The University of Massachusetts got an overtime goal from Marc Del Giazo on Thursday night, propelling the Minutemen to a 4-3 win over Denver in a college hockey national semifinal game at the Frozen Four at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
UMass (31-9) had fallen behind 1-0 when Denvers Kohen Olischefski poked home a loose puck in the crease on the powerplay at 8:29 of the first period to make it 1-0 Pioneers. UMass had killed 35 straight powerplay opportunities against them to that point. On a two man advantage UMass evened the score 1-1 at 11:41 when Bobby Trivigno scored. On another five on three advantage, Mitchell Chafee gave the Minutemen the lead at 13:04. John Leonard made it 3-1 just 18 seconds later with another powerplay goal. The score would remain 3-1 over halfway into the final period of regulation.
Denver (24-12-5) rallied back in that final period. Cole Gutman scored at 10:32 to cut it to 3-2, and added another when he got the equalizer at 16:14 after a scrum in front of UMass goalie Filip Lindberg. Oliver Chau and Jake Gaudet set up the Del Gaizo winner at 15:18 of overtime. Del Gaizo, just getting into the play from the bench, lasered home a slapper from the top of the left faceoff circle past the glove of Denver goalie Filip Larsson. Lindberg made 37 saves in the win, while Larsson made 24 in the loss.
UMass will skate for the first time ever in a national championship game when they face defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth Saturday night at 8:30 pm. UMD defeated the other Hockey East participant in the Frozen Four Providence 4-1 in Thursdays first semifinal. The Bulldogs are appearing in their third straight national final game. The Minutemen will be without Trivigno however Saturday night, as the NCAA suspended him one game for elbowing a Denver player in the game although an infraction was never whistled on the play. On Friday UMass defenseman Cale Makar won the first Hober Baker Award in the history of the school, given to the best college hockey player in the country. The sophomore and Colorado Avalanche draft pick has 16 goals and 33 assists this year, that is good for first in points among defenseman and one point away from leading the entire NCAA in points.
