Like a cactus growing in the desert, the UNLV men’s hockey team showed incredible resiliency during the ACHA Division 1 National Championship.
The Skatin’ Rebels bounced back from 2-0 deficits in quarterfinal and semifinal games against Maryville and Liberty, respectively, to clinch a rematch with Adrian, who beat UNLV 3-0 to win the 2024 national title.
UNLV avenged last year’s loss with a 7-3 win over the Bulldogs on March 18 in St. Louis to clinch the program’s first national championship.
“Now with this national championship win, it really puts us on the map,” said Anthony Vignieri-Greener, UNLV’s head coach. “I want to say thank you to the fans, the community, anybody that helped us along the way. There’s tons of people that make it possible for us to have a program.”
Though UNLV competes in the ACHA — the national association for non-NCAA college hockey in the U.S. — the Skatin’ Rebels made a definitive statement earlier in the season with a 7-6 shootout victory over Denver, the defending NCAA Division I men’s national champion.
“Beating Denver and winning the national championship in one year, those are two insane boxes to check off,” UNLV forward Preston Brodziak said. “It was just so special that we got to experience those two things. Going into nationals, we knew that we could win.”
Brodziak proved to be a big reason why the Skatin’ Rebels were able to win their first title this season. A graduate student who played four years of NCAA Division I hockey at Long Island University, Brodziak led UNLV in scoring this year with 54 points.
That scoring carried over into the championship game as Brodziak set up two goals in the second period and scored one in the third.
When he reached campus last August, Brodziak knew immediately that he was joining a special group.
“Everyone kind of hit it off right from the start,” Brodziak, said. “They took me in right away like family. I felt like I knew these guys forever already.”
Brodziak was one of three transfers Vignieri-Greener brought in this season. The coach wasn’t sure how the season would play out, as he had lost 12 seniors from last year’s ACHA national finalist and had welcomed nine freshmen along with the transfers.
“You just don’t know how they’re going to jell,” Vignieri-Greener said. “There’s been some highs. There’s been some lows. Definitely ended on the high.”
According to Vignieri-Greener, the team set goals of winning its conference, getting its first victory against an NCAA Division I opponent, being in the top four at nationals and capturing the ACHA title — the Skatin’ Rebels achieved all of them.
With the season now behind him, Vignieri-Greener acknowledged that the win against Denver served as a mental turning points for him team.
“It proved to the boys that when they dial in and everybody buys in and pulls the rope in the same direction, we’re going to be a tough hockey team to beat, especially at the ACHA level,” he said.
In the championship game, the coach was able to put all six of his seniors on the ice together for the game’s last 30 seconds.
“It was something special to see,” Vignieri-Greener said. “It was kind of a relief when the clock hit zero. Joy, excitement, and my anxiety just kind of left.”
Those associated with the program hope that the ACHA championship will lead to UNLV hockey’s move to NCAA Division I.
“At the end of the day, we wanted to win at this level right now,” Vignieri-Greener said. “And then our bigger vision is to make the jump [to the NCAA]. … We’re still going to strive to win at whatever level we play.”
If the Skatin’ Rebels do join the NCAA, Vignieri-Greener assured that he will have no problem recruiting at the next level.
“I can promise you that,” he said. “Once it happens, UNLV can be a contender right away. We’d try to compete every single night and win hockey games.”
Like the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, who won the 2023 Stanley Cup, UNLV believes that the desert can be a hotbed for collegiate hockey success.
Brodziak, who’s played at both levels now, has no doubts about UNLV making the transition.
“This organization is ready,” he said. “Once it does go Division I, I think the trajectory is going to be crazy because it’s just going to take off. Everyone’s going to want to come play here. … They definitely love hockey in the desert, which is so unbelievable. There’s a big demand for hockey here.”
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
Source: usahockey.com