The two best teams in the country. Some of the best prospects in college hockey. One team was seeking its first championship.
The fans at the sold-out Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay were treated to quite the night.
For the first time in team history, the Quinnipiac University Bobcats have won the NCAA’s men’s national title, beating the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a 3-2 comeback overtime victory.
Quinnipiac is the fourth different winner in the past six years, joining Denver (twice), Massachusetts and Minnesota-Duluth (twice) as the most recent Frozen Four victors.
This is also the first championship for coach Rand Pecknold, who has served as head coach for 29 years.
All eyes were on Minnesota’s top line heading into the game, with Matthew Knies, Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud making up one of the most dangerous trios in the country. But it was the team’s depth that pushed them out to a 2-0 lead through 25 minutes of play.
First, John Mittelstadt – the younger brother of Buffalo Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt and teammate to 2023 NHL Draft prospect Luke Mittelstadt – scored the game’s first goal. On the play, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Connor Kurth was unsuccessful on a wraparound, but Mittelstadt was there to jam it in for the 1-0 goal.
Then, early in the second period, Jaxon Nelson scored after Brock Faber’s shot went off the backboards and onto Nelson’s stick in front. Nelson sent it past Yaniv Perets, making it 2-0 to put the Bobcats on their heels.
Just three minutes later, Quinnipiac answered back. Zach Metsa sent a slick pass in front of the Minnesota net,and Cristophe Tellier was there to jam it in past Gophers netminder Justen Close for the 2-1 goal.
Quinnipiac dominated the second period, limiting Minnesota to just two shots, putting them in position to pull off some late dramatics. With just over two minutes remaining in regulation, the Bobcats managed to strike for the tying goal. With Logan Cooley leaving the penalty box for Minnesota and with Quinnipiac’s net empty, Collin Graf -- Quinnipiac’s top scorer -– managed to get the puck between Close’s legs and in for the 2-2 goal.
That sent the national title game to overtime for the first time since 2011, giving a great game a perfect ending. It took just 10 seconds for Jacob Quillan to score the biggest goal in the school’s history, taking a pass in front and deking out Close for the game-winner.
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