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Oakland University D3 wins first ACHA national championship

MiHockey Staff
OU
(Photo courtesy of @OU_DIII_Hockey)

 

By @StefanKubus –

Oakland University captured its first national ACHA Division III championship Saturday night in Grand Rapids with a 5-3 victory over Aquinas College in what was a rematch of the 2016 Vezina Cup Final.

Robert Lauro had a pair of goals and an assist to pace the offensive charge for the No.1 Grizzlies, while goaltender Kyle Gagnon backstopped OU to the championship crown.

Late in the opening frame, Lauro buried one in the slot to put the Grizzlies up 1-0. The helpers went to Jeffrey Clemence and Matthew Zuelch.

Halfway through the period, Aquinas struck back to even things at one aside on a Calvin Wojtaszak goal.

But Matt Stirling regained the one-goal lead for OU, scoring a pretty wrap-around goal late in the frame to give the Grizzlies the 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Early in the final frame, Lauro added his second of the game on a deflection with the assists going to AJ Rosales and Dalton Genat.

Aquinas answered on the first of two Zachary Grover goals to make it a 3-2 game in favor of OU before Chris Hellebuyck – brother of Winnipeg Jets prospect Connor – regained the two-goal lead for the Grizzlies late in the third period to make it 4-2. Rosales picked up his second assist on the goal.

Both teams traded goals and Oakland held on the rest of the way to close out its first national title.