Bowling Green's opponent for the title game was the University of Minnesota-Duluth, the top-ranked team in the country. The Falcons were ranked fourth, despite a better record by eight points over the Bulldogs. BG jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, but by the end of two periods, trailed by the score of 3-1. Less than a minute into the final period, UMD had scored again, and kept the three-goal lead through the first 12 minutes of the period, until Bowling Green pulled within 4-2.
The Falcons came alive shortly after that goal, scoring again at the 6:18 mark to pull within one, then used a little help from the "hockey gods" to pull even.
With just about two minutes left to play, Bowling Green defenseman Wayne Wilson dumped the puck around the boards, some believe the play was offsides, others more vehemently argue that icing should have been called. As UMD goalie Rick Kosti skated behind his net to play the puck, it hit a screw or a crack, or something in the boards and popped out in front of the net. Senior center John Samanski tapped it in for his 25th goal of the year, tying the score at four with 1:47 to play.
Tied after regulation, the teams played a 10 minute overtime period, then another, and another. The Bulldogs dominated play, but Kruzich came up big time and time again to keep the Falcons' title hopes alive. Finally, with just under three minutes left in the fourth overtime, after 97 minutes and 11 seconds of hockey, senior Dan Kane fed a perfect pass to sophomore Gino Cavallini, who's backhand shot beat Kosti and brought the national championship to Bowling Green.
