BUFFALO, New York -- Minnesota's young Golden Gophers barreled through the Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship, defeating New Hampshire, 5-1, in the title game April 12 at HSBC Arena.

Minnesota won its second straight title and fifth overall, becoming the first school to accomplish a repeat since Boston University in 1971-72.

And, like last season, a non-Minnesotan played a considerable role. Austrian Thomas Vanek broke open a tie game in the third period, pushing the Gophers to a four-goal explosion in the third period.

Vanek, a freshman and the first European player to suit up for Minnesota, took a pass from fellow Gopher Matt Koalska and nimbly faked New Hampshire goaltender Michael Ayers to the ice and then buried the puck into the open net. The goal came 8:14 into the third period and was a breakthrough for Minnesota after peppering Ayers with shots for much of the period.

"It was a good play," said Ayers, who before Vanek's goal had stopped 29 of 30 shots. "When I went down, I thought he had a lot less room. It was a good goal-scorer's goal."

It was Vanek's fifth game-winner this season, and second in consecutive games after he scored in overtime in a 3-2 semifinal victory against Michigan.

Barry Tallackson chipped in with two goals for the Gophers, including a late empty-net goal.

Matt DeMarchi and Jon Waibel also scored, and Travis Weber stopped 26 shots. Minnesota outshot New Hampshire, 45-27.

The Gophers (30-8-9) join Wisconsin and Denver in the five-title club. Michigan is first with nine championships, followed by North Dakota with seven.

Sean Collins scored for New Hampshire (28-8-6), which was denied its first championship despite making its fourth Frozen Four appearance in six years and seventh overall. The Wildcats lost to Maine, 3-2, in overtime in their only other title game in 1999.

Of Vanek's 31 goals, 17 have come in either the third period or overtime.

"The championship means so much to me," said Vanek, selected the tournament's most outstanding player.

Vanek's teammate, Grant Potulny, starred in last year's title game, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to defeat Maine. Potulny, who is from North Dakota, was the first non-Minnesota player for the Gophers in several years.

"We don't even know what we did yet," said Potulny, this year's captain. "We weren't supposed to win. Nobody thought we could do it. We battled and stuck with it."

New Hampshire's gritty effort ran out of steam in the third period. With Minnesota carrying the play for much of the game, the Wildcats mounted some pressure early in the final stanza, but couldn't capitalize on a power play. Vanek took over from there.

"He's a difference-maker," Gophers coach Don Lucia said of Vanek. "And that's why you work hard to recruit players like that because if Thomas is playing at Michigan or some other program, maybe they're sitting here. And one or two big-time players can make all the difference."

"Give Minnesota a lot of credit," Wildcats coach Dick Umile said. "The better team won tonight."

The title game was played in front of 18,759 fans, a new arena record. The mark is the second-best all-time for the Frozen Four behind last season's final at St. Paul, Minnesota.

The all-tournament team consisted of Minnesota's Vanek, DeMarchi, Paul Martin and Travis Weber; and Nathan Martz and Steve Saviano of New Hampshire.

SEMIFINALS

Minnesota 3, Michigan 2 (ot)

First period: MICH -- Brandon Kaleniecki (Andrew Ebbett), 9:33.

Penalties: MICH -- Jed Ortmeyer (tripping), 2:52; MINN -- Matt DeMarchi (obstruction-interference), 4:39; MINN -- Keith Ballard (holding), 14:26; MICH -- Mark Mink (high-sticking), 17:15; MINN -- Gino Guyer (cross-checking), 18:49.

Second period: MICH -- Ortmeyer (Jeff Tambellini), 14:38; MINN -- Troy Riddle (Thomas Vanek, Matt Koalska), 17:45.

Penalties: MICH -- Brandon Rogers (holding), 1:34; MICH -- Al Montoya (tripping), 12:07.

Third period: MINN -- Guyer (Barry Tallackson, Chris Harrington), 1:35.

