Russo Hat Trick Leads Notre Dame Past UConn, 6-1
Senior defenseman Robbie Russo scores hat trick for Fighting Irish

Senior defenseman Robbie Russo scored a hat trick for the Fighting Irish
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 16:16  CON1-0 PP Kasperi Ojantakanen (2)Brent Norris/4
1st 19:12  NDM1-1 EV Robbie Russo (9)Sam Herr/6, Anders Bjork/5
2nd 12:33  NDM2-1 EV GW Joe Aiken (1)Ben Ostlie/1
2nd 18:59  NDM3-1 PP Mario Lucia (15)Vince Hinostroza/15, Steven Fogarty/8
3rd 2:55  NDM4-1 EV Robbie Russo (10)Jordan Gross/12, Vince Hinostroza/16
3rd 13:09  NDM5-1 SH EN Robbie Russo (11)Thomas DiPauli/14
3rd 17:05  NDM6-1 EV Justin Wade (1)Jake Evans/8, Steven Fogarty/9
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Notre Dame  1236
Connecticut  1001
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Notre Dame  13121641
Connecticut  1210729
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Notre Dame (10-11-3)  1/5 6/12 1
Connecticut (7-11-5)  1/5 6/12 0
Notre Dame Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Cal Petersen (W, 6-8-2)60:001 1110728
Connecticut Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Rob Nichols (L, 6-11-5)59:475 12101335
Empty Net0:131     

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Notre Dame senior defenseman Robbie Russo recorded a hat-trick to lead the Fighting Irish past the UConn Huskies 3-1 Sunday afternoon in a Hockey East match-up from Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport. The Huskies got their lone goal from freshman Kasperi Ojantakanen (Helsinki, Finland) in the loss.

The Huskies drop to 7-11-5 overall and 4-5-2 in Hockey East with the loss while Notre Dame improved to 10-11-1 overall and 5-2-3 in the league. The Huskies closed out a five-game schedule at the Webster Bank Arena on Sunday, finishing 2-3-0 playing in Bridgeport this season.

UConn grabbed a 1-0 lead at 16:16 in the first period as Ojantakanen gave the Huskies the lead with a power play goal. Sophomore Brent Norris (Nepean, Ontario) cycled the puck to Ojantakanen who carried into the high slot and whipped a wrist shot through traffic, off the post and in for his second on the year and a 1-0 lead.

The Irish were able to answer before the first period ended as Russo struck for his first of three goals on Sunday to start a run of six-unanswered goals. Sam Herr fed the puck to Russo at the point and the senior defenseman unleashed a wicked slap shot that found its way past a screened Rob Nichols (Dallas, Texas).

Notre Dame tacked on two more goals in the second starting at the 12:33 mark. The Irish forced a turnover along the boards in the UConn zone and the puck deflected off of Ben Ostlie's skate to Joe Aiken in the right circle who beat Nichols with a wrist shot for his first collegiate goal. Notre Dame closed out the period with a power play goal at 18:59 as Mario Lucia took a pass at the right post and banged in a rebound of his own shot for a 3-1 Irish lead.

Russo gave his team a 4-1 lead with his second goal at the 2:55 mark of the third. Fellow defenseman Jordan Gross fed Russo in the point for a one-timer that he blasted just under the bar for a 4-1 advantage. UConn looked as if they might cut it to 4-2 just seconds later but a apparent tip-in goal by Evan Richardson (Nanaimo, British Columbia) was waved off for a high stick. The play was reviewed and the call stood.

The Huskies pulled Nichols after Aiken was called for a cross check at 12:56 looking to get a spark with a 6-on-4 power play. To no avail as Russo completed the hat-trick but firing into the empty net at 13:09 to give his team a commanding 5-1 lead. It was Russo's 11th goal on the season. The Irish tacked on a sixth goal at 17:05 coming from Justin Wade, his first collegiate goal.

Notre Dame outshot the Huskies 41-29 in the win while both teams finished 1-of-5 on the power play. The five goals given up by Nichols matched his career-high for goals allowed. Freshman Spencer Naas (Minnetonka, Minn.) saw his goal streak end on Sunday at five-straight games.

The Huskies will be back in Hockey East action next Saturday, January 24th when they travel to Boston College. Opening face-off is slated for 7:05 pm.