HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

Massachusetts won the 2021 NCAA National Championship on Saturday, defeating St. Cloud State, 5-0, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the first national title for the Minutemen and Hockey East’s 10th crown.

UMass advanced to the title game after a thrilling come-from-behind, 3-2, overtime victory over two-time defending champion Minnesota Duluth in the semifinals. Junior forward Garrett Wait (Edina, Minn.) potted the game-winning goal on the second assist from Bobby Trivingo (Setauket, N.Y.), who was named the Frozen Four’s Most Outstanding Player. Matt Murray (St. Albert, Alta.) appeared in his first start since Jan. 18 and made 36 stops, just three shy of his career high, to backbone his team into the championship game.

In the title tilt, freshman defender Aaron Bohlinger (Walden, N.Y.) scored the game-winning goal when he converted at 7:26 of the first period after leading a 2-on-0 break. It was Bohlinger’s first collegiate tally. Filip Lindberg (Espoo, Finland) pitched a 25-save shutout in the national championship game. He became the first non-North American goaltender to win the national title. In seven career NCAA Tournament games, Lindberg is 6-1 with a .959 save percentage, seven goals allowed, and has four shutouts.

Also named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team alongside Trivigno was goaltender Lindberg and a pair of defenders in Zac Jones (Glen Allen, Va.) and Matthew Kessel (Bloomfield Hills Mich.)

UMass outscored opponents 27-6, including four shutouts, during their seven-game postseason winning streak in a run through the Hockey East Tournament and National Tournament. They finish the year with a 14-game unbeaten streak (11-0-3).

Massachusetts is the fifth Hockey East program to claim the national championship since the league’s inception in 1984-85 (Boston College, Boston University, Maine, Providence) and it is the league’s 10th national crown. A Hockey East team has won the NCAA championship game in six of the last 13 National Tournaments.

ARMY ROTC HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Bobby Trivingo - Massachusetts

Bobby Trivingo (Setauket, N.Y.) was named Most Outstanding Player of the Frozen Four after scoring a goal and adding two assists to help lead UMass to the national championship. He dominated the overtime period of the semifinal before setting up the game-winning goal in the extra frame. The junior finished with six shots on net and a plustwo on-ice rating.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Aaron Bohlinger - Massachusetts

Aaron Bohlinger (Walden, N.Y.) scored the game-winning goal in the national championship game to deliver Massachusetts’ its first national championship title in program history. It was the rookie defender’s first career collegiate goal. He converted at 7:26 of the first period after leading a 2-on-0 break.

HOCKEY EAST CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Filip Lindberg and Matt Murray - Massachusetts

Filip Lindberg (Espoo, Finland) pitched a 25-save shutout in the national championship game, backboning Massachusetts to the first-ever NCAA title in program history. He became the first non-North American goaltender to win the national title. In seven career NCAA Tournament games, Lindberg is 6-1 with a .959 save percentage, seven goals allowed, and has four shutouts.

Matt Murray (St. Albert, Alberta) in his first start since Jan. 18, made 36 saves in the national semifinal to deliver UMass a 3-2 overtime win over two-time reigning champion Minnesota Duluth. The 36 stops were just three shy of his career high and it was his first 30-plus-save game of the season.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Matthew Kessel, UMass (So., D; Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) Registered two points on a goal and an assist in the Frozen Four and helped anchor a Minutemen defense that allowed just two goals. He was named to the All-Tournament Team for his efforts.

Zac Jones, UMass (So., D; Glen Allen, Va.) Earned a spot on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team for his help in powering UMass to the 2021 national championship. He opened the scoring in the national semifinal with a power-play goal at 15:53 of the first period.

Garrett Wait, UMass (Jr., F; Edina, Minn.) Proved to be the overtime hero in the national semifinals, slamming home the game-winning goal right on the back doorstep to send Massachusetts into the national championship game for the second straight tournament.

Reed Lebster, UMass (So., F; Grand Rapids, Mich.) Scored a goal and added an assist in the national championship game, a 5-0 win for Massachusetts.