Watch: Quinnipiac stuns No. 1 Minnesota in OT to claim first Division I hockey title
Quinnipiac stunned Minnesota in the Frozen Four Final, capping off a thrilling third-period comeback before tallying the winning goal only seconds into overtime.
The No. 2 Bobcats tied the game 2-2 with 2:47 left in the third period to force OT, then wasted little time, notching the title-clinching goal off a Jacob Quillan backhander only 10 seconds into the extra session.
On the deciding play, Quinnipiac gained control off the opening face-off. Sam Lipkin entered the zone off a perfect feed from Zach Metsa, skimmed the sideboards and offered a perfect feed to Quillan, who made no mistake in front of the Gophers' net.
While Quillan led this year's tournament in goals -- a feat in and of itself-- it was his fifth goal of the Frozen Four which meant the most. Prior to Saturday, the Golden Gophers had been 22-0-0 on the season when leading after two periods.
A late, gutsy call by Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold may have made the difference in this one. Trailing Minnesota 2-1, the Bobcats pulled goaltender Yaniv Perets with 3:30 left in regulation, taking the risk in order to gain an extra attacker.
Just seconds later, Collin Graf fired home the equalizer, giving hockey fans only the 15th overtime in the title game's 75-year history, per ESPN Stats and Info.
For Quinnipiac, it's not only the first hockey title in the school's history, but it's also their first Division I championship in any sport, period. Meanwhile, Minnesota's long title drought now stretches across two decades.
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