SIOUX FALLS, SD (MITCHELLNOW)
If one thing was crystal clear on Thursday night at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, it’s that these fans love hockey. It didn’t matter if you were cheering for the Boston Terriers, RIT Tigers, Omaha Mavericks or the Minnesota Gophers you only had one job and that was to out cheer the other team’s fans. If you’ve never sat ice level and pounded on the glass, then you’ve never been to a hockey game. All four hockey teams and fans had one goal coming into the Sioux Falls Regional and that was to move on and get into the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four Championships on April 11th in Saint Paul, MN.
The first game on tap tonight was the number two seeded 26-9-2 Boston Terriers led by freshman sensation Macklin Celebrinini whose 31 goals and 28 assists have him on pace to be the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. Taking the upstart 27-10-2 RIT Tigers who are currently ridding a season long seven game winning streak. The Terriers hit the ice flying in this one jumping out to a two nothing lead after one period thanks to a goal by Lane Hutson and Ryan Greene and an assist by the Terriers Celebrinni.
The Tigers would score late thanks to a beautiful unassisted power play goal by Elliah Gonsalves to cut the Terriers lead in half after one 2 to 1. 
The Terriers opened up a 4 to 1 lead after Sam Stevens and Macklin Celebrini scored goals in the second in which Rhett, the Boston Terriers mascot celebrates.
The Tigers celebrate their second goal but still trailed at the end of two 4 to 2.
The Terriers Jack Harvey and Dylan Peterson would score two more goals in the third period and the Terriers win this first round game by the final of six to three.
Mathieu Caron was stellar in net only allowing three goals adding to his season record coming in at 26-9-2 with a sparkling 2.33 GAA. The Boston Terrier Band celebrates the victory.
In game two it was a defensive battle as the 22-10-5 Gophers and the Mavericks 22-12- 4 on the season ended up scoreless after one as the Mavericks Jack Randl’s slap shot rings off the far post.
Minnesota’s Ryan Chesley takes a five-minute major and Omaha’s Joaquim Lemay celebrates with teammates after he finds the back of the net for the game’s first goal in the second.
But the Gophers Jimmy Clark ties the game at one apiece at the close of the second period and we are all tied. The Mavericks Ty Mueller would give Omaha the lead back as it was short lived as Minnesota’s Jaxon Nelson would score back-to-back goals for the Gophers and the Minnesota fans erupted and the Gopher band and the cheerleaders went nuts as the Gophers come from behind and win by the final of 3 to 2.
The Gophers now face the Terriers in a best of two on Saturday night at 5:30 pm in Sioux Falls for the right to play in the Frozen Four in Saint Paul, MN on April 11th. The fans packed the Denny Sanford Premier Center and were treated to a night of great College Hockey.
