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St. Cloud State
19-10-0
Boston College
17-6-1
FROZEN FOUR BOUND: Huskies stifle Eagles in 4-1 win
3/28/2021 8:55:00 PM | Men's Hockey
ALBANY, N.Y. - The St. Cloud State University men's hockey team wasn't supposed to make it this far.Â
The Huskies were supposed to finish fourth at best in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), maybe advance to the Frozen Faceoff, and possibly earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.Â
According to the experts, they were not under any circumstances, supposed to advance to the Frozen Four.Â
So that is exactly what St. Cloud State did.Â
With all the odds stacked against them, and no one picking them to win the Northeast Regional, the Huskies did what they weren't supposed to do, just as they have all season long. Thanks to its suffocating defense and outstanding play from senior netminder David Hrenak (Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia / Green Bay), St. Cloud State upended No. 2 Boston College 4-1, advancing to the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time since 2012-13.Â
It wasn't a blowout win like Saturday's tournament opener against Boston University. Sunday's win over the No. 2 ranked team in the nation, and top seed in the Northeast Regional, was a nailbiter, as the Eagles managed to find their way on the scoreboard first in the first period. Minnesota Wild draft pick Matt Boldy gave Boston College the early 1-0 lead, as he beat Hrenak on a nasty shot through the five hole.Â
As the saying goes, though, you can't keep a good dog down. While the first period ended in a 1-0 advantage for Boston College, the Huskies were grinding away in the Eagles offensive zone, waiting patiently for the tides to turn. The tides did, perhaps in the worst way possible, though, as Easton Brodzinski (Blaine, Minn. / Green Bay) was helped off the ice early in the second. The momentum, though, definitively shifted in St. Cloud State's direction, as the Huskies battled for their fallen teammate.Â
The hard work paid off at 9:21 in the second, as Luke Jaycox (Warroad, Minn. / Lincoln) blasted the puck past Mike Richter finalist Spencer Knight to even the score at 1-1. That opened the floodgates for St. Cloud State as the Huskies scored two more goals in the period to take a definitive 3-1 lead over Boston College. First, Will Hammer (St. Cloud, Minn. / Minnesota) bounced a Nick Perbix (Elk River, Minn. / Omaha) past Knight to give St. Cloud State its first lead of the night at 2-1, before Nolan Walker (Anchorage, Alaska / Sioux Falls) slipped it behind Knight to extend the lead to 3-1.Â
With the way Hrenak was playing between the pipes, the second goal was all the Huskies needed. The senior netminder made 25 saves in the game, surrendering just one goal to one of the best offenses in Division I hockey this season. St. Cloud State's defense also only allowed 26 shots to reach Hrenak, as the Huskies tallied 16 blocks as a defense in the victory.Â
Still, with the Eagles pressing, an extra goal was desired by both the team and all St. Cloud State fans.Micah Miller (Grand Rapids, Minn. / Sioux City) delivered the insurance goal at 19:15 in the third, as his empty netter cemented the 4-1 win for the Huskies.Â
Five St. Cloud State student-athletes rounded out the NCAA Northeast Regional All-Tournament Team, including Jaycox, Perbix, Brodzinski, Walker and Hrenak, while Hrenak was named the Most Outstanding Player of the whole tournament.Â
With the win, the Huskies advance to the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time since the 2012-13 season, which will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania April 8-10. More information, regarding St. Cloud State's first round opponent and game times will be available in the upcoming days.
