Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 23, 2021 49 very well together on the forward lines. "I think we do have some chemis- try together," Landon said. "And I don't know if that's the family ties to where we can find each other on the ice but there is definitely something there." Graham, an Academic All-Big Ten selection on top of everything else, was the team's second-leading scorer last season with 25 points on seven goals and a team-best 18 assists. Meanwhile, Landon made a quick im- pact as a freshman in 2020-21, finishing third on the Irish with 22 points on eight goals and 14 assists on his way to Notre Dame Rookie of the Year honors after last season. All of it makes for an interesting brotherly bond the stretches well be- yond finally playing together on game weekends. "Because we never played competi- tively together, we never really knew what we'd have together with chemistry but it's been awesome," Graham said. "I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have that happen these last two years with [Landon]. It's fun to do well, especially when you have your brother out there." NEW-LOOK IRISH OPEN SEASON A year after surviving a strange sea- son because of COVID-19, 17th-year Irish head coach Jeff Jackson recently returned his team to action for 2021-22 with normal surroundings and a famil- iar routine. Following a 4-3 exhibition loss Oct. 3, against the U.S. National U-18 team, the Irish began regular play Oct. 9, at home against Long Island University. Notre Dame finished only 14-13-2 last season, which included a 12-10-2 fourth- place finish in the Big Ten. The Irish went 4-1-1 in their final six games to qualify for the 2021 NCAA Tournament, before a COVID-19 breakout on the team forced it to withdraw before playing a game. Jackson explained that all but one of his players is vaccinated, and returning to some coaching normalcy this season is welcome relief. "It's been fun again to actually coach without a mask, to not have to worry about social distancing," he said. "It's a much different environment when you're coaching and practicing more back to normal." Jackson starts this season minus three forwards who were expected to boost an offense this year that averaged a mid- dling 2.90 goals per game last season. Incoming freshman Sasha Pastujov, last year's U.S. National Under-18 scor- ing leader, opted for the NHL instead. Irish junior Michael Graham (18 goals and 52 points in 87 career games) retired from hockey after multiple concussions. And senior Jake Pivonka hopes to rejoin the Irish in about three months after re- hab and recovery from an Achilles injury. Notre Dame does return the talented Slaggert brothers — senior Graham and sophomore Landon — on the forward lines, and its defense will be anchored by experienced seniors Spencer Stastney and Nick Leivermann. Junior goaltender Ryan Bischel also back from last season. With four graduate transfers added to the roster — defenseman Adam Karashik (UConn), defenseman Chase Blackmun (UMass Lowell), goaltender Matt Galajda (Cornell) and forward Jack Adams (Prov- idence) — Jackson has a new-look team that will once again carry the usual high expectations for a program he has led to four NCAA Frozen Fours since 2008. ✦ ND SPORTS 2021-22 NOTRE DAME HOCKEY SCHEDULE Date Opponent Result/Time Oct. 3 USNTDP* L, 4-3 Oct. 9 Long Island University 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at Michigan Tech 7 p.m. Oct. 16 at Northern Michigan 6:30 p.m. Oct. 21 RIT 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22 RIT 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at Minnesota 9 p.m. Oct. 30 at Minnesota 6 p.m. Nov. 4 Holy Cross 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 Holy Cross 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 Wisconsin 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 Wisconsin 6 p.m. Nov. 19 at Michigan 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at Michigan 8 p.m. Nov. 26 Boston College 5 p.m. Dec. 3 Ohio State 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 Ohio State 6 p.m. Dec. 10 Michigan State 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 Michigan State 7 p.m. Jan. 1 Niagara 6 p.m. Jan. 2 Niagara 5 p.m. Jan. 7 at Penn State TBA Jan. 8 at Penn State TBA Jan. 14 at Ohio State 7 p.m. Jan. 15 at Ohio State 8 p.m. Jan. 28 Minnesota 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29 Minnesota 6 p.m. Feb. 4 Penn State 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 Penn State 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at Wisconsin 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at Wisconsin 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at Michigan State TBA Feb. 19 at Michigan State TBA Feb. 25 Michigan 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 Michigan 6 p.m. * Exhibition Irish Roundup CROSS COUNTRY The Irish men placed 11th and the women finished 14th in the Joe Piane Invitational Oct. 1 in South Bend. MEN'S GOLF Notre Dame notched a second-place finish in the Fighting Irish Classic Oct. 4-5 in South Bend … The Irish shot a 12-under-par 828 as a team to finish three shot behind Washington … Junior Patrick Kelly and graduate student Davis Chat - field both finished tied for eighth with a 4-under 206 to lead the way for Notre Dame. WOMEN'S GOLF The Irish carded a 13-over 877 to claim second place, just two shots behind SMU, at the Badger Invitational Sept. 21 in Verona, Wis. … Junior Lau- ren Beaudreau paced Notre Dame with a 2-over 218 en route to placing eighth. MEN'S SOCCER (6-4-1 OVERALL, 2-1-1 ACC) Seniors Mohamed Omar and Jack Lynn each scored a goal to lead Notre Dame to a 2-1 home victory versus Virginia Oct. 1 … The Irish made it five wins in six matches with a 4-0 triumph over Purdue Fort Wayne Oct. 5, with Omar and Lynn each contributing another marker. WOMEN'S SOCCER (10-1-1 OVERALL, 4-0-0 ACC) The Irish notched their fourth consecutive ACC win to open the season, and sixth straight over- all, by topping North Carolina State 2-1 on the road Oct. 1 … Freshmen Korbin Albert and Katie Coyle both found the back of the net to help Notre Dame post its best ACC start ever. VOLLEYBALL (5-9 OVERALL, 2-2 ACC) Notre Dame snapped a five-match losing streak with a 3-2 victory at Mo. 18 Georgia Tech Oct. 1 … The Irish made it two wins in a row with a 3-0 triumph at Clemson Oct. 3 … Sophomore Aubrey Hamilton led the Irish in kills in both of those victories with 20 against the Yellow jackets and 12 versus the Tigers. — Steve Downey