After being ranked No. 1 in the country for 11 weeks this season, three ties in February helped cost Minnesota Duluth its first regular-season conference title since the Bulldogs last won the WCHA in 1993.
But on Saturday they'll have a chance to hoist their first-ever NCHC playoff trophy, after beating Western Michigan 5-2 in the opening game of the league's Frozen Faceoff tournament at Target Center. Their opponent in the championship game will be North Dakota, which edged Denver 1-0 ending the Pioneers' 13-game winning streak.
Adam Johnson, a sophomore from Hibbing, Minn., set up three of the UMD goals as they broke a 2-2 tie late in the second period and cruised past the Broncos.
"It would be a great accomplishment, but I know one thing: We're going to have to play three better periods than that, I don't care who we're playing," said Bulldogs coach Scott Sandelin.
UMD (24-6-7) is expected to grab one of the top four seeds in the NCAA tournament, which begins in a week.
Unsatisfied after a game that was "not pretty" in the coach's words, his few compliments were reserved for goalie Hunter Miska, who had 24 saves. It was a meaningful game for the freshman from Stacy, Minn., who was second in voting for the league's top rookie goalie behind Western Michigan's Ben Blacker.
"Obviously, he's probably a little bit mad that he got snubbed, but everyone has seen what Hunter has done all season long," said Kyle Osterberg, who had a first-period goal for UMD. "This was just another steppingstone for him."
The Broncos (22-11-5) are also assured of an invite to the 16-team NCAA tournament field, which will be announced Sunday morning. They played Friday's game without two of their top four scorers; forwards Sheldon Dries and Wade Allison both sat out because of "day-to-day" injuries.
