Penguins forward prospect Kasper Bjorkqvist, 2019 development camp invitee forward Josh Wilkins, and the Providence College Friars advanced to the Frozen Four of the 2019 NCAA men's hockey tournament.
The Friars won in dramatic fashion on Saturday in the East Regional semifinals against Minnesota State, falling into an early 3-0 deficit before scoring six unanswered goals to secure a 6-3 win and advance to Sunday's East Regional Final.
Wilkins scored the Friars' first goal in the rally, a power play tally, and Bjorkqvist scored the game-tying goal with a very Borkqvist-like dirty goal:
Wilkins added another goal to extend the lead to 5-3:
There was no dramatic comeback needed in Sunday's Final, though. The Friars defeated Cornell 4-0. Wilkins picked up the second goal of the game:
Wilkins was one of the three forwards named to the East Regional All-Tournament team, and also won Most Outstanding Player.
The win sent the Friars to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2015, and the fifth time in school history. National semifinals are on April 11 in Buffalo, and the championship game will be held on April 13. Providence will face Minnesota-Duluth in one national semifinal, while Denver and Massachusetts face off in the other.
Bjorkqvist, the Penguins' 2016 second-round pick, is a junior but is expected to turn pro after this season. Wilkins, also expected to forgo his senior season, is an undrafted free agent but will attend the Penguins' development camp this summer. Both players turn 22 this summer.
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