BEMIDJI, Minn. – Former Bemidji State University Men's Hockey defenseman Zach Whitecloud achieved professional hockey's ultimate prize after the National Hockey League's (NHL) Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup Tuesday night after defeating the Florida Panthers 4-1 in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Finals.
 
"One of the toughest feats is to win the Stanley Cup," said Bemidji State head coach Tom Serratore. "Zach was an elite player for the Golden Knights throughout the playoffs. I am proud of him and know our Beaver fans everywhere are proud too."
 
Whitecloud joins Joel Otto (1980-84) as former Beavers to raise the Stanley Cup after Otto helped the Calgary Flames reach hockey's summit in 1989.
 
Whitecloud, a native of Brandon, Manitoba, played in every game for the Golden Knights throughout the NHL Playoffs and in 22 games, he recorded eight points off two goals and six assists, 19 shots on goal and held a +14 rating on the ice, the second highest rating among all skaters in the playoffs. He also scored the game-winning goal in the third period of the pivotal game one of the Stanley Cup Finals on June 3. During the Stanley Cup Finals, Whitecloud recorded three points (1g-2a), three shots and averaged 18:35 of ice time for the Golden Knights.
 
A key member of their penalty-kill unit, he helped the Golden Knights post a .712 penalty kill percentage throughout the playoffs and went a perfect 14-of-14 against the Panthers.
 
Whitecloud played two seasons at Bemidji State (2016-18) before signing an entry-level contract with the Golden Knights as an undrafted free agent following the 2018 season. He totaled 36 points (7g-29a) in 77 games for BSU and finished his career with an even plus/minus rating. As a sophomore, the defender finished seventh on the team in scoring with 18 points (4g-14a), which included a career-high mark of 14 assists and a pair of game-winning goals. Whitecloud also finished the season with a team-best 51 blocked shots and was the anchor of a BSU power-play unit that set a Division I-era program mark for efficiency converting 31-of-143 opportunities (.217) finishing the season third on the team in power-play scoring, netting 10 (1g-9a) of his 19 points came on the man advantage.
 
Helping BSU to the 2017 WCHA regular-season title and a pair of appearances in the WCHA playoffs, Whitecloud was a WCHA Scholar-Athlete honoree, a member of the WCHA All-Academic Team, and was named to the 2016-17 WCHA All-Rookie Team.
 
He has been a member of the Golden Knights franchise for six seasons and helped the franchise to its first Stanley Cup since the team joined the league as an expansion team in 2017.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State men's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter or Instagram (@BSUBeaversMHKY), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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