Saturday night in Pittsburgh was the culmination of UMass coach Greg Carvel’s five-year plan. The man who changed #ZooMass to #NewMass, the man who inherited a Hockey East doormat, led his Minutemen to the school’s first national championship with a dominating 5-0 win over St. Cloud State in the Frozen Four.
Having the five-goal cushion allowed Carvel, normally a stern task-master, to deliver a tender message to his troops with five minutes remaining. “I asked them to soak it in,” said Carvel. “They earned this. I told them, ‘I’m 50 years old, this is as good as it gets.’ ”
Much of championship Saturday was a coronation for the Minutemen, and there was no shortage of heroes: the ultimate highlight-reel goal from senior Phil Lagunov; tourney M.O.P. Bobby Trivigno’s snipe, filled with sweet redemption after missing the 2019 championship due to suspension; and the ultimate hero story written by victorious goaltender Filip Lindberg.
