AUBURN — Dylan Smith scored four goals and Arizona overcame a sluggish first period to beat Michigan State 7-2 and claim the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association Division II championship on Saturday at Norway Savings Bank Arena.

The national championship is Arizona’s first in program history.

“It feels great. Been waiting a long time,” Smith said, later adding, “Everyone wanted it. We had a tough loss last year, we got bounced in the quarterfinal game, we were the one seed, and we were not letting that happen again.”

The Spartans scored 21 seconds into the game and added another score late in the opening period.

The Wildcats responded five seconds later when Smith potted his first goal off an assist by Hudson Fox.

“That was a big one,” Smith said. “Me and Huddy drew that one up pretty well, I think. We were saving that one for when it mattered, and it clearly worked off the draw.”

That goal also boosted the Wildcats’ confidence after a slow first period.

“I think that made a big difference,” Smith said. “I mean, going down 2-0, it’s not something you want to do. Getting that goal definitely brought a little bit of faith back to the boys.”

Nearly five minutes into the second period, Smith tied the game. He had a wide-open net, and Jack Sapra fed the puck to him. Smith started to fall, but still managed to fire the puck into the goal.

“I grew up with that kid, obviously, he’s my brother,” Kyle Smith, one of Arizona’s two coaches and Dylan Smith’s older brother, said. “I’ve seen him play a thousand times and he never ceases to amaze. He’s a human highlight reel, an unstoppable force, a freight train from hell … like, he’ll run straight through you and he’ll put one in the net. He’s an unstoppable force.”

That was the beginning of a dominant second period for the Wildcats, as they reeled off four goals while holding the Spartans scoreless.

“We’re hungrier. I think we wanted it more,” Dylan Smith said. “They thought they had us in the first, and we weren’t going to stop.”

Dylan Smith and Fox set up Theoren Hannah for the go-ahead goal.

Later in the period, Michigan State was whistled for two penalties at the 9:48 mark, giving Arizona a 4-on-2 power play.

Dylan Smith scored 34 seconds into the power play, and a few minutes later Sapra scored to push the lead to 5-2.

“Once we figured it out, I think the best team in the tournament won,” Kyle Smith said. “We were too much to handle for most of the teams we played once we got rolling. We had to settle into our game and lost the jitters of playing in our first championship game in history, and once we cleared that barrier, we just got rolling.”

Dylan Smith scored his final goal 7:40 into the third when he shot the puck at Michigan State goalie Jason Slicker, then Smith beat Slicker to the rebound and put the puck into the net.

“I shot it, the rebound was loose, I was kind of tied up, and I just dove for it and hoped for the best, and I got lucky,” Dylan Smith said.

Kyle Smith added, “He’ll stop at nothing. He’s the ultimate competitor.”

Sapra added an empty-net goal to push the lead to 7-2.

Fox, the Wildcats’ leading goal scorer, finished with three assists.

Michigan State’s goals were scored by Del Wohlart and Russell Shenguiette.

Kyle Smith said the Wildcats’ national championship was a years-long journey to the top.

He played for Arizona. After graduating in 2022, he immediately became a coach alongside Kevin Smith (no relation).

“It’s unbelievable,” Kyle Smith said. “The program was a mess when I was a freshman. Ever since I got there, and my fellow coach over here, Kevin, got there, and we were able to recruit and we turned things around, that kind of thing.

“It’s been a night-and-day difference. We’ve moved up divisions, we’ve progressed every year. Big feats this year, our first win against ASU ever, 11 years in the making. And then we got out here, we just had to make it happen.”

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