BUFFALO, N.Y. — Massachusetts blue liner Cale Makar is the odds-on favorite to win the Hobey Baker Award on Friday, but it was his defensive partner, freshman Marc Del Gaizo, who stepped into the spotlight against Denver.
Del Gaizo’s one-timer 15:18 into overtime lifted the Minutemen to a 4-3 win over the Pioneers in a national semifinal game that ended early Friday morning. The rookie took a backhand feed from Oliver Chau at the top of the left faceoff circle and blasted a rocket past Denver goaltender Filip Larsson.
MARC DEL GAIZO CALLED GAME!!!!#FrozenFour #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/48fcdQeuem
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) April 12, 2019
UMass advanced to its first title game on Saturday against defending champion Minnesota Duluth.
“I’m not a guy known for a one-timer,” said Del Gaizo. “Chau put it on a tee for me.
“[I] teed off on it, perfect pass, right in my wheelhouse. Perfect speed. Just got a hold of it and it went in.”
“Marc is a hell of a player,” said Massachusetts coach Greg Carvel. “He hammered that one.”
Makar and Del Gaizo combined for 29 goals this season, with Del Gaizo’s 13th the biggest so far.
“We’re very similar players,” said Makar. “We kind of go hand-in-hand in the way that we’re moving. When he’s up in the rush, I’m back, or vice versa. I think we read each other really well. We’re able to communicate well on the defense and offensive zone. ”
“[It’s] probably the coolest moment of my life,” said Del Gaizo. “Right now seems like I’m dreaming. We’re off to the national championship, so that’s all that matters.”
