Just two days after scoring the game-winning goal and contributing four points in North Dakota’s 5-1 victory over Quinnipiac in NCAA hockey tournament championship game, Burnsville native Brock Boeser announced he was returning for his sophomore season rather than leave for the NHL.

That is great news for the Fighting Hawks, who won their first national title since 2000 Saturday night.

Boeser, the Vancouver Canucks’ first-round draft pick last summer, led the Fighting Hawks this season with 60 points, just one shy of Wild star Zach Parise’s total when he was a freshman at North Dakota during the 2002-03 season.

Boeser’s short-handed goal against Quinnipiac lifted North Dakota to a 2-0 lead and the school’s eighth national title.

The Pioneer Press talked with Boeser about his decision to stay in school after leading the Fighting Hawks to the national championship.

BS: You didn’t waste much time announcing you planned to return to North Dakota instead of going to the NHL. Was that decision made before the Frozen Four or after you won?

BB: I had the idea of coming back. There’s no rush to go to the NHL. Another year at North Dakota can help me a ton in developing.

BS: Is it possible you could stay for all four years?

BB: I wouldn’t say that. (Laughs).

BS: When you scored the short-handed goal to go up 2-0, did you think that could be the game winner?

BB: I didn’t really think it could be the game winner. I knew there was definitely going to be a lot more scoring. … I thought we played a tremendous first period. I thought if we kept that up we could score a lot more.

BS: How crushing is a shorthanded goal to an opponent in such a big game?

BB: It’s like a dagger. It takes a lot of momentum away from the other team. I think it was a big goal for our team. It shuts the other team down.

BS: What are the chances of you winning one more or maybe a few more of these national titles?

BB: I’ve already thought about winning a national title next year. That’s the goal. We have the team to do it. We’ll be a strong team, just like this year.

BS: Are you just scratching the surface of how good you will be?

BB: I really don’t know. I just try to work my tail off and be as good as I possibly can be. The college level has opened my eyes to the potential. I want to see how good I can be.

BS: Why North Dakota and not Minnesota?

BB: When I visited here, I developed a great relationship with the coaches. I liked the facilities they had to offer. They give you everything you need. And there’s the tradition here. There’s a passion for hockey here that’s unbelievable.

BS: There was a lot of controversy about North Dakota being called the Fighting Sioux. Do you like the Fighting Hawks nickname?

BB: It’s something not a lot of people like down here. Most people would have preferred the University of North Dakota with no nickname.

BS: Fans were chanting “Let’s go Sioux” and “Sioux forever” in the championship game. Did you hear them?

BB: They’ll never change that. All the fans love the team, and there are die-hard Sioux fans.

BS: How old were you when you realized you were really good as a hockey player?

BB: Right before my junior year of high school, I played for Team USA. There were a lot of great players. I noticed I could play with them and did pretty well at the tournaments. My junior year, I won Metro Player of the Year. It opened my eyes even wider.

BS: Is there a backup plan if the NHL doesn’t work out?

BB: Right now, I’m leaning toward (studying) business and marketing type stuff next year.

BS: What’s your favorite NHL team?

BB: I grew up a Wild fan. Now I’m a Vancouver fan, for sure.

Bob Sansevere can be heard Tuesdays and Thursdays on the KQRS Morning Show, and he does a daily podcast called The BS Show, which can be listened to live on the Tom Barnard digital radio network (tombarnardshow.com) or downloaded via iTunes, Stitcher or thebsshow.net.