ARTESIA, Calif. - Cal State Northridge became the second team in West Coast Hockey Conference history to win three consecutive championships Sunday beating Long Beach State in a rematch of last seasons final 4-3.

     The Matadors tied Northern Arizona's record of four consecutive championship game appearances and three straight titles this season.

     The game was a classic back-and-forth affair in front of a packed house at the East West Ice Palace. Quentin Abaya opened the scoring for CSUN at 15:49 of the first with a beautiful wrist shot top shelf goal from the left circle. Long Beach answered back 1:30 later when Ryan Osterkamp forced a turnover deep in the Matadors end and beat Vincent Sepe with a wrist shot.

     CSUN battled back from two deficits in the second. Luke Miller gave the 49ers their first lead at 17:16 with a wrist shot from the right circle. Just over five minutes later Eli Berengut tied the game at two with a wrist shot on the power play from the middle point. Long Beach got the lead back at 7:36 when Austin Stanovich buried a rebound. But Berengut continued his monster game tying the score at three with 2:38 left in the middle frame. Berengut stole the puck in the high slot, skated in on a shorthanded breakaway and made no mistake. Zach Carnes scored the game winner at 9:12 of the third period during 4-on-4 play. Abaya toe dragged into the slot from the right circle but lost the puck. Carnes was right there though to chip it past Tyler Gealy.

     Sepe earned the win for the third straight year in the final.

     All three games between CSUN and Long Beach this season were one goal games.

     Thank you fans for supporting the WCHC this season!