Second-seeded Minnesota Duluth scored once in each period and killed a pair of third-period penalties to beat fourth-seeded Massachusetts 3-0 in Buffalo, N.Y. on Saturday, claiming its second straight national championship.
Minnesota Duluth claimed its third national title in its history, after first doing so in 2011.
Bulldogs captain Parker Mackay opened the scoring on the power play at 3:51 of the first period, taking a pass from the point, deking and chipping a backhander inside the left post past Minutemen goaltender Filip Lindberg.
Mackay then set up the second goal, finding Mikey Anderson wide open in the slot, and Anderson buried a shot in the top right corner at 15:48 of the second.
After killing off two penalties in the third, Minnesota Duluth put it away with a short-angle attempt by Jackson Cates with 2:42 to play in regulation. The Bulldogs finished with a 31-18 advantage in shots, including a 25-12 edge through two periods, as goalie Hunter Shepard recorded the shutout.
Massachusetts defenseman Cale Makar, the Hobey Baker Award winner as the top player in college hockey, was one of four Minutemen with three shots on goal. He could soon join the Colorado Avalanche, who drafted him fourth overall in 2017, in their playoff series against the Calgary Flames. The series is tied 1-1 after the Avalanche won 3-2 in overtime Saturday.
—Field Level Media