UNLV hockey team falls short in bid for national championship

UNLV’s club hockey team fell short in its quest for a national championship Tuesday.

The fifth-seeded Rebels couldn’t crack Adrian College (Mich.) goaltender Noah Decottignies and lost 3-0 in the American Collegiate Hockey Association men’s Division I final at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri.

The No. 2 Bulldogs (34-5) won their third Murdoch Cup as the ACHA national champion.

Decottignies finished with 41 saves to earn his sixth shutout of the season. He entered the championship game ranked second in ACHA Division I in goals-against average.

Matthew DiCesare scored with 2:38 left in the second period to give Adrian a 1-0 advantage. Matteo DiGiulio converted on a power-play goal in the third period for the Bulldogs and added an empty-net goal.

UNLV (25-7-1) controlled play in the first period and finished with a 16-8 advantage in shots on goal, but Decottignies kept the game scoreless. The Rebels outshot Adrian 41-29 overall.

UNLV goaltender Vince Benedetto stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced.

The Rebels were making their first appearance in the ACHA Division I national title game. The Rebels beat No. 3 Central Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Missouri State at the national tournament on their way to the championship contest.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.