In front of a pro-Bulldog crowd of 18,303 at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center, Minnesota Duluth captured its second national championship, edging Notre Dame 2-1. The Bulldogs got goals from Minnesota natives Karson Kuhlman (Esko) and Jared Thomas (Hermantown), and a 19-save effort from 2018 Mike Richter Award semifinalist Hunter Shepard (Cohasset) to claim the NCAA title after first winning the top prize seven years ago on the same ice. 

Minnesota Duluth was the last team into the NCAA Tournament, edging rival Minnesota by .0001 in the RPI.

Karson Kuhlman struck first for the Bulldogs at 9:06 of the first period, capitalizing on a Notre Dame neutral zone turnover to enter the Irish zone and beat Cale Morris with a wrist shot to the glove side.

Minnesota Duluth pushed the lead to 2-0 about 9 minutes later when Jared Thomas notched his second goal of the Frozen Four, beating Morris on a sharp-angle shot. Kuhlman picked up the single assist on the play.

The Bulldogs out-shot the Irish 10-7 in the opening period.

Notre Dame got the lone goal of the second period. After killing off a pair of penalties to start the period, the Irish got on the board with a power-play goal at the 7:40 mark. Andrew Oglevie capitalized off a nice passing play to beat UMD netminder Hunter Shepard to the 5-hole. Cam Morrison and Jake Evans earned the assists.

Minnesota Duluth headed into the second intermission with a 2-1 lead and a 28-15 advantage in shots.

UMD was spectacular defensively the entire game, but especially in the third period, holding the Irish to only five shots and few scoring chances. Notre Dame pulled Morris with 1:34 to play, but was unable to muster much of an attack.

Minnesota Duluth finished the game with a 35-20 advantage in shots.

Kuhlman was named the NCAA Frozen Four's Most Outstanding Player, notching 1-2--3, including a goal and assist tonight. UMD's Thomas, Shepard and defenseman Scott Perunovich joined Kuhlman on the All-Tournament Team, along with Oglevie and Jordan Gross from Notre Dame.

A team from Minnesota has now won three straight national championships at Frozen Fours hosted in the State of Hockey - 2002 Minnesota, 2011 UMD, 2018 UMD.

The UMD roster includes 17 Minnesota natives. At least one player from the State of Hockey has now won an NCAA title in 19 of the last 21 years (131 total Minnesotans).