Penn State scored first on Teddy Toss Night, but Notre Dame supplied the next four goals to hand the Nittany Lions a 4-2 loss Saturday at Pegula Ice Arena.
Two Irish goals in the opening 2:32 of the third period turned a one-goal game into a three-goal deficit, leaving Penn State chasing a comeback despite a 38-29 advantage in shots.
The Nittany Lions fell to 2-7-1 overall and 0-3-1 in Big Ten play. Notre Dame improved to 4-6-0 and 2-2-0 in the conference.
Jackson Smith gave Penn State the lead at 14:07 of the first period, firing a wrist shot through traffic after Justin Poirier carried the puck through the neutral zone and set up the defenseman in the high slot.
Notre Dame answered just 39 seconds into the second. Hagen Burrows delivered a backhand pass from behind the net to Carter Slaggert, who finished from the top of the crease.
Danny Nelson put the Irish ahead at 16:47, finding space in the low slot and beating Josh Fleming’s glove.
The trouble escalated quickly after intermission.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Sammy Nelson stripped Fleming behind the net and fed Danny Nelson for an open-net finish 32 seconds into the third. Two minutes later, a neutral-zone turnover led to a Fimis goal that made it 4-1.
Dane Dowiak pulled Penn State within two on the power play at 15:16, snapping a shot off the bar and in from below the right faceoff dot.
Patrick Quinlan stopped 36 shots for Notre Dame. Fleming finished with 25 saves.
Penn State went 1-for-3 on the power play and killed all three Irish opportunities. Smith and Dowiak each recorded a goal and an assist, while Poirier extended his point streak to seven games.
Smith’s goal was his 14th, one behind Luke Juha for fourth among Penn State defensemen.
