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Lightning prospects Guttman and Webster to compete for NCAA Championship tonight

By Stephen Parrino

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 7: Cole Guttman #19 of the Denver Pioneers and teammates Kyle Mayhew #27, Massimo Rizzo #13 and Mike Benning #20 celebrate a 3-2 overtime victory against the Michigan Wolverines during game one of the 2022 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Frozen Four Championship semifinal at TD Garden on April 7, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 7: Cole Guttman #19 of the Denver Pioneers and teammates Kyle Mayhew #27, Massimo Rizzo #13 and Mike Benning #20 celebrate a 3-2 overtime victory against the Michigan Wolverines during game one of the 2022 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Frozen Four Championship semifinal at TD Garden on April 7, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /
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With the Tampa Bay Lightning off tonight, Lightning fans will have the opportunity to watch former Lightning draftees Cole Guttman and McKade Webster compete for the NCAA Championship.

Matchup: #3 Denver vs. #1 Minnesota State
Location: TD Garden (Boston, MA)
Time: 8:00PM EDT
TV: ESPN2

Guttman and Webster will both represent the Denver Pioneers as they try to help Denver to their record tying 9th national championship and holdoff the Minnesota State Mavericks from securing their first DI championship.

The game is setup to be a clash of two opposing play styles as the #1 scoring offense in NCAA (Denver) takes on the #2 scoring defense (Minnesota State). However, Minnesota State will have the added benefit of being second in the country in scoring offense while Denver is only 13th in defense.

Senior forward Cole Guttman, a former 2017 6th round draft pick, will lead the Pioneers as their top line center. In 40 games this season Guttman has 19 goals and 26 assists.

Sophomore forward McKade Webster, a former 2019 7th round draft pick, should line up in his usual fourth line center role for the game. In 38 games this season Webster has 6 goals and 8 assists.

Guttman in particular should interest Lightning fans as the 23-year-old senior will be eligible to sign an NHL contract after the conclusion of the game. Should the Lightning and Guttman choose to sign a contract, and avoid Guttman going to free agency in the summer, it will likely be with a contract that begins next season.

Recent Tampa Bay Lightning prospect history in the NCAA Championship

Guttman and Webster with Denver have joined a recent string of success for Tampa Bay Lightning prospects reaching the championship game as current Syracuse Crunch forward Cole Koepke won the championship with Minnesota-Duluth in 2019, and recently signed defenseman Nick Perbix lost in the championship with St. Cloud State last season.

Tampa Bay native Nathan Smith will line up for Minnesota State

Regardless of whether Denver and the two former Lightning draftees triumph tonight, there will still be a win for the Tampa Bay area as Tampa Bay native Nathan Smith will lead Minnesota State as their top line center.

Smith had previously been a part of Team USA for the Olympics earlier this year alongside Lightning prospect Nick Perbix. Smith will look to cap off his season, and potentially his college career, with a championship.

Next. Positive Takeaways from the Lightning's OT Loss to Boston. dark

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