 p.m., with the game airing on the Big Ten Network.
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