Penalties: MINN -- Chris Harrington (hooking), 4:05; MINN -- Harrington (holding), 7:49.

Overtime: MINN -- Vanek (unassisted), 8:55.

Penalties: None.

Shots: Michigan -- 15-6-10-2-33; Minnesota -- 5-15-8-4-32. Saves: Michigan -- Al Montoya, 29; Minnesota -- Travis Weber, 31. Attendance: 18,702. Referee: Scott Hansen. Assistant referees: Bob Bernard, Joe Andrews.

New Hampshire 3, Cornell 2

First period: NH -- Tim Horst (Tyler Scott), 14:21.

Penalties: NH -- Garrett Stafford (holding), 5:08; C -- Travis Bell (hooking), 16:17.

Second period: NH -- Steve Saviano (Nathan Martz, Sean Collins), 1:23; NH -- Saviano (Martz), 7:10 (pp); C -- Ryan Vesce (Steven Baby, Doug Murray), 9:38 (pp).

Penalties: NH -- Jim Abbott (hooking), 2:12; C -- Matt Moulson (goaltender interference), 5:51; NH -- Brian Yandle (cross-checking), 8:04; NH -- Patrick Foley (boarding), 10:40; NH -- Kevin Truelson (holding), 16:08; C -- Doug Murray (roughing), 19:56.

Third period: C -- Chris Abbott (Cam Abbott, Greg Hornby), 9:52.

Penalties: NH -- Tyler Scott (interference), 3:28; C -- Shane Hynes (high-sticking), 16:52.

Shots: New Hampshire -- 11-3-7-21; Cornell - 7-11-3-21. Saves: New Hampshire -- Michael Ayers, 19; Cornell -- David LeNeveu, 18. Attendance: 18,637. Referee: Don Adam. Assistant referees: Nathan Freeman, Craig Hanson.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Minnesota 5, New Hampshire 1

First period: M -- Matt DeMarchi (Garrett Smaagaard), 10:58; NH -- Sean Collins (Nathan Martz, Justin Aikins), 19:41 (pp).

Penalties: NH -- Colin Hemingway (charging), 8:57; M -- Keith Ballard (roughing), 11:35; NH -- Aikins (roughing), 13:12; M -- Maagaard, (hitting after the whistle) 18:01.

Second period: None.

Penalties: NH -- Patrick Foley (charging), 2:33; M -- Thomas Vanek (cross-checking), 3:10; NH -- Brian Yandle (interference), 15:27; M -- Judd Stevens (obstruction-holding), 18:39.

Third period: M -- Vanek (Matt Koalska), 8:14; M -- Jon Waibel (Vanek), 11:25; M -- Barry Tallackson (Gino Guyer, Chris Harrington), 13:34 (pp); M -- Tallackson (Grant Potulny), 18:31 (en).

Penalties: M -- Waibel (hooking), 8:59; NH -- Nathan Martz (roughing), 11:43; NH -- Tim Horst (hooking), 18:46;

Shots: New Hampshire -- 7-9-11-27, Minnesota -- 16-14-15-45. Saves: New Hampshire -- Michael Ayers, 40; Minnesota -- Travis Weber, 26. Attendance: 18,759. Referee: Steve Piotrowski. Assistant referees: John LaDuke, Kevin Langseth.

Colorado College's Sejna wins Hobey Baker award

Peter Sejna of Colorado College has been selected as the 2003 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner. The Hobey Baker is awarded to the top Division I men's ice hockey player, similar to the Heisman Trophy in college football. Sejna, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Year, led Division I teams in points (82) and goals (36) while compiling a Colorado College-record 33-game scoring streak. The junior from Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia, is the first European to win the award, beating out forward Chris Kunitz of Ferris State and goaltender David LeNeveu of Cornell.

Sam Paolini of Cornell was named the Humanitarian Award winner as college hockey's most outstanding citizen.