WORCESTER, Mass. — Minnesota coach Bob Motzko knows that college hockey games in March aren’t easy, especially when the defending national champions are sitting on the other bench.
It took overtime in Friday night’s second Worcester Regional semifinal at the DCU Center, but the Gophers ensured that a new champion will be crowned in two weeks’ time in Boston as they clinched a 4-3 win over Massachusetts.
Senior captain Ben Meyers scored at 8:31 of the extra session to win the game and advance Minnesota (25-12-0) to Sunday’s regional final against top-seeded Western Michigan.
“I’m really proud of our group because we battled tonight,” Motzko said. “… The only way you beat UMass is to match their grit. We like a little prettier hockey, but we’ve got to learn to win games like that. We’re growing as a team. … We kind of adapted to the game as it went on.”
Stationed in the slot, Meyers took a pass from freshman linemate Aaron Huglen in the right corner and sent a one-time shot over the shoulder of UMass graduate goaltender Matt Murray (20 saves) for the deciding tally.
The goal was Meyers’ fifth game-winner and second in overtime this season. It followed goals by Ryan Johnson, Tristan Broz and Matthew Knies; the latter had a power-play strike at 13:17 of the third to send the game to overtime.
“He’s a really smart player,” Meyers said of Huglen, who was a new addition to his line. “I thought he played great all game, but to set up that play at the end was great. I thought our line played well.”
The win took a come-from-behind effort as UMass swung the game open with two goals in a 56-second span in the first period.
Reed Lebster scored twice, Minnesota transfer Garrett Wait added a power-play marker and Ryan Ufko and Cal Kiefiuk had two assists apiece to help the Minutemen take 2-0 and 3-1 leads.
UMass ended its season with a 22-13-2 record and a second straight Hockey East championship.
“I don’t feel like we lost momentum in the game,” UMass coach Greg Carvel said. “If you would have asked me just how our team played, would I be happy with it? 100 percent. I thought we played a really good hockey game and played well enough to deserve to find a way to win.”
Lebster scored on a delayed penalty at 14:09 before former Minnesota skater Garrett Wait doubled the MInutemen advantage on the ensuing power play. The goals beat Justen Close, who finished with 20 saves, including four in overtime.
“Obviously, it was ideal (to take an early lead),” UMass senior Anthony Del Gaizo said. “We were super opportunistic and got ahead 2-0 there. It was exactly what we wanted to do.”
Johnson got one back for the Gophers with 1:58 left in the first. Murray made a save on his one-timer, and the rebound caromed in off UMass defender Colin Felix.
“I think the message was that there’s a lot of game left,” Meyers said. “Obviously it was unfortunate, but one goal happened 6-on-5 and the other was on the power play. We felt like we could really do some damage 5-on-5 and we stuck to that.”
After Lebster corralled a loose puck to extend the UMass advantage 1:24 into the second, Minnesota turned up the pressure — posting 10 of their 24 total shots in the period — and Broz made it a one-goal game for the second consecutive intermission. Broz redirected Jaxon Nelson’s pass at the 17:09 mark.
Knies snapped off the game-tying goal on the power play, beating Murray into the top right corner from the left dot.
“That goal that Knies scored, it’s ridiculous,” Carvel said. “He looked like Auston Matthews. He grabs the puck and drops it into the top shelf. What do you do?”
Knies and Meyers had a goal and an assist apiece. Nelson had two helpers.
