Minnesota, North Dakota Win Conference Titles

 

Two games, two offensive explosions in roughly two minutes each, and two tournament championships won on Tuesday night.

Minnesota defeated Wisconsin, 6-4, for the Big Ten title in South Bend, Ind., as the Golden Gophers broke open a 2-1 game with three unanswered goals in a span of 2:42 late in the second period. After Wisconsin closed to within 5-4 with three third-period goals, including Cole Caufield's nation-leading 28th score of the season to bring the Badgers within one, fourth-ranked Minnesota (23-6-0 overall) sealed the deal on an empty-net goal by Blake McLaughlin with 24 seconds remaining in regulation. McLaughlin led all skaters with two goals and two assists on the evening, while Roman Ahcan scored twice for No. 5 Wisconsin (20-9-1).

In Grand Forks, N.D., host North Dakota claimed its first-ever NCHC playoff championship by outlasting St. Cloud State, 5-3. After SCSU (17-10-0) took a 2-1 lead into the locker rooms after 40 minutes of play, the Fighting Hawks notched three goals in just 1:58 to start the third period en route to the victory. Riese Gaber's power-play goal just over five minutes into the final frame stood up as the game-winner, before Jordan Kawaguchi iced matters with his empty-net tally with nine seconds left. Gaber and Kawaguchi finished with two goals and an assist apiece for No. 2 UND (21-5-1), while Ondřej Trejbal set up two goals for the Huskies, including Sam Hentges' score that pulled No. 8 SCSU within 4-3 with just under 13 minutes left.

Both Minnesota and North Dakota, former rivals in the old WCHA, earned their respective current conference's automatic berth to this year's NCAA tournament. The NCAA selection show and the 2021 bracket will be revealed on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

NCHC Concludes Bubble Experiment in Omaha

The bubble experiment in Nebraska for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference came to an end this week, with North Dakota emerging on top when all was said and done. 

The league's eight schools played 10 games apiece in a pod-style format at Baxter Arena in Omaha beginning at the start of December, as a guard against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, similar to what the NHL did in Canada in August and September.

Fourth-ranked North Dakota finished first with 20 points on the strength of five regulation wins (three points apiece,) two overtime wins (two points each), and an overtime loss (one point). The Fighting Hawks, who were ranked atop the national polls prior to the beginning of this season, finished a point ahead of host Nebraska Omaha, and two points ahead of St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth. Rounding out the bottom four were Denver, Colorado College, Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan.

Shane Pinto (North Dakota) and teammate Jordan Kawaguchi lead all NCHC scorers to date with 13 points apiece, while Carter Savoie (Denver) has scored a league-high seven goals. Adam Scheel (North Dakota) is pacing all league netminders with six wins, including overtime victories, while Ludvig Persson (Miami) is atop the NCHC statistical scroll for goaltenders with a 1.19 goals-against average and a .962 save percentage.

The NCHC, which is slated to return to playing on campus sites next month, has won the last four NCAA men's Division I hockey national titles, beginning with UND in 2016. Denver then won it all in 2017, followed by UMD in both 2018 and 2019. The 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.

Swayman Finalist for Both Hobey Baker and Richter Awards

The Hobey Hat Trick and the five finalists for the Mike Richter Award have both been announced—and Jeremy Swayman (Maine) is on both lists.

Swayman went 18-10-5 this past season with a 2.07 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, along with three shutouts. He is vying to become the first goaltender to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey, since Ryan Miller (Michigan State) in 2001. The two other finalists this year are forward Jordan Kawaguchi (North Dakota) and defenseman Scott Perunovich (Minnesota-Duluth). The winner will be announced April 11.

The four other finalists for the Mike Richter Award include Matthew Galajda (Cornell), Spencer Knight (Boston College), Strauss Mann (Michigan) and Dryden McKay (Minnesota State). The winner will be announced April 10.