Belfast, Northern Ireland – Matteo Giampa scored twice, including the game-winning goal with just under four minutes remaining, as Miami University RedHawks defeated the No. 20 Union College Garnet Chargers 3-2 to capture the 2025 Friendship Four title and the Belpot Trophy. The thrilling championship game took place on Saturday at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
Giampa's heroics capped off a weekend of impressive hockey for the RedHawks. On Friday, Miami shut out RIT 4-0 in the tournament's semifinal, setting the stage for their clash with Union. Union advanced to the final after defeating Sacred Heart.
In the championship game, Giampa opened the scoring for Miami at 13:02 of the first period, outracing two Union players to poke the puck forward and score. Ilia Morozov provided the assist after Michael Quinn initially won the puck. Union responded early in the second period when Etienne Lessard scored at 4:18, assisted by Tyler Dunbar and Alex Laurenza. Miami regained the lead at 10:06 of the second on a power-play goal by Casper Nassen, who scored on a one-timer from a Michael Quinn feed after Ethan Hay won an offensive-zone faceoff.
Union fought back in the third, tying the game at 2-2 when Connor Smith tipped in a shot by Lucas Buzziol at 3:24. DJ Hart also assisted on the play. With the game seemingly headed for overtime, Giampa struck again at 16:22 of the third. His deep shot from the neutral zone hit Union goaltender Cameron Korpi and then deflected off a defender into the net. Giampa's second goal was unassisted. Miami held off a late surge from Union, who pulled their goalie in the final minutes, to secure the victory.
Miami goaltender Matteo Drobac was also a key factor in the win, making 29 saves. Cameron Korpi stopped 25 of 28 shots for Union.
Miami's participation in the Friendship Four marked the first time an NCHC team has competed in the tournament. The RedHawks made the most of the opportunity, going undefeated and claiming the Belpot Trophy. Programs from the NCHC are slated to participate in the Friendship Four for each of the next four seasons.
The Friendship Four, the only NCAA intercollegiate ice hockey tournament to take place outside of the United States, provides a unique cultural experience for the student-athletes. During their time in Belfast, the teams had the opportunity to visit local schools, iconic landmarks, and tourist hotspots.
