ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Adam Hauser's actions said everything.

It didn't matter that the Bovey, Minn., native had just helped Minnesota win its first national title since 1979, or that the senior goaltender had just made 42 saves, including five in overtime, to lead the Gophers in a 4-3 win over Maine to clinch the crown. It didn't matter how he quietly took the criticism thrown his away during his four years at the "U."

	Adam Hauser had the last laugh Saturday, silencing his critics by winning a national title.

He wasn't about to start getting emotional now, and he wasn't about to start taking credit now just because he backstopped Minnesota's first national title in 23 years.

"I don't want to get emotional because then I'll say something I shouldn't," he said. "And people will then think that's who I am and I don't want that.

"I don't know how else to handle it. You smile when you're asked to smile. When they ask you questions, you try to answer politely. What it all comes down to is one thing and one thing only, and that's the team at the University of Minnesota won the national title and that concept is much bigger than me or any individual on this team."

Hauser wouldn't take credit for the win and called the notion of a goalie being the best player on a team "bogus." But his teammates and coaches were there to put the all-tournament goalie's place on this championship team into perspective.

"He's been a brick wall for us," Gophers captain and Hobey winner Jordan Leopold said. "He's taken a lot of heat and the critics have been eating him alive, so to top off his career like this, he may have put people in their place."

In addition to being a part of the Gophers' fourth national championship team (1974, 1976, 1979, 2002), Hauser leaves Minnesota as the all-time leader in games played, wins, saves and shutouts.

Hauser got hot at the right time (13-1-0 since Feb. 1) and his 2002 NCAA Tournament performance (3-0, 2.13, .936) will long be remembered in the annals of Gopher hockey.

"He was the best goalie in the tournament by far," senior forward Johnny Pohl said. "I think if any goalies would have switched teams we wouldn't have won the national title, so he's a major part of it. He bailed us out a lot tonight and he silenced all of his critics and what better way to ride off into the sunset."

He finished his senior season with a 23-6-4 record and by beating Maine he avenged his only NCAA Tournament loss -- 5-4 in overtime at last year's East Regional.

"Adam was outstanding this whole season and I'm so happy for Adam because nobody deserves this more than he does," coach Don Lucia said. "He's been through so much in his career and now all you can do is call him a national championship goalie."

Take that.

All-Tournament team
Minnesota sophomore forward Grant Potulny (3-0-3), who scored the game-winner in overtime of the national championship game, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2002 Frozen Four. Joining Potulny on the all-tournament team were Minnesota forward John Pohl (1-3-4), Maine forward Robert Liscak (3-1-4), Maine defensemen Peter Metcalf (2-2-4) and Michael Schutte (2-0-2), and Minnesota goaltender Adam Hauser (2-0, 2.19, .932).

Statistically speaking
By virtue of his goal and two assists in the title game, Pohl ended up as the nation's leading scorer for the 2001-02 season with 79 points (27-52). He was tied with New Hampshire's Darren Haydar entering Saturday ... Jordan Leopold became the first Gopher to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award and the NCAA title in the same season. Minnesota's other three Hobey Baker winners (Neal Broten, Robb Stauber, Brian Bonin) didn't win the championship ... With the victory, Minnesota improved to 18-1-1 when scoring first this season and 3-0-4 in overtime games.

The Gophers have been a No. 2 seed all four times they won the national title ... Only junior forward Nick Anthony was born the last time Minnesota won the national championship (1979) ... The Gophers are the first team to win the title in their home state since 1972, when Boston University won at the Boston Garden ... Saturday night was the fourth longest NCAA championship game at 76:58 and the 13th longest tournament game ... Total attendance for the three games at the Xcel Energy Center was 57,957, which topped the previous mark of 54,355, set at the 1998 Frozen Four in Boston.

David Albright is a senior editor for ESPN.com.