Dickinson made 28 saves on 30 shots in the win, including 10 in the third period to seal the victory. 

Dickinson made some of his biggest stops in the final six minutes as Little Caesars pushed for a game-tying goal. 

He found pucks through traffic, including a glove save on a slot chance, and defused two Little Caesars rush chances, perhaps his best save coming with the left pad on a 2-on-1 chance. 

Christopher Welby, Emmett Aufiero and Alexandre Tardif each scored for the Islanders to support their goaltender’s standout performance. 

Dominic Burkhart and Max Osgood scored for Little Caesars, which had a 30-18 edge in shots in the game. 

Tardif scored the game-winning goal with 11:07 remaining in the third period, sneaking a puck between the pad and right post of Little Caesars’ goalie Liam Kelly. 

It was a gut check win for the Islanders, Dickinson said, who came into the game and embraced an underdog mentality throughout the tournament. 

“We’ve been doubted all season long by other teams and I think we’ve always proven otherwise,” Dickinson said. “So, it was a chance for us to go and prove it to everyone here today.”

Burkhart had given Little Caesars a 1-0 lead midway through the first period on the power play when he fired a wrist shot over the glove after a zone entry. It was Burkhart’s sixth goal of the tournament and third of the week on the power play. 

Little Caesars nearly doubled its lead two minutes later when Noah Matson hit the left post on a point shot through traffic. 

The Islanders took advantage of that, tying the game at 1-1 22 seconds later when Welby scored on a short breakaway from the blue line, finishing with a forehand-to-backhand move between the five-hole. 

It was Welby’s team-leading sixth goal of the tournament. 

Little Caesars appeared to take a 2-1 lead with 2:49 remaining in the first period, but after a discussion amongst the officials, it was determined the puck had entered the net after a kicking motion by Osgood. 

Aufiero gave the Islanders their first lead with 9:57 remaining in the second period, when he scored on a tight-angle shot on the rush over Liam Kelly’s glove, making it 2-1. 

It was the third goal of the tournament for the defender, who scored on an assist from Mason McGovern. 

Osgood scored on the power play early in the third period to tie the game at 2-2, finishing a rebound after Drystan Thomas had hit the post on a chance. 

Tardif was in the box for interference when Osgood scored, so it was fitting when he scored three minutes later for what became the game-winning goal, giving the Islanders a chance to mob their goaltender. 

“Honestly, not sure what else to say,” Dickinson said, holding the national championship plate. “Just trying to take it all in.” 

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.