NCAA Tournament: Minnesota shuts down Western Michigan, advances to Frozen Four

By Patrick Donnelly

WORCESTER, Mass. — Justen Close made 24 saves, and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers punched their ticket to the Frozen Four with a 3-0 against the Western Michigan University Broncos in the Northeast Regional final at the DCU Center on Sunday.

Freshman forward Matthew Knies and senior forward Blake McLaughlin each scored, and senior co-captain Ben Meyers had two assists for N0. 5/6 Minnesota (26-12-0).

“This was a really strong weekend for our team. We played as tight together for two games as you need to do and want to do. Couldn’t be prouder of our group,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said. “I thought both nights our grit and determination [were better], blocking shots, getting back on defense. … You have to earn your way through. You’re not going to do it by being cute all the time. Our program’s grown in that for sure.”

Junior netminder Brandon Bussi made 23 saves for No. 4/5 Western Michigan (26-12-1), whose season comes to a close with the loss.

“I was proud of our effort,” Broncos first-year head coach Pat Ferschweilder said. “I thought we played hard all game. … They really made it hard to create anything clean offensively. I thought we worked, and I thought we put their defense under pressure. I thought we created turnovers and some offensive zone time, but not a ton of clean looks. That’s credit to them and how hard
they competed.”

Knies put the Gophers ahead 1-0 at 10:11 of the first with a catch-and-release shot from the slot after sophomore defenseman Brock Faber protected the puck down the wall and sent a backhand pass towards the front.

“He’s a big-time player, and he’s going to keep getting better too,” Motzko said of Knies.

Junior defenseman Ronnie Attard nearly tied it 1-1 for the Broncos at 8:44, one-timing a bouncing puck that made its way in off the crossbar. However, the goal was called back after review as freshman forward Max Sasson was offside on the Broncos’ entry into the offensive zone.

“It was kind of big. It was still early enough in the game where we just had our heads on straight, and we didn’t really want to get upset or frustrated because that’s when we start playing bad, getting away from our game plan,” WMU senior assistant captain Ethen Frank said. “They just did a good job the rest of the game staying above us, and made it difficult for us to get some [offensive]-zone time.”

Huglen made it 2-0 on the power play 33 seconds into the second period with a one-timer from the left face-off circle after a cross-zone pass from Meyers.

With 4:38 gone in the third, McLaughlin and senior co-captain Sammy Walker broke in on a 2-on-1 for the Gophers, but Bussi made pushed across to make a point-blank pad save on Walker to keep it 2-0 after a cross-crease feed from McLaughlin.

“That save by Bussi was world class,” Ferschweilder said. ““I thought he was great, calm and big, exactly what he should be in there. … That save was exceptional, and he stopped a breakaway, which was a huge save for us too.”

McLaughlin scored an empty-netter with 1:57 remaining in regulation for the 3-0 final. He said the key to Minnesota’s offensive output was their puck possession.

“Just kind of controlling the puck, throwing pucks below the goal line, getting on it, and retrieving it,” McLaughlin said. “I mean, low to high, simplify our game. I know, maybe we got a little too cute midseason, and I think with playoff time, we just have to bear down, simplify it, and just get pucks through. Low to high, and banging at the net.”

Close made 20 saves over the final two period to preserve his third shutout of the season. The junior is just happy for the opportunity to play in the Frozen Four.

“I mean we are all excited, it’s been our goal all year,” he said. “It was my goal in November, same as it was in January, just like everybody in the locker room. We couldn’t be more thrilled right now.”

Knies was named most outstanding player of the regional. Knies, Close, Meyers, Attard, WMU sophomore forward Luke Grainger and Minnesota junior defenseman Jackson LaCombe were named to the All-Tournament team.

Grainger scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Northeastern on Friday, and LaCombe assisted on Huglen’s goal.

Minnesota will face the No. 1/1 Minnesota State Mavericks (35-5-0) in the national semifinal at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday, April 7.

“I love the fact that we will be the underdog again,” Motzko said of the matchup. “There’s no question [head coach Mike Hastings] has done an unbelievable job, and we have a daunting task in front of us. We will work on that over the next couple of weeks.”

Puck-drop is set for 8:30 p.m. after the conclusion of the first semifinal between Michigan and Denver at 5 p.m.