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The longest game in college hockey history

Notre Dame goalie Cal Petersen set an NCAA record with 87 saves in a 4-3 loss. Massachusetts' Shane Walsh scored the game winner with 8:18 remaining in the fifth overtime.

By Nathan Wells
Cal Petersen
Cal Petersen
Matt Dewkett

The hockey Gods wanted to see history and that is exactly what happened Friday night.

The longest game in college hockey history occurred in South Bend, Indiana as Massachusetts defeated Notre Dame 4-3 in five overtimes. Shane Walsh scored the game-winning goal, completing a Minutemen comeback that began many hours before.

The two teams played 151:42 in a game that started at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday and ended at 1:24 AM Saturday. That total beats the previous longest college hockey game between Quinnipiac and Union on March 12, 2010 by 1:20.

Fighting Irish goalie Cal Petersen (Buffalo Sabres draft pick) set an NCAA and collegiate record with 87 saves, topping the 82 by Boston University goalie Don Martin in 1924-25.

Minutemen goalie Steve Mastalerz made a measly 75 for the winners.

Notre Dame got off to a 2-0 lead with goals by Sam Herr and Vince Hinostroza (Chicago Blackhawks). Massachusetts' Steven Iacobellis, who had a hat trick in just the second of eight periods played, cut the lead to 2-1. Steven Fogarty (New York Rangers) made it a 3-1 before Iacobellis got his eighth and ninth goals of the season to tie the game at three.

That was the only scoring in a span of 111:44 - almost two full games - until Walsh ended the game. Minutes before Notre Dame forward Mario Lucia (Minnesota Wild) had a chance to win it, but his stick broke as the junior came close to being the hero.

Instead, #12 Massachusetts now leads #5 Notre Dame 1-0 in the best-of-three Hockey East first round and the hockey Gods (and those mortals awake at 1:20 in the morning) got to witness history.

Via CJ Fogler of @TheCauldron, here are the ESPN highlights of the game:

Game 2 begins later today. Who knows when it will end.