NCAA Frozen Four: Providence earns national title shot after 4-1 win over UNO
BOSTON – Nebraska-Omaha thought they had life. But their hopes of a come back and a shot at a national title were quickly dashed during a 4-1 Providence victory in the first semifinal of Thursday’s Frozen Four at TD Garden.
Providence’s possession over the course of the game’s opening 30 minutes paid off when Noel Acciari pounced on a loose puck that squirted through bodies and Mavericks netminder Ryan Massa to take a 1-0 lead.
Three minutes later, the Friars would double their lead when UNO failed to exit their zone cleanly, an issue they had all night. Nick Saracino found Mark Jankowski behind the defense and the Calgary Flames prospect went top shelf after a beautiful move.
Despite Providence controlling the game (shots finished 48-26 in PC's favor), UNO clawed one back midway through the third period, thanks to Jake Guentzel. The ice was slowly beginning to tilt the Mavericks’ way, but Trevor Mingoia answered 24 seconds later for the Friars to end any hope.
“When we got that goal, I just thought we had a chance,” said UNO head coach Dean Blais. “But when they scored right away to make it 3-1 you could just feel the energy go right out of the bench.”
“It was probably the biggest moment in the game for us,” said Providence head coach Nate Leaman. “That and getting the first goal. Coming back the shift after, giving up a goal, they had momentum. For us to score right back it deflates their bench a little bit and it picks up your bench a little bit.”
Saracino’s third point of the night was the empty-net goal that secured Providence’s berth into Saturday’s national title game against either Boston University or North Dakota.
For UNO, their trip Boston was a big stepping stone for the program and they’ll see the effects of making the first Frozen Four in school history over the next several years. But first-timers tend to get caught up in the moment and that ends up hurting teams on the ice.
“I just think they were more relaxed than us,” Blais said. “I thought when we hit the ice we didn’t execute like we wanted to. We had simple rules: yell for the puck, get it in deep, try not to turn it over, and we didn’t accomplish that.”
The quick response goal from Mingoia turned the game and was personally rewarding for the junior forward.
A year ago, Mingoia watched his former teammates at Union win the national championship over Minnesota. After transferring in 2012, he’ll get his shot to win one of his own Saturday night.
“I’ve got a lot of great friends on the team still, lot of respect for that school, so I was very happy when they won,” Mingoia said, “but jealousy rolls in. I want it bad and I have the opportunity to do it this year with this team.
“It’s an absolute family in that locker room, so I wouldn’t want to be here with any other team.”
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
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