The NCAA Division I men’s hockey championship is usually the most high-octane affair of any season. The 2016 edition didn’t disappoint, and the University of North Dakota reaped the benefits.
North Dakota wins 2016 NCAA hockey tournament championship
The Fighting Hawks end their championship drought with a 5-1 win over Quinnipiac.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
North Dakota came away with the 5-1 win on Saturday over Quinnpiac in Tampa Bay in what can only be described as a thrill ride. It’s North Dakota’s first title in 16 years.
As they have been all tournament long, North Dakota forwards Brock Boeser and Drake Caggiula were the difference. The two were involved with all four of the Fighting Hawks' goals.
North Dakota dictated play early with a blistering start in the first period. The two schools combined for 29 shots on goal in the first twenty minutes, but only North Dakota came away with scores. Shane Gersich broke open the scoring at 11:56 of the first, but Quinnpiac quickly gained a power play chance to respond. They squandered it when Michael Garteig tried to beat Fighting Hawks forward Brock Boeser to a puck, failed, and let him score into an open net.
Quinnipiac got one back late in the first period thanks to their vaunted power play. Tim Clifton took a pass from his brother, Connor, and fired it past Johnson to bring Quinnipiac back within one. But the two-goal lead was restored twenty minutes later when Caggiula sunk two daggers into the Bobcats in the third period. In the span of three minutes, Caggiula scored twice to extend North Dakota’s lead to 4-1 and put the game on ice even before North Dakota’s insurance goal a few minutes later.
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