It's been quite the start to Rhett Gardner's college hockey career.

Gardner, 19, is coming off an NCAA Division I championship Saturday in Tampa, Florida as his University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks out duelled Quinnipiac University 5-1 helping them win their first title in 16 years.

The former Okotoks Oiler had quite the ride just to get to the Frozen Four and it meant going through the Denver Pioneers to get to the final which also meant facing off against former Oiler teammate Tariq Hammond.

University of North Dakota celebrating their NCAA Title victory in Tampa, Florida (Photo Courtesy of Russell Hons Photography)

Gardner and the Fighting Hawks would prevail late with the game tied 2-2 with less than a minute left in regulation time before Nick Schmaltz would bury the winner and the Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan native would win the draw and score the empty netter to punch the Hawk's ticket to the finals.

He says once they got to the finals, it was all business in a winner take all match-up with the number one ranked Bobcats.

"We knew we didn't have our best game against Denver and we just wanted to come out and leave it all out on the table Saturday night," he says. "We didn't stress out too much, we didn't really have too many nerves that night I don't think and we just came out, played loose and played with nothing to lose and it worked out."

The Fighting Hawks and their prior Sioux hockey program now has eight NCAA titles just one back of the University of Michigan for the all-time high of nine.

As well North Dakota has produced such NHL stars as Jonathan Toews and T.J. Oshie as well as three other other alumni have made their mark in North Dakota with Brad Eidsness, Derek Rodwell & Corban Knight all part of the tradition.

Gardner says when he puts on that North Dakota sweater there's a lot of pride and honour that comes with it.

"All the alumni that comes through here, this win was for so much more than our team, it's for all the fans, everyone that has had anything to do with the Sioux-Fighting Hawk tradition it's been pretty crazy to be a part of and it really hasn't sunk in yet but it's definitely really special to be a part of especially at a hockey school like North Dakota."

Gardner is the 1st Okotoks Oiler to win a national title in the team's now 11 year history in the AJHL and Gardner says his two seasons in the Foothills helped him become the player he is today.

"Okotoks did a lot for me, I went through a lot of growing pains  there but it worked out and I had a really good career there and I owe a lot to Poolie (Oilers Head Coach & General Manager James Poole) and his staff along with Jay (Magnussen) for recruiting me to Okotoks. It's been a crazy few days and a lot of people to thank for it."

Gardner says with so many players set to return next year the expectation to be back in the big game will be a given.

Not bad for a freshman.

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