Rand Pecknold couldn’t contain his excitement.
The Quinnipiac men’s hockey team had just won its first national championship in program history, knocking off No. 1 Minnesota.
Pecknold, its architect, has led the program for 29 seasons and oversaw its transition to Division I.
And in the moments after their game-winning goal, Pecknold just needed a hug — and it came from the ESPN reporter interviewing him.
“I’m just trying not to cry,” Pecknold told Colby Cohen, a former NHL defenseman now working as an ESPN analyst. “I don’t think I can do this. I’m just proud. It’s just awesome, awesome. Sorry. I can’t, I can’t. I need a hug, give me a hug.”
So as the Quinnipiac players hugged each other on the ice while celebrating, Pecknold and Cohen shared a mid-interview embrace on the ESPN2 broadcast.
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The Bobcats capped their postseason run with a 3-2 victory over the Golden Gophers, scoring the game-winning goal just 10 seconds into overtime when Jacob Quillan redirected a pass into the Minnesota net.
The Golden Gophers — ranked No. 1 in the country, and with a history that includes five national championships — were stunned as sticks and gloves flew through the air as the celebration began for Quinnipiac, which had advanced to two prior national championship games in 2013 and 2016 but lost both.
Quinnipiac finished its 2022-23 season with 34 wins, and after falling to Colgate in the ECAC Hockey tournament semifinals, the Bobcats won each of their first three NCAA tournament games by at least three goals.
Then, against Minnesota, they trailed 2-0 following a Golden Gophers goal midway through the second period, but Quinnipiac chipped away — and limited Minnesota to just two shots on goal in the third period — before winning in overtime.
And the culmination of it all, the 10-second sprint that worked, prompted Pecknold’s emotional reaction and postgame interview request.
“Just an awesome group, awesome culture. …” Pecknold said, once he and Cohen continued their interview following the embrace. “You can’t put a value on what we just did for Quinnipiac University, what these boys did. It’s awesome.”
