Goals in the first and third periods, along with a solid performance in goal from Justen Close, lifted the Minnesota Gophers past Western Michigan and back to the Frozen Four on coach Bob Motzko's birthday
Junior goalie makes 25 saves, earns MVP honors as fifth-seeded Bulldogs win their third NCHC playoff title. Minnesota Duluth beats Western Michigan 3-0 in the title game.
Denver, North Dakota, Western Michigan and Minnesota Duluth will vie for the conference tournament title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's hockey tournament this weekend at Xcel Energy Center.
UMD got goals from a pair of unlikely scorers in senior defensemen Hunter Lellig and Matt Anderson, who scored their first goals of the season and second of their career on Friday
