Brad Baysore (13) raises the ACHA championship trophy in the air at Patterson Ice Arena in Grand Rapids. Photo by Steve Herppich
by Dean Holzwarth
The Hope College ice hockey team felt like it had the potential to go the distance last season before Covid-19 spoiled its opportunity.
The Flying Dutchmen didn’t miss out on a second chance.
Top-ranked Hope won an American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 3 national championship on Tuesday night after blanking Arkansas 3-0 at Pat Patterson Ice Arena in Grand Rapids.
It’s the program’s second national title after also winning in 2018.
“This feels really good, especially after getting cut short last year,” said senior defenseman Cole Stenstrom, who was on the 2018 squad as a freshman. We felt like we got (robbed) of an opportunity, and this year we wanted to make the most of it. We did our best to prepare for it and we did it.”
A pair of second-period goals from sophomores Mason Weiss and Gabe Gunneson helped spark the Flying Dutchmen to the win.
Hope coach Chris Van Timmeren said this national title was even more special due to the challenges of the pandemic. The Flying Dutchmen finished with a 13-2-1 record.
“It’s been so tough for these kids with Covid, and they had to go through all the testing three times a week,” he said. “The mental strain of am I going to play this week made it tougher so for these guys to win in a year of Covid is so impressive and to do it in the fashion they did this week makes me so proud of them.”
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