Notre Dame Scores Eight Unanswered Goals in 'Welcome' Home Game: Puck Drop

Brock Sheahan was certainly felt welcome at home on Thursday night as the first-year Notre Dame head coach enjoyed his first win while making his debut behind the Compton Family Ice Arena bench with an 8-2 victory over visiting St. Lawrence.

The eight goals were unanswered as the Saints scored the first two goals of the game, both on breakaways. But then it was all Notre Dame.

Right wing Cole Knuble started the comeback with the first of his two goals, and the Fighting Irish subsequently rattled off four goals in the second period, by right wing Evan Werner, center Danny Nelson, defensman Axel Kumlin and center Sutter Muzzatti unassisted. Knuble, left wing Cole Brown and defenseman Harry Nelson completed the scoring in the third period, two of which came on power plays.

Werner had three assists to lead all players with four points. Notre Dame outshot St. Lawrence 47-21, 14-6 in the game-changing second period, and 20-4 in the third. The eight goals were the most scored by the Irish in a game since defeating Boston College 8-2 on Jan. 19, 2022.

The last time Notre Dame scored eight answered goals was Jan. 8, 2011, an 8-1 victory at Northern Michigan that only 2,179 fans made it to in a snow storm. The Fighting Irish went 23–13–5 and made their second trip to the Frozen Four in program history.

Sheehan, 41, played at Notre Dame from 2004-08. He returned to South Bend in 2023 as an associate coach, and a year later was named the head coach in waiting to follow after 20-year head coach Jeff Jackson who retired after last season. The Fighting Irish lost both of its games last week in the Icebreaker Tournament in Tempe, Ariz., both to ranked teams.