North Dakota Punches Ticket to Frozen Four

Regional Final win over Quinnipiac showed off all the pieces coming together for Fighting Hawks

Mar. 29, 2026 at 12:00pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a North Dakota hockey game, with sharp, overlapping planes of green, gold, and navy blue representing the team's colors and the dynamic action on the ice.North Dakota's balanced attack and stifling defense propel the Fighting Hawks to the Frozen Four for the first time in a decade.Sioux Falls Today

North Dakota's dominant 5-0 win over Quinnipiac in the NCAA Regional Final showcased the Fighting Hawks' depth, as three different forward lines scored goals and goaltender Jan Špunar recorded his second consecutive shutout. Head coach Dane Jackson praised his team's all-around performance, with the defense, goaltending, and balanced scoring attack all clicking at the right time to send North Dakota to the Frozen Four for the first time in a decade.

Why it matters

North Dakota has been one of the top programs in college hockey for years, but they've fallen short of reaching the Frozen Four in recent seasons. This regional final victory over Quinnipiac, a rematch of the 2016 national championship game, proves the Fighting Hawks have all the pieces in place to make a deep tournament run and compete for their first national title since 2016.

The details

North Dakota's dominant performance was fueled by a balanced attack, as three different forward lines scored goals. Cody Croal, Jack Kernan, and Tyler Young each found the back of the net, with Kernan scoring twice. The Fighting Hawks' defense also played a key role, with junior Abram Wiebe making several crucial plays to keep possessions alive in the offensive zone. In net, freshman Jan Špunar continued his stellar play, recording his second consecutive shutout and upping his season total to six.

  • North Dakota won the 2016 national championship.
  • Dane Jackson took over as North Dakota's head coach this past offseason.
  • Jan Špunar is a freshman goaltender from Olomouc, Czechia.

The players

Dane Jackson

The head coach of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, who took over the program this past offseason after previously being on the coaching staff when North Dakota won the national championship in 2016.

Jan Špunar

The freshman goaltender from Olomouc, Czechia, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Regional after recording back-to-back shutouts.

Cody Croal

A North Dakota forward who scored a highlight-reel goal, batting a puck out of midair and between his legs on the backhand.

Jack Kernan

A North Dakota forward who scored two goals in the regional final win over Quinnipiac.

Abram Wiebe

A junior defenseman for North Dakota who made several key plays to keep possessions alive in the offensive zone.

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What they’re saying

“All of us for the last decade put in a ton of work and time and effort, and we know we get measured at these big games at the end of the year. It's tough because it's Game 7's. We've got a lot of Penrose Cups and have done a lot of good things. But we know at North Dakota you get measured by reaching the Frozen Four and the green banners that you put up. So in our biggest games to be able to play our best game is huge.”

— Dane Jackson, North Dakota Head Coach

“I kind of knew about it more than last year, but I really never thought that I could be there. I've never been [to Las Vegas]. I'm not a big gambler.”

— Jan Špunar, North Dakota Goaltender

“They're very fast, straight-line players. They got a lot of pop to their game. They play hard, they play direct, they play north. They're fast skaters but they move the puck faster because they're simple. They don't try to get too fancy. I think it can be kind of overwhelming on the forecheck and create some chances.”

— Dane Jackson, North Dakota Head Coach

“I think a big part of those [keep-ins] are just being able to have good gaps. I think two of those plays are just having a good stick and just keeping it in. I thought Kernan did a great job of getting to middle ice and obviously a great shot. You just look at our d-corps up and down our roster, I think we've one of the best d-corps in the nation. We're just so big, physical, fast. We play the right way and I think that's helped us a lot this year.”

— Abram Wiebe, North Dakota Defenseman

What’s next

North Dakota will head to the Frozen Four in Las Vegas, where they will compete for the national championship.

The takeaway

North Dakota's dominant regional final victory over Quinnipiac showcased the Fighting Hawks' depth, balance, and all-around excellence, proving they have all the tools to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and capture their first national title in a decade.