Minnesota vs. Quinnipiac live score, updates, highlights from 2023 NCAA hockey championship game

By | April 8, 2023
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TAMPA, Fla. — This year’s NCAA hockey season comes down to the two top teams in the country, as No. 1 Minnesota meets No. 2 Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four championship game at Amalie Arena 

Both teams punched their ticket to the title game with semifinal wins Thursday. Defenseman Luke Mittelstatdt’s two goals in the third period led Minnesota to a 6-2 victory over Boston University. Later that night, forward Jacob Quillan’s pair of goals helped propel Quinnipiac past Michigan 5-2. 

MORE: Watch the 2023 NCAA hockey national championship on Fubo

The two programs have been at the top of the rankings all season. The Golden Gophers own the No. 1 offense in the league, averaging 4.2 goals per game, while the Bobcats boast the best defense in the country, allowing just 1.9 goals per game. 

Minnesota is aiming for its sixth national championship in program history and first in 20 years. The Golden Gophers have not hoisted the trophy since going back-to-back in 2002 and 2003. 

“We just have to play our best hockey,” Golden Gophers coach Bob Motzko said Friday. “We’ve got the right guys to go to war with, and we’re fired up to get there.”

Quinnipiac is in its third national championship game in the last 10 years but has yet to get the result it desires. The Bobcats lost to Yale in 2013 and to North Dakota in 2016, in a game that was also played in Tampa. 

“We have to attack Minnesota the same way we attacked Michigan,” coach Rand Pecknold said Friday. “We’ve got to play offense and be relentless on the puck and just really hunt.”

MORE: Who has won the most Frozen Fours?

The Sporting News is providing live updates and highlights from the Minnesota vs. Quinnipiac NCAA hockey championship game Saturday night. 

Minnesota vs. Quinnipiac score

  1 2 3 OT F
Quinnipiac 0 – – – –
Minnesota 1 – – – –

Minnesota vs. Quinnipiac live updates, highlights from 2023 NCAA hockey championship

(All times Eastern.)

Second period

9:06 p.m.: GOAL! Less than three minutes later and Quinnipiac gets on the board. Zach Metsa fired a puck on net from the boards and it goes off Cristophe Tellier and in. The Bobcats are starting to get more pucks and pressure on Close, and they make it a one-goal game with 13:39 remaining in the second. Minnesota 2, Quinnipiac 1.  

9:02 p.m.: GOAL! Minnesota doubles its lead with a goal by Jaxon Nelson at the side of the net. An offensive zone win for the Golden Gophers gets the puck back to Brock Faber at the point. His shot misses the net, but Nelson puts it into the net off the boards. Just as Quinnipiac started to settle in, Minnesota goes up by two 4:24 into the second. Minnesota 2, Quinnipiac. 0. 

9:01 p.m.: Quinnipiac already has four shots on goal less than four minutes into the second period. That’s as many as they had the entire first period. A much better frame so far from Pecknold’s crew. 

8:58 p.m.: Quinnipiac got more offensive zone time in the first minute and a half of the second than I think they did the entire first. A couple of shots stopped by Close, but he’s giving up rebounds. 

8:57 p.m.: The second period is a go from Tampa. 

End of the first period: Minnesota 1, Quinnipiac 0

8:40 p.m.: After 20 minutes, it’s 1-0 Minnesota. The Golden Gophers were the better team in the period, but neither were playing their A-game. Minnesota managed just seven shots on Perets while Quinnipiac only got four on Close. John Mittelstadt’s tally is the only one of the period. 

8:35 p.m.: Collin Graf gets Quinnipiac’s best look so far in the period, cutting to the inside and ripping a shot through traffic, but Close is up to the task. Not a ton of Grade-A chances on either side. 

8:29 p.m.: Lots of icings in this one. Quinnipiac’s passing has been worse, but Minnesota’s hasn’t been as crisp as usual either. 

8:22 p.m.: It’s all Minnesota in the early going. The Golden Gophers are winning puck battles and getting sustained pressure in the offensive zone. Quinnipiac’s passing has been sloppy and the team has not been as good as usual on the forecheck. Shots are 5-1 Minnesota with less than nine minutes left. 

8:13 p.m.: GOAL! Minnesota strikes first as John Mittelstadt puts home a loose puck in the crease. A drive to the net by Connor Kurth pulled Perets out of his net and on the wrap-around attempt, Mittelstadt knocked it in. The play started from a bad turnover by Quinnipiac defenseman Jayden Lee. Just 4:35 into the championship and the Golden Gophers have the lead. Minnesota 1, Quinnipiac 0. 

8:08 p.m.: Quinnipiac kills off the Brind’Amour penalty. Excellent job by the Bobcats penalty killers, who never really let the Golden Gophers get set in the offensive zone. 

8:06 p.m.: Just two minutes for head contact given to Brind’Amour. Not at all the start Quinnipiac needed against a high-powered Minnesota power play. 

8:05 p.m.: Just 21 seconds into the game and the officials are reviewing a penalty play on Quinnipiac forward Skyler Brind’Amour. 

8:04 p.m.: Puck is down and the national championship is underway. 

Pregame

7:50 p.m.: Here’s how the two sides lineup tonight. 

7:40 p.m.: The difference in NHL draft talent is evident on these two sides. Minnesota has 14 NHL draft picks, including first-round picks in Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud and Ryan Chesley. Meanwhile, Quinnipiac has just three total draft picks on its team. 

7:25 p.m.: The projected starters in net tonight are Justen Close for Minnesota and Yaniv Perets for Quinnipiac. Perets is 33-4-3 with a 1.48 GAA (first in nation) and .932 SV% (second in nation) while Close is 26-9-1 this year with a 1.99 GAA and .928 SV% (both fourth in nation). 

7:05 p.m.: Quinnipiac and Minnesota have only ever played each other once before in any capacity. That contest came in December of 2000, when the Golden Gophers thumped the Bobcats 11-2. 

7 p.m.: Both teams arrive to Amalie Arena looking for a national championship win. Minnesota owns a record this year of 29-9-1, while Quinnipiac boasts an impressive mark of 33-4-3. 

Minnesota vs. Quinnipiac start time

  • Time: 8 p.m. ET

The puck drops at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT) from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. 

What channel is Minnesota vs. Quinnipiac on today?

  • TV channel (U.S.): ESPN2

Every Frozen Four game will be broadcast on ESPN2, including the championship game. 

The game is not available to watch on TV in Canada. 

How to live stream Minnesota vs. Quinnipiac

  • Live stream (U.S.): ESPN+, Fubo
  • Live stream (Canada): TSN+

For those looking to stream Frozen Four games, they will be available on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. 

Fans can also stream the event on Fubo. Fubo carries ESPN and ESPN2 and also offers a free trial, so hockey fans tuning in to the main broadcast can use the streaming service throughout the tournament.

Canadian viewers can stream the championship game on TSN+.

Where is the 2023 Frozen Four?

  • Location: Tampa, Fla.
  • Venue: Amalie Arena

This year’s Frozen Four is down south. The NCAA men’s hockey tournament is playing its final three games in Tampa, Fla. 

Amalie Arena is hosting the 2023 Frozen Four, the home arena of the NHL’s Lightning. This is the third time the venue is hosting the event; the 2012 and 2016 Frozen Fours took place at the arena as well. 

Minnesota vs. Quinnipiac odds

  • Minnesota: -1.5 (+136)
  • Quinnipiac: +1.5 (-192)
  • O/U: 6.0

Minnesota enters the national championship as the favorite over Quinnipiac, according to Sports Interaction. 

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