MD1 Thumps Illini for First National Championship Title
For the first time in team history, the MD1 team are National Champions.
The Bulldogs headed down to Columbus, Ohio as the #2 seed in the national rankings for the second year in a row. The Bulldogs made it to the National Semifinals for the first time in program history, falling to the Ohio Bobcats in their first appearance in the Final Four.
The Bulldogs shut out the Stony Brook University Sea Wolves in game #1 , then topped the reigning National Champions, the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos, in the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs then shutout the Lindenwood University Lions in the National Semifinals to advance to their first ever National Championship game where they would face off against the Illinois University Illini.
Mike Finger kicked things off in the big game, sending home a pass from Brad Kobryn to makes things 1-0 Adrian in only 45 seconds into the first period. Kobryn and Archie McKinnon would be given assists. Michael Tratar would give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead at the 13:13 mark with the lone assist from Mark Fratarcangeli. After one, your Bulldogs lead 2-0.
The Illini would come within one at the 1:41 mark of the second period. Austin Kuhn answered back five minutes later, giving the Dawgs a 2 goal lead once again. Josh Oshowy and Austyn Roudebush would pick up assists. Joe Costello would stuff one in between the post and the goaltender's toe one minute later to give the Bulldogs the 4-1 lead. Finger would pick up the lone assist. Justin Fisher would add the fifth goal of the game at the 11:39 mark of the second period. Kuhn and Chris Donaldson would assist. After two, your Bulldogs held a 5-1 lead and were 20 minutes away from their first National Championship title.
Marcus Rose would waste no time in the third period, scoring 50 seconds into the final frame. Rainer Glimpel and Dominic Moore would assist. Kobryn would net two back to back top shelf goals at the 13:11 and 15:49 marks of the third period. Costello and Roudebush would assist on the first and Finger would be awarded the lone assist on the second.
The buzzer would ring and the Dawgs would win the National Championship title. Austyn Roudebush would pick up the win between the pipes, as well as two assists in the win.
Roudebush would be named the tournament MVP, only allowing 4 goals in the tournament and posting a 26-0 record through the entire season.
With the win, the Bulldogs become take home Adrian College's fourth National Championship title and become the second hockey team to do so after the D3 Gold team took home an ACHA D3 record 3 straight National Titles from 2012-14.
The Bulldogs also set a record for wins in a single season for the team, a record they previously set last season, going 34-1 en route to their first National Championship. The Class of 2018 also becomes the winningest class in program history, posting a 118-13 in their four years as Bulldogs.