Stunned

That would be the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux.  And me, too.  From SB Nation:

Michigan 2, North Dakota 0

Sometimes, all you need is a great goaltending performance to win a big hockey game, especially in a single-elimination tournament like that of the NCAA. When one game is all that's guaranteed to be left in your season, one player can have that kind of impact. 

That's exactly the impact that Shawn Hunwick, goaltender of the Michigan hockey team, had on Thursday night in the National Semifinal against the favored North Dakota Fighting Sioux. His team jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a goal from Ben Winnett about midway through the first period.
From that point on, the game was all about the Sioux, who outshot Michigan 26-7 over the last 40 minutes of the game. They were clearly the more talented team, controlling play for long stretches in the offensive zone, not allowing Michigan to get into any sort of rhythm at all. 

But defensemen blocked shots -- 16 in total -- and Hunwick ultimately made 40 saves on the evening, enough to shock the best team remaining in the tournament. After an empty netter in the final minute, North Dakota's fate was sealed.

That game last night was one of the best hockey games I've EVER seen... and the suspense was incredible.  As noted above, it was clear to everyone but the totally clue-free that NoDak had the better team.  One just KNEW it was only a matter of time before the Sioux put one in the back of the net, yet it never came to pass.  Hockey is like that and there's nothing a hockey team fears more than a hot goalie.  I'm glad the NHL playoffs aren't a single-elimination affair.

Congrats to Big Blue... now it's on to their tenth NCAA championship, if the gods will it!  ESPN has much more... including the box score, here.

It was more of the same as far as yesterday's other game went.  Minnesota-Duluth should have lost the game based on the statistics, but statistics don't count for a damned thing... the only stat that mattered when the final horn sounded was on the scoreboard: UMD 4, ND 3.  Notre Dame had the better team in most respects, but it was the performance of their special teams... specifically the penalty-killing unit... that was their undoing.  You can't win anything if you let the other guys score three out of six times on the power play and your power play unit can't convert in five tries.  No cigar, Irish. 

Saturday's championship game is on Big ESPN at 1900 hrs (ET).  I'll be there.