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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Minnesota's 4-2 victory over Colorado College on Saturday was bittersweet for coach Don Lucia.

Minnesota now advances to the Frozen Four, the finals of the NCAA hockey tournament in St. Paul, Minn., just across the Mississippi River from the school's Minneapolis campus.

	Adam Hauser, left, and John Pohl helped Minnesota reach its first Frozen Four since 1995.

But to do it, Lucia had to beat the school where he was head coach just four years ago, the seniors who he recruited and coached as freshmen, and the coach who was his assistant.

"I feel bad for the players, I feel bad for the team," said Lucia, who is in his third season at Minnesota. "(Colorado College coach) Scott Owens is a great friend of mine. It's not easy to see all of those kids, in line shaking hands, that I sat in their homes and developed relationships with and had them over for dinner."

Lucia guided the Gophers (30-8-4) to their first Frozen Four appearance since 1995, and the bonus is this year's event is in the hockey state itself. The championship will be played in two weeks in St. Paul.

"I know the state of Minnesota is going to be proud and excited," he said.

Senior center Johnny Pohl, whose shorthanded goal 5:56 into the third period clinched the game, said, "for probably over half of the guys on our team, this will be the pinnacle of their careers."

Colorado College, which defeated Michigan State 2-0 Friday, ends the season at 27-13-3.

"We couldn't have gone at it any better than we did this year," said Owens, whose team started the season 0-5.

Colorado College opened the scoring 7:52 into the game when Minnesota's Keith Ballard accidentally tipped in a pass by the Tigers' Alex Kim past Gophers goaltender Adam Hauser.

Minnesota tied the game 1-1 at 10:30 when Grant Potulny's one-time wrister from the inside edge of the left circle beat Colorado College goalie Jeff Sanger on the long side.

In the second period, Nick Angell's power-play goal at 8:26 gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead. Less than a minute later, Jeff Taffe made it 3-1 when he fired a shot into an open net.

"I thought we got better as the game went on," Lucia said.

Colorado College cut Minnesota's lead to 3-2 with 7:34 left in the second period when Peter Sejna tipped in a pass from Jesse Heerema.

But Johnny Pohl's shorthanded goal gave the Gophers a cushion.

He intercepted Mark Cullen's cross-ice pass at his own blue line, went in on a breakaway and scored on a high backhander.

"I kind of think Mark Cullen didn't get enough of the puck," Pohl said. "Maybe there was some snow (on the ice)."

Lucia said the victory is bittersweet -- he even had to give his wife a reminder before Saturday's match.

"In these games (against Colorado College) she usually starts feeling sorry for Colorado College during the game and starts rooting for them," he said. "I had to tell her that she had to cheer for us for the whole game."