By: Grant Donald
As the five Gophers skaters on the ice patiently passed around the puck, allowing the final minute to bleed mercilessly off the clock, a celebration of the program’s third national championship in four years had already begun.
The sold out crowd of 3,400 at Ridder Arena, comprised almost entirely of Gophers fans, rose to its feet. Players on Minnesota’s bench began hugging and congratulating each other.
And then the final horn sounded.