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UMass Men's Ice Hockey Wins 1st National Title, Beating St. Cloud State 5-0 In Championship Game

PITTSBURGH (CBS/AP) — Filip Lindberg had 25 saves, Aaron Bohlinger scored his first career goal, and the University of Massachusetts beat St. Cloud State 5-0 on Saturday night to win the program's first NCAA title.

After St. Cloud State turnover, Bohlinger led a breakaway and dropped the puck to Ryan Sullivan whose one-touch pass set up Bohlinger's one-timer to open the scoring about 7 minutes into the game. Reed Lebster's wrap-around goal with about a minute left in the first gave the Minutemen a 2-0 lead.

UMass (20-5-4), which extended its unbeaten streak to a program-record 14 games, made its third NCAA Tournament appearance. The Minutemen lost 3-0 to Minnesota Duluth — which UMass beat in Thursday's semifinals — in the 2019 title game. The 2020 Frozen Four was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

David Hrenak had 17 saves for St. Cloud State (20-11-0), which made the program's first title game appearance.

Phillip Lagunov picked up a loose puck near center ice, cut back to evade a defender and scored a short-handed goal about five minutes into the second period to make it 3-0, Matthew Kessel added a power-play goal about eight minutes later and Bobby Trivigno capped the scoring in the third period.

"I'm very proud of everyone in our program," UMass Head Coach Greg Carvel said after the game. "Where this program was five years ago and now we're National Champions. These kids have done it all. I'm so proud of them and so thankful."

The Minutemen went a combined 11-45-8 in the three seasons before Carvel was hired in 2016 and won just two games in his first year at the helm.

Lindberg posted his record fourth career shutout in the NCAA Tournament. The junior from Finland went into the game leading the nation in goals against average (1.33) and save percentage (.946).

UMass is 15-0-0 this season when scoring at least four goals.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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