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Players are shown during a game at the West Regional of the NCAA men's hockey tournament between the Canisius College Golden Griffins and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers at Scheels Arena in Fargo, ND on Thursday, March 23, 2023. By Russell Hons
Russell Hons
2
Canisius CAN 20-19-3
9
Winner Minnesota UMN 27-9-1
Canisius CAN
20-19-3
2
Final
9
Minnesota UMN
27-9-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Canisius CAN 1 1 0 2
Minnesota UMN 1 2 6 9

Game Recap: Ice Hockey |

Hockey Falls to No. 1 Minnesota in NCAA Regional Semifinals

No. 1 Minnesota scored eight unanswered goals to erase a 2-1 deficit and defeat Canisius, 9-2, in the second NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship Fargo Regional semifinal contest Thursday at Scheels Arena in Fargo, N.D.
 
Bryce Brodzinski recorded a hat trick and added an assist to pace the Golden Gophers (27-9-1), who advanced to the Fargo Regional championship game, where they will face St. Cloud State, who won the first regional semifinal, 4-0, over Minnesota State.
 
Six players tallied one goal each for Minnesota. Logan Cooley dished out three assists while Mike Koster and Brock Faber both finished with a pair of helpers.
 
Graduate student Nick Bowman registered a goal and an assist while senior Daniel DiGrande tallied the first goal scored by the Golden Griffins (20-19-3), who made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2013 on Thursday.
 
Luke Mittlestadt opened the scoring a little more than six minutes into the first period, banking a spin-around shot off the left skate of Canisius goaltender Jacob Barczewski into the Griffs cage from just above the goal line to give the Gophers the early lead.
 
DiGrande answered back for the Griffs less than three minutes later, firing a one-timer between the legs of Close from the left face-off circle just seconds after a Canisius power-play opportunity had expired to knot the score at 1-1. Bowman gave the Griffs their only lead of the contest early in the second period with a highlight-reel effort that saw him deke his way past a Minnesota defender before sniping a wrist shot inside the left post to put Canisius in front, 2-1. Aaron Huglen tied the contest at 2-2 just past the eight-minute mark of the middle frame, collecting a loose puck on a zone entry and firing a wrist shot past the blocker of Barczewski from the top of the slot for his seventh goal of the campaign.
 
Connor Kurth restored the Gophers advantage during the final two minutes of the second period, finishing off a prolonged sequence in the Canisius zone by sliding the puck under the pad of Barczewski from the top of the crease.
 
Minnesota put the game out of reach with a six-goal third period that was highlighted by Brodzinski's hat trick. Jimmy Snuggerud, Brody Lamb and Mason Nevers also found the back of the net during the final frame for the Gophers.

Head Coach Trevor Large's Post Game Comments Game Notes
• Thursday's contest served as the second all-time meeting between Canisius and Minnesota and the first since the 2011-12 regular season.
• Thursday's game also served as the program's second appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2013.
• Thursday's contest was the Griffs ninth game in program history versus a No. 1-ranked team and the first since a non-conference series at then-No. 1 North Dakota to open the 2016-17 season.
• Canisius finished the season with a winning percentage of .500 or higher for the fourth time in six seasons under Large. The Griffs also recorded 20 wins in a season for the third time in the Division I era of the program and the first time since 2016-17.
• Minnesota outshot Canisius by a 34-20 margin, highlighted by a 15-5 advantage in the third period.
• The Gophers were 4-of-5 on the power play while the Griffs were 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
• Bowman recorded multiple points in a game for the fourth time this season and the sixth time in his career.
• Bowman's goal was also his fourth of the postseason as he found the back of the net for the third time in the last five games.
• Barczewski appeared in his 100th career game on Thursday. He finished the contest with 25 saves.
• Junior Jackson Decker recorded a point in three of the Griffs' final four games of the season with a helper on DiGrande's first-period tally.
 
For complete coverage of the Canisius hockey team, please follow the Griffs on social media at @GriffsHockey on Twitter and Instagram.
 
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