Boston, Mass. --- Minnesota State scored first, but could not hold the lead in the championship game of the 2022 NCAA NCAA Division I Frozen Four semifinal game played in Boston, Mass., Saturday night.
Denver responded with five unanswered third-period goals in claiming the national title with a 5-1 win
The Mavericks, who had won 18 games in a row heading into the national championship game, finish the season with a 38-6-0 record.
Minnesota State outshot the Pioneers by a 9-3 margin in taking a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. It was junior forward
Sam Morton's one-timer from the right dot at 6:01 that beat DU netminder
Magnus Chrona that gave the Mavericks the first lead of the contest. The goal, which came off a pass from
Lucas Sowder with Minnesota State on the power play, is the ninth of the year for Morton, a native of Lafayette, Colo.
The two teams battled through a scoreless second period before the Pioneers mounted their comeback. The first goal came on a rebound chance by
Ryan Barrow at 4:46 of the third period, knotting the score at 1-1. Then, just as a Minnesota State penalty expired, defenseman
Mike Benning wired a shot from the left dot that found the back of the net at 7:33 to give DU at 2-1 lead. It became a 3-1 lead at 13:34 of the third, with DU capitalizing on an odd-man rush.
Massimo Rizzo, with his 12
th of the year, made it a two-goal lead. The Pioneers scored a pair of empty-net goals to close out the scoring in the contest.
Senior netminder
Dryden McKay, this season's Hobey Baker Award recipient as the top men's college hockey player in the nation, stopped 15 shots in the contest and finishes the season with a 38-5-0 record.
Morton, Minnesota State's goal-scorer in the game, was joined by senior defenseman
Jack McNeely on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team.
- 30 -
