Sault College captured its first American Collegiate Hockey Association Men’s Division III National Championship in their first appearance at the national stage after dominating Grand Valley State University 12-3 Saturday night at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.

Sault captain Ryan Vendramin led the Cougars amassing four goals and eight points for the evening and was one of seven players tallying multiple-point performances. Freshman Max Khull recorded five points (1g, 4a) and fellow frosh Bryceton Lalonde scored four points (1g, 3a).

Grand Valley State looked to set the tone with an unassisted power-play goal from Reidar Burgeson just 2:12 into the opening period. Nearly two minutes later, Cougars forward Vendramin unleashed a nautral hat trick over a nine-minute span before Sault scored another pair of goals to take a commanding 5-1 lead in the first period.

Sault College scored a trio of goals within the first six minutes of the second period to elevate their lead to 8-1 before Grand Valley’s Mitch Lawton scored at the 7:38 mark. The Cougars tallied another trio of goals before heading into the second intermission, including two shorthanded goals at 14:17 and 15:15, giving Sault a 11-2 lead.

Grand Valley attempted to start a comeback bid with an early goal just 2:30 into the final period, but the Cougars would answer back with another goal while goalie Drew Gregory finished the game stopping his 28 of 30 shots of the game to help secure their first ACHA national title.

[ Box Score ]  [ Game Sheet ]