The University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey program took on the University of North Dakota in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship on Saturday night/Sunday morning to go to the NCAA Frozen Four. It took 142:13 (the longest game in NCAA Tournament history) to determine a winner. The Bulldogs willed their way to a win in five overtimes. UMD (15-10-2) moves on to the Frozen Four for the eighth time and for the fourth straight time.
 
"Probably at the top," said UMD Head Coach Scott Sandelin when asked where this game ranks in his experience as both a hockey coach and former player. "It was just phenomenal. We didn't let off the gas, North Dakota just made some plays at the end to tie it. We got the fortunate break in the goal and thank God it ended… Couldn't be more proud of this group."
 
Freshman goaltender Zach Stejskal got the nod to start in net and played most of the game. He came out of the game in the fourth overtime due to cramps and was replaced by sophomore goaltender Ryan Fanti. Stejskal finished the night with 57 saves while Fanti made six and was credited with the win. Adam Scheel was in net for UND tonight making 51 stops in the contest.
 
The first period was a battle between the two teams, but neither goalie gave in. Stejskal finished the period with 12 saves, while Scheel made eight. The second period saw more of the same from each side. It was still dead locked at 0-0 after two with each side getting solid looks.
 
It was UMD that scored first. Junior defenseman Hunter Lellig was on the blueline and ripped a shot towards the net where junior forward Jackson Cates was able to get a stick on it and put top shelf past Scheel 3:21 into the third period. Junior forward Cole Koepke joined in on the fun just over a minute later. He broke free of UND's defenseman and found himself on a breakaway, picking the top shelf with a rip of a shot at 4:38 of the final period. The Fighting Hawks pushed back the rest of the period and finally broke the shutout with an extra man with 1:39 to go. Forward Adam Collins threw the puck at the back of Stejskal while below the goal line and banked it in. UND tied things at two a side with 55.5 seconds left from forward Jordan Kawaguci, forcing overtime.
 
Senior forward Kobe Roth appeared to have put the game winner in off of a rebound at 7:38 of the extra frame, but the goal was called back due to offsides. The two teams battled for just over four overtimes.
 
Freshman forward Luke Mylymok was the hero tonight. He brought the puck into UND's zone and used a defenseman as a screen. He ripped a shot that went through Scheel's five hole at 2:13 of the fifth overtime.
 
"I knew that I had to get some speed going into the shot and use the defense as a screen cause I was pretty far out," said freshman forward Luke Mylymok. "I just pulled it in, shot it, and it went five-hole."

Mylymok, Koepke and J. Cates each had a goal, while Lellig and senior forward Koby Bender had an assist each. Koepke and senior forward Nick Swaney had eight shots a piece.
 
Mylymok, Lellig and Stejskal were all named to the All-Region Tournament team.


 
The Bulldogs are back in action in Pittsburgh, PA, in the NCAA Frozen Four taking on the University of Massachusetts on April 8.