Quinnipiac wins 2023 DI men's ice hockey national championship off OT winner
Instant classic ๐: Quinnipiac wins first-ever national title in overtime thriller
TAMPA, Fla. โ For the first time in program history, Quinnipiac has reached the summit of college hockey, defeating Minnesota 3-2 in overtime to win the 2023 NCAA Division I menโs hockey national championship.
Jacob Quillan scored 10 seconds into overtime, putting home forehand-backhand move off a feed from Sam Lipkin (two assists) to win it.
โItโs unreal,โ Quillan said. โI mean, the boys put in so much blood, sweat and tears all year. Itโs a dream come true, you know. We got it done. Weโre gonna celebrate hard tonight.โ
It was Quillanโs third goal of the Frozen Four after he had two goals against Michigan in the semifinals. He finished the tournament with five goals and two assists for seven points in four games.
BOBCATS WIN!!!! BOBCATS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!
โ NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
๐บ ESPN2 x
โItโs a set play we have,โ Quillan said of his goal. โLipkin finds the middle. I mean [Zach] Metsa made a nice pass, and then [Lipkin] displayed his skill with the backhand sauce. I went back with it to the opposite side and tucked it in.โ
Collin Graf tied the game as a power play expired with 2:47 remaining in regulation after head coach Rand Pecknold pulled Yaniv Perets (13 saves) for the extra attacker.
Christophe Tellier also scored for the Bobcats (34-4-3), and Zach Metsa had three assists.
โItโs just awesome,โ QU head coach Rand Pecknold said. โWeโre excited. Iโm so proud of these guys. Great group. Itโs awesome to see all my alums in the stands. I canโt even put it into words. Iโm struggling right now.โ
The overtime hero Jacob Quillan () went 1-on-1 with to break down bringing home 's first-ever national title ๐
โ NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
John Mittelstadt and Jaxon Nelson each scored for the Golden Gophers (29-10-1). Justen Close made 27 saves.
โTip your hat to Quinnipiac, but we were in the right spot,โ Minnesota coach Bob Motzko said. โTurn the puck over for one [goal against]. Second one never should have went in. You know, that was an unfortunate situation right there. So we had a chance.
โI mean, Iโm crushed. We just have a wonderful group. The love in that room and that group โฆ Iโm just crushed for them. For all of us.โ
Mittelstadt opened the scoring just over five minutes into the game. QUโs Jayden Lee fanned on a breakout pass, and Connor Kurth was right there to pounce on the turnover before sending it out in front where Mittelstadt put it home.
Nelson doubled the lead less than five minutes into the second. Brock Faberโs shot took a huge bounce off the end boards, and Nelson was right there to put it home.
The Bobcats answered about three minutes later. Zach Metsa kept the puck in at the blue line before driving down the wall and feeding Tellier in front for a redirect.
The third period was all Quinnipiac before Graf broke through, racking up attacking zone time and outshooting the Gophers, 14-2, in the period.
TIE GAME. TIE GAME. TIE GAME. WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME.
โ NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
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QU previously reached the title game twice, falling to Yale in 2013 and North Dakota in 2016, the latter was also in Tampa.
โI donโt know if itโs really sunk in yet,โ Metsa said. Itโs been a crazy journey for it to be a goal at the beginning of the year and for us to come through โฆ One, Iโm happy for all the alums and the guys that came before us that set the foundation that we were able to grow from. โฆ Itโs a dream come true.โ
Rand Pecknold gets the Powerade shower. This partyโs going all the way back to Hamden
โ Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12)
OT WINNER! ๐จ Bobcats take it 10 seconds into OT
For the first time in program history, Quinnipiac is at the top of the men's college hockey mountain, knocking off Minnesota, 3-2 just 10 seconds into overtime of the national championship.
Jacob Quillian went forehand backhand off a setup from Sam Lipkin to beat Gophers' goaltender Justen Close for the winner.
END 3rd: We're going to overtime
60 minutes wasn't enough. We'll need overtime in the national championship for the first time since 2011 as Minnesota and Quinnipiac are tied, 2-2.
Collin Graf tied it late on the power play with the goalie pulled. Quinnipiac outshot Minnesota, 14-2, in the third.
No. 2 tied it, 2-2, late thanks to Collin Grafโs power play goal to send it to OT๐ฑ with the intermission report โคต๏ธ
โ NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
GOAL! ๐จ This game is tied! Collin Graf! | 3rd โ 2:47
Quinnipiac finds an equalizer with less than three minutes to go in regulation on the power play.
With the extra attacker on the ice, Collin Graf opts to shoot and beats Justen Close five-hole to tie it, 2-2.
