Al Franken: “I would also like to take a moment to congratulate the University of Minnesota-Duluth's men's hockey team for capturing…”

“I would also like to take a moment to congratulate the University of Minnesota-Duluth's men's hockey team for capturing their first ever NCAA Division I Championship. The UMD Bulldogs faced off against the Michigan Wolverines in St. Paul this past Saturday and, wow, it was an amazing game. Over 19,000 fans packed the Xcel Energy Center to watch a nail-biter, really, is what it was. Goaltenders Shawn Hunwick of Michigan and UMD's Kenny Reiter kept the game close, neither allowing a goal in the third period and sending the game into overtime. Stuck at 2-2 Bulldog Travis Oleksuk gathered the puck behind the Michigan goal just 3 minutes into the extra period. With the puck on his backhand, Oleksuk slid a pass in front of the net to hard-charging teammate Kyle Schmidt, Hermantown, MN. Kyle, only 10 days removed from hand surgery, buried the puck from just outside the crease. In a moment of pure exuberance, he skated to the half-line and dove onto his back, performing what I believe was a snow angel, as he slid on the ice. It was something to see. It was one of the most thrilling finishes in college hockey history. After 50 long years, Kyle's overtime goal gave the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs their first ever men's hockey NCAA Championship. In his tenth year at the helm, Coach Scott Sandelin led a tenacious and skilled Bulldog team that dominated on the power play and got timely goaltending throughout the tournament.…”