NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Sophomore Bryan Rust snapped a 2-2 tie with 1.1 seconds left in the overtime period to lift fourth-ranked Notre Dame to a 3-2 victory over third-ranked Boston College before a sellout crowd of 5,022 fans in the dedication game of the Compton Family Ice Arena and Charles "Lefty" Smith Rink on Notre Dame's campus on Friday.
BC freshman forward Johnny Gaudreau notched the game-tying score with 2:10 left in the third period to send the Eagles and Fighting Irish into overtime. Defenseman Brian Dumoulin assisted on the play.
Rust then beat BC goaltender Parker Milner (32 saves) prior to the final buzzer to seal the victory for Notre Dame, which captured the coveted Snooks Kelley - Lefty Smith Trophy, awarded to the victor of the rivalry game between the two future Hockey East opponents (the Irish will become the 11th member of the conference and being play in the 2013-14 season).
The Eagles scored the lone goal of the opening period on a Chris Kreider penalty shot with 12.5 seconds left.
Notre Dame responded with consecutive second-period scores from T.J. Tynan at 6:54 and Shayne Taker at 11:37.
BC appeared to net the apparent equalizer with 2.1 seconds left in the second period when Kevin Hayes knocked in a Bill Arnold feed on the doorstep but the goal did not stand because the referee ruled a hand pass that was then touched by the goaltender had occurred.
Replay revealed that ND goaltender Mike Johnson (32 saves) stopped a Tommy Cross slap shot from the right point, a rebound in the air that was propelled down by Arnold's hand to his stick and a pass to Hayes for the score. Video review by the referee was not utilized and the period ended.
Notre Dame tallied a narrow 35-34 edge in shots, including a 14-6 advantage in the third period, while both teams went 0-for-3 on the power play.
Team Records: Boston College 9-4-0; Notre Dame 9-2-2
Game Notes: Freshman forward Quinn Smith of Fairfield, Conn., made his collegiate debut against the Irish ... BC was both awarded and converted a penalty shot for the first time since Brian Gibbons scored on a penalty shot in a 9-5 win at Boston University on Dec. 3, 2010. Prior to Gibbons' penalty shot against BU last December, Nathan Gerbe was both awarded and converted a penalty shot against Providence on March 15, 2008.