Collin Graf ties it 2-2 late for Quinnipiac.
โ Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12)
Bobcats to the power play late ๐ฅต
Quinnipiac is going to the man advantage down, 2-1, in search of a tying goal with 4:52 to go.
The Bobcats have been all over the Gophers so far in the third, outshooting them 9-2.
Keep. Battling. x
โ Quinnipiac Men's Ice Hockey (@QU_MIH)
Quinnipiac turning it on late ๐ฑ
Just about halfway through the third period, and the Bobcats are all over Minnesota, applying tons of offensive pressure in search of a tying goal as they trail, 2-1.
Shots on goal are 5-1, QU, so far in the period. Quinnipiac took momentum from a strong penalty kill, and Justen Close has been good when needed for Minnesota.
10:54 left. 2-1 bad guys. x
โ Quinnipiac Men's Ice Hockey (@QU_MIH)
END 2nd: Minnesota still up by one ใฝ๏ธ
Two periods are gone, and the No. 1 Golden Gophers are up, 2-1, on No. 2 Quinnipiac.
Jaxon Nelson buried a rebound off Brock Faber's shot to make it 2-0, but Zach Metsa and Christophe Tellier combined to cut it to 2-1.
Shots on goal are 15-13, Bobcats.
No. 1 still leads No. 2 , 2-1, after two periods ๐ฟ with the intermission report โคต๏ธ
โ NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
GOAL! ๐จ Bobcats get one back | 2nd โ 12:19
Quinnipiac shows a sign of life.
Zach Metsa drives down the wall and zips it to Christophe Tellier in front, and he's able to redirect it past Justen Close to cut it to 2-1.
Sign of life from Quinnipiac. Metsa to Tellier to cut it to 2-1.
โ Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12)
GOAL! ๐จ Nelson doubles the Gophers' lead | 2nd โ 15:36
Minnesota makes it 2-0 early in the second.
Brock Faber's wrist shot takes a huge bounce off the boards, and Jaxon Nelson is there to put it home.
Off the face-off, Brock Faber's shot has a huge bounce off the boards and Jaxon Nelson bangs it home. 2-0 Gophers
โ Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12)
All in the family ๐ค
Both the Minnesota and Quinnipiac crowds are rocking tonight, thanks to a ton of family and friends in attendance.
QU captain Zach Metsa has over 16 family and friends at Amalie Arena, and we caught up with his parents before the game:
No. 2 captain Zach Metsa has over 16 family and friends in the crowd tonight ๐ค caught up with his parents โคต๏ธ
โ NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
We also caught up with Gophers forward Bryce Brodzinski's dad as well.
No. 1 's Bryce Brodzinski's family helps make up quite a Minnesota crowd tonight ๐ caught up with Bryce's dad, Mike โคต๏ธ
โ NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
END 1st: Gophers lead by 1๏ธโฃ
Through 20 minutes, No. 1 Minnesota leads No. 2 Quinnipiac, 1-0, in the national championship.
The Gophers started strong, and John Mittelstadt gave them the lead after Connor Kurth jumped on an opportunistic turnover. The Bobcats picked it up towards the end of the period, though.
Shots on goal are 7-3, Minnesota.
It's 1-0 for after the first 20 minutes ๐ with the intermission report โคต๏ธ
โ NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
GOAL! ๐จ Minnesota opens the scoring | 1st โ 14:25
The Gophers capitalize on brutal luck for QU defenseman Jayden Lee, who whiffed on the pass as it went right to Connor Kurth. John Mittelstadt finished the loose puck in front to make it 1-0 early.
Jayden Lee whiffs on the pass, and it goes right to Connor Kurth. John Mittelstadt there to clean up the loose puck. 1-0, Minnesota
โ Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12)
The game is on ๐ฟ
The puck is down and we're underway at Amalie Arena for the 2023 Men's Frozen Four national championship between Minnesota and Quinnipiac.
Underway in Tampa
โ Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12)
Puck drop is 15 minutes away ๐
The 2023 Men's Frozen Four national championship is less than 15 minutes away as No. 1 Minnesota and No. 2 Quinnipiac battle it out for a trophy.
Here's how each side will line up:
How Minnesota and Quinnipiac will line up tonight for the national championship
โ Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12)
Catch yourself up to speed with everything you need to know going into the national title game:
The 2023 Division I men's hockey championship is today
The 2023 Men's Frozen Four national championship is today, Saturday, April 8, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
Here is how to follow the action:
National Championship:
8 p.m. ET Saturday, April 8 | : No. 1 Minnesota vs. No. 2 Quinnipiac
Click or tap here to see the full bracket .PDF โก๏ธ
Click or tap here to see the interactive bracket โก๏ธ