It didn't come easy -- nothing in the NCAA postseason ever seems to for the University of Minnesota Duluth -- but in the end the Bulldogs once again found a way to get it done.

Peter Krieger's second-period goal and Kobe Roth's tally in the third was all the offensive support Hunter Shepard would need as the junior goaltender backstopped the University of Minnesota Duluth to a 3-1 victory over Quinnipiac University in the NCAA Midwest Regional title game Sunday night in Allentown, Pa. That earned the Bulldogs (27-11-2 overall) a program-record third straight trip to the NCAA Frozen Four, which opens April 11 in Buffalo, N.Y.

"I'm just really excited again for this group to have an opportunity to get back to another Frozen Four," said UMD head coach Scott Sandelin, who owns the best career NCAA playoff winning percentage (.760 off 19-6 record) of any active bench boss. "We beat two very well coached hockey teams. It was not easy, it never is this time of year. Again, just real excited for our team to have a chance to get back to the Frozen Four and keep playing."

The defending national champion Bulldogs, who were coming off a 2-1 overtime victory over Bowling Green State University in Saturday's semifinals, dominated the first two periods in its first ever meeting Quinnipiac, outshooting the No. 8 Bobcats 20-10 through the opening 40 minutes of play. Krieger broke a 0-0 deadlock with 4:48 to go before the second intermission when he one timed a cross-ice feed from sophomore defenseman Scott Perunovich for his ninth goal of the season. Sophomore left winger Kobe Roth added a huge insurance score at 14:58 of the third period, rapping in a pass from center Jade Miller off a 3-on-1 rush. That proved to be the game-winner as the Bobcats, with their goaltender pulled for an extra attacker and on the power play, cut the UMD lead to 2-1 with a goal three minutes later. Senior team captain Parker Mackay, who scored twice in the Midwest Regional semifinals, iced the win with an empty net goal with 57 seconds to go in regulation. Mackay was voted the Midwest Regionals' Most Valuable Player and joined Perunovich, Shepard and freshman left winger Cole Koepke on the six-member All-Tournament Team.

Shepard, making his school-record 79th consecutive start, stopped 22 of the 23 shots Quinnipiac (26-10-2) sent his way, including 11 in the final period, while hiking his career NCAA Tournament record to a perfect 6-0. 

UMD has now qualified for seven Frozen Fours -- 1984, 1985, 2004, 2011 (when it captured its first national title) and 2017, 2018 and 2019. The Bulldogs will meet Providence College in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals on April 11.