FARGO, N.D.— Robin Kuzma’s hat trick propelled the Chicago Mission to 2024 Chipotle-USA Hockey Tier I 15O National Championship as the Mission defeated the Long Island Gulls 4-1 Sunday afternoon at Scheels Arena. 

Mission goalie Jake Windbiel made 28 saves to earn the victory between the pipes.  

The Mission took a 1-0 lead late in the first period when Kuzma buried a shot past Gulls netminder Jordan Valcich off a feed in front from Aurelio Garcia. 

Long Island tied the game up at 1-1 halfway into the second period when Matthew Portz ripped one over Windbiel’s shoulder from the high, near-side circle. 

However, Chicago quickly responded three minutes later with Kuzma’s second tally of the day, an unassisted goal with 5:51 remaining in the second period.  

It was a tense third period as both teams traded scoring opportunities, but Garcia sniped one top-shelf over Valcich to extend the Mission lead to 3-1 with 4:10 remaining in the game.

Kuzma completed the hat trick, and cemented the national championship, with an empty-net goal with 2:18 to go in the game.

The Chicago Mission have won two of the past three Chipotle-USA Hockey Tier I 15O National Championships.