The University of Massachusetts Minutemen claimed their first ever Division I National Championship for the school on Saturday night, defeating the St. Cloud Huskies 5-0 in the men’s ice hockey national championship game played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
UMass (20-5-4), who had several key players out due to COVID-19 concerns for their national semifinal overtime win over two-time defending champion Minnesota-Duluth, got back a big one Saturday in goaltender Filip Lindberg. Lindberg recorded his fourth career shutout in the tournament, an NCAA record. The Minutemen got all they needed in the first period when freshman Aaron Bohlinger would score on a one timer after a turnover on a two on none breakout with Ryan Sullivan. It was the first goal of the season for Bohlinger at 7:26. Reed Webster made it 2-0 at the 18:56 mark off a feed into the crease from behind the net by Cal Kiefiuk. It was the second goal of the year for Webster, as the Huskies were held to just two shots on net in the opening 20 minutes.
St. Cloud State (20-11-0) had a chance to get back into the game early in the second period with a powerplay opportunity less than four minutes in. UMass though turned the tables when Philip Lagunov caused a turnover, skated over the blue line and deked St. Cloud defenseman Nick Prebix and beat Huskies goalie David Hrenak five hole with a backhander to make it 3-0. The lead went to 4-0 with 6:45 left in the middle period when Matt Kessel one timed a shot from the point on the powerplay on a feed from Oliver Chau. Bobby Trivigno scored on a hard wrist shot into the top corner of the net stick side in the third period to finish off the scoring. The Minutemen are the first Hockey East team since Providence in 2015 to win the national championship. It is the third NCAA Tournament appearance for UMass, second time in the final game (lost in 2019 to Minnesota-Duluth). St. Cloud State was making their first Frozen Four appearance since 2013. Lindberg (born in Finland) is the first goaltender not born in North America to win a Division I men’s national championship game, as the previous 72 victorious netminders were born in either the United States or Canada. The only other national title for the school at any level was in 1998 when their football team won it all in the FCS in Division I-AA.
