Denver University Wins NCAA Hockey Championship
Forward Jarid Lukosevicius accounted for all three of Denver University’s goals with a hat trick in the second period to lead the Pioneers to a 3-2 victory over fellow National Collegiate Hockey Conference member Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA Men’s Hockey championship game at the United Center in Chicago on April 8th. It was Denver’s first championship since 2005 and eighth overall in program history. Only Michigan, with nine titles, has more; North Dakota also has eight.
Denver led 3-1 when UMD scored with 5:21 left in the third period to bring it within one. But the Pioneers held on to win. The two teams split a pair of regular season games earlier this season. The hat trick by Lukosevicius was the first in an NCAA Championship game since 1993, when Jim Montgomery of Maine did it in that team’s win over Lake Superior State. Montgomery is now the coach at Denver, and was named Coach of the Year. Denver also has this year’s Hobey Baker Award winner, the college hockey equivalent of the Heisman Trophy as player of the year. Defenseman Will Butcher won that award. Goalie Tanner Jaillet had 38 saves for Denver. He also was this year’s Mike Richter Award winner as college hockey’s top goalie. With all that going for them how could they lose?
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This was a game between the overall number 1 and 2 seeds where did look like Denver deserved the number one seed. This is a great year for the Pioneers.
Also in a one goal game, the US women won the World Championship with a great clanger off of the top bar by Hilary Knight in OT. Congrats to them as well!
In other Hockey news, the Cup playoffs are starting. I see the Habs falling and only the Bruins coming out of the Atlantic division. (I think that I figured the matchups right lol). I predict a team in black and gold will represent the East.
You are figuring that the Bruins or perhaps the Penguins (the other black and gold team) will represent the Eastern Conference and that Washington will continue to disappoint Caps fans in the post season?
Exactly. It would be cool to see Matthews go nuts and dominate the series for the Leafs to advance.
I think the Blackhawks will be the third conference final team. I have no clue who the fourth will be (Oilers would be cool).
The main focus on this year’s playoffs is the return of so many Canadian teams: it’s great to see!
Even with the Blackhawks looking strong, the Bruins and the Blues both look like good value at 14:1 to win their conferences.