NCAA HOCKEY: Thursday’s Frozen Four games

North Dakota 4, Denver 2

TAMPA, FLA.

Nick Schmaltz scored off a rebound with less a minute left and North Dakota beat to advance to the NCAA hockey championship game for the first time in 11 years. Schmaltz’s backhand shot from in front of the net slipped past goalie Tanner Jaillet, setting off a wild celebration among Fighting Hawks fans in the crowd of 18,037 at Amalie Arena. Drake Caggiula scored a pair of second-period goals for North Dakota. Rhett Gardner added an empty-netter with 1.9 seconds remaining.

North Dakota’s trip to the Frozen Four in its first season under coach Brad Berry is the 22nd for the Fighting Hawks. They will face No. 1 overall seed Quinnipiac on Saturday night in the title game. North Dakota (33-6-4) has won seven NCAA crowns, tied with Denver for second behind Michigan’s nine.

Quinnipiac 3, Boston College 2

TAMPA, FLA.

Michael Garteig made 34 saves and No. 1 overall seed Quinnipiac held off Boston College to reach the NCAA hockey championship game for the second time in four seasons. The Bobcats will meet North Dakota for the title. Kevin McKernan and Andrew Taverner scored in the opening period and Landon Smith added a power-play goal that made it 3-1 in the second period, setting the stage for Garteig to shine when the Bobcats needed him. Ryan Fitzgerald’s power-play goal trimmed Boston College’s deficit to 3-2 with 4:16 remaining. Garteig had four more saves, including a glove deflection on Ian McCoshen’s shot from the high slot in the closing seconds. Quinnipiac (32-3-7) will try to win its first national title Saturday.

Associated Press