Four young hockey players from southeast Saskatchewan were part of the Minot State Beavers hockey team that recently won a national championship in the U.S.
Minot State won the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division 1 national championship with a 9-5 victory over the Missouri-based Lindenwood University Lions on March 6. The national title game was played in Chicago.
Four players from southeast Saskatchewan - goaltender Riley Hengen and defenceman Ryan Curzon of Estevan, blue-liner Nigel Dube of Lampman, and forward Brody Haygarth of Alameda – were part of the team.
Haygarth played a pivotal role in the final game, as he finished with three goals and one assist. One of his markers was the game-winning goal.
Dube, meanwhile, had two assists in the final, and was named to the tournament's second all-star team.
Minot State entered the national tournament as the No. 3 seed. They opened with a 5-0 victory over the University of Central Oklahoma. Haygarth chipped in with a goal in that game.
The Beavers then had their closest game, a 5-4 overtime victory over the University of Oklahoma. Former Melville Millionaire Michael Jordan had the overtime winner.
Minot then beat Ohio University 5-1 in the national semi-final. Dube scored the game winner early in the second period, and also had an assist.
In addition to his playing commitments, Dube also served as the strength and conditioning coach, and the director of community outreach.
A total of 13 SJHL alumni were on Minot State's championship team.
The ACHA is a U.S. collegiate hockey circuit that features 56 schools from across the country.
