PROVIDENCE COLLEGE AND NOTRE DAME SKATE TO 2-2 TIE
Sophomore forward Nick Saracino scores game-tying goal for Friars

Sophomore forward Nick Saracino scored the game-tying goal for the Friars

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - In the first Hockey East meeting between No. 9 Providence College and No. 20 Notre Dame, the teams skated to a 2-2 tie on Friday night at Schneider Arena (2,978). Sophomore Nick Saracino (St. Louis, Mo.) responded to a third period go-ahead goal by the Fighting Irish when he scored his sixth goal of the season at 13:49 of the third to even the score at 2-2.

Heading into the third period, the game was tied at 1-1 due to a Providence goal from sophomore John Gilmour (Montreal, Quebec) in the first period and a TJ Tynan Notre Dame goal in the second period.

Back-to-back third period goals forced the game into overtime but neither team could find the back of the net for the conference win.

Sophomore goaltender Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine) stopped 26 shots for Providence (15-8-6, 7-6-2 HEA), while Steven Summerhays made a career-high 47 saves for Notre Dame (16-12-2, 5-9-2 HEA).

Gilmour's fifth goal of the season gave the Friars a lead heading into the second period as he scored the lone goal of the first period. Sophomore Mark Jankowski (Dundas, Ontario) sent a bad angle shot towards the Fighting Irish net but the shot went wide. In the corner boards, sophomore Brandon Tanev (Toronto, Ontario) collected the puck and skated to the face-off circle before connecting a pass to Gilmour, alone at the blue line. Gilmour then sent a wrist shot on goal that found a way through traffic for a 1-0 lead at 18:47.

Following the expiration of a Notre Dame penalty for holding, Vince Hinostroza sprung TJ Tynan on his way out of the penalty box for a breakaway. Tynan wristed a shot over Gillies' blocker side at 6:04 of the second period to erase Providence's lead. Mario Lucia added the second assist on the play.

Sam Herr put Notre Dame ahead at 12:38 of the third period with his 13th goal of the season. Stephen Johns sent a shot on goal from the blue line that Herr deflected, changing the direction of the puck and beating Gillies. Tynan recorded his second point of the game, earning an assist on the goal.

Providence responded less than a minute later as Saracino scored his sixth goal of the season to level the score. In his return to the line-up, junior Shane Luke (Dauphin, Manitoba) gathered the puck from behind the Irish net and found senior Steven Shamanski (Carberry, Manitoba). Shamanski pulled the puck around a Notre Dame defender at the point, gaining a lane to get a shot on goal. Shamanski's shot left a rebound in the crease that Saracino buried five-hole past Summerhays at 13:49 of the third period.

The game required overtime but neither team could make the most of the extra five minutes of play to secure the win. The Friars outshot Notre Dame 5-0 in the extra session, with their best chance coming in the final seconds as a pass from Shamanski just missed Saracino, who was wide open on the doorstep.

Providence outshot the Fighting Irish 49-28 in the match-up. Providence's penalty kill was a strength for the Friars as they forced Notre Dame into a 0-for-5 mark on the power play. Providence finished 0-for-3 on the power play.

The series between the Friars and the Fighting Irish will conclude tomorrow night at Schneider Arena, with puck drop set for 7:00 p.m.

Notes

The Friars are 9-4-2 on home ice this season, as well as 4-3-1 in Hockey East games ... Nick Saracino has a two-game point streak (1g, 1a) ... John Gilmour has six points in his last seven games (3-3-6).