BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Union College men's ice hockey team defeated Providence College, 3-1 Saturday at Webster Bank Arena to win the 2014 NCAA Div. I East Regional Championship. And thus, the Dutchmen punched their ticket to the Frozen Four in Philadelphia.

Union, now owners of the longest active winning streak in the nation (13-0-1), became the first Dutchmen hockey team to win 30 games in a season (30-6-4). Union will advance to the Frozen Four for the second time in three seasons, playing Boston College in a national semifinal game on Thursday, April 10 at 5:00 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. Minnesota will face North Dakota at 8:30 p.m. and the winners will play for the title on April 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Providence, which was in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001, had defeated Quinnipiac Friday night. The Friars, who dressed just one senior forward and three seniors overall, finished 22-11-6.

Max Novak was named the East Regional Most Outstanding Player. Joining him on the all-tournament team were Mat Bodie, Shayne Gostisbehere and Colin Stevens.

After a flurry of activity off the whistle at the Providence net, the Friars came back the other way and PC's Kevin Rooney tried a wraparound tuck in stopped by Stevens. Just 26 seconds later, Union opened the scoring. Daniel Ciampini was in deep and fed Daniel Carr at the right circle. Carr dished it back to his fellow senior Mat Bodie, who came in from the point and then slapped it home from inside the left circle past Gillies. It was Bodie's sixth of the year, coming at 2:42, and his second in the East Regional series.

The Dutchmen continued a solid period. At 5:39 Sebastien Gingras' drive was tipped by Cole Ikkala. Just over three minutes later Shane Gostisbehere took a shot from the left circle that was stopped just as Kevin Sullivan was in front checked by a defenseman. The shots were 10-2 Union midway through the first period.

Ciampini got a pass between the circles but his shot to the right side of the net featured a beautiful quick left pad save by Gillies with 7:32 left. Providence had a golden chance to tie it with 6:19 left but Stevens grabbed a shot in close with a pretty glove snag off a Derek Army shot in tight. Just off the ensuing face off Trevor Mingoia went to the net tight but was stuffed by Stevens. Yet the puck came loose and a host of Friars kept banging at it on the right side, where Gostisbehere alertly got on his knees and made three saves covering that part of the cage.

With 3:44 left, Ciampini passed left to a streaking Carr in front but a great play by PC defenseman Steven Shamanski tied Carr up in front of Gillies. Union got the first power play of the day at 1:39. Just 32 seconds in, Bodie's shot from the left point made a crowd reacting "ping" as it hit the top of the right post. The Dutchmen ended the period with a 1-0 lead and a 15-7 shot advantage.

Just 58 seconds into the second period, it was 2-0 Dutchmen. Kevin Sullivan's shot in close was stopped but the puck dropped right in front of Gillies. Max Novak shot in the rebound for his 14^h of the season.

With 4:29 gone in the second Nick Cruice had a nice drive from the mid point stopped, and a few moments later another Union shot rang off the post. Both teams had opportunities but were kept off the board in the period. With 8:51 remaining in the second, Sullivan took a quick wrister from the top left circle that was saved by Gillies. The best chance for the game at that point came with 7:14 left in the second, when Steven McParland broke through the D alone behind the U blue line and deked but was stopped by Stevens. Mark Jankowski picked up a rebound off a Conor MacPhee shot but Stevens deflected it away as Jankowski was face-to-face with the crease with 3:40 left. It was an even period, as evidenced by seven shots each by the Friars and Dutchmen.

Union had kept out of the box for 40 minutes. In fact the first penalty for the Dutchmen came just 1:13 into the third, but Union killed off that PC man advantage. Union had close chances in the first six minutes from Vecchione and Carr but both drives went high of the right top shelf. Stevens kept the Friars scoreless with a flurry of solid saves midway through the third period.

But with 5:05 left in the third, Providence winger Nick Saracino got a rebound open on the right slot and came from behind the net to wrist it home and make it a 2-1 game.

Then, Union got it back. Mat Hatch got a pretty behind the net feed from Sullivan and notched his 13th and thrid in the regional, at 16:13. Providence pulled the goalie late but did not score.