UMD back in national title game

Minnesota Duluth will play for the national championship for the second year in a row after defeating  Ohio State 2-1 in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals on Friday in St. Paul.

The Bulldogs, who lost to Denver in last year's title game, will be playing either Notre Dame or Michigan on Saturday in the Xcel Energy Center, the site of its championship victory over Michigan in 2011.

UMD scored twice in the first 3:04 against the Buckeyes and held on from there in a game that was almost a carbon copy of their West Regional win over Air Force two weekends ago in Sioux Falls. The Bulldogs opened that weekend with a 3-2 overtime victory over Minnesota State, erasing a 2-0 first period deficit.

Notre Dame came from behind to beat Michigan 4-3, scoring the game-winner with just 5.2 seconds remaining in regulation.