For a third straight year, the North Dakota Fighting Sioux have won the WCHA Final Five, and for the second year in a row they have defeated the Denver Pioneers. While in 2011 the Fighting Sioux needed double overtime to defeat the Pioneers, this year North Dakota took the game, 4-0.
The Fighting Sioux scored two goals in the first period (Brock Nelson, Carter Rowney) and then one in the second (Michael Parks) and one in the third (Mark MacMillan). Nelson's and Parks' goals each came on a power play opportunity, which North Dakota was 2-for-5. The Pioneers went scoreless in all four of its power play sessions.
Juho Olkinuora was in net one day after Sam Brittain made 67 saves on Friday afternoon. Olkinuora allowed all four goals on 22 shots and was removed for Adam Murray after the final goal.
The Pioneers (25-13-4) are now waiting until Sunday to find out where they will wind up in the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament. They will likely receive a No. 3 or No. 4 seed after finishing with a No. 11 PairWise ranking.
Head over to Western College Hockey Blog for more WCHA news and notes.