BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The "foreign" approach is really catching on at Minnesota.

Last year, it was North Dakota native Grant Potulny that provided the heroics with an overtime goal against Maine to give the Golden Gophers their first national championship since 1979.

Thursday night, Austria native Thomas Vanek scored at 8:55 of overtime to give Minnesota a 3-2 win over Michigan before 18,702 at HSBC Arena. With the victory, the Golden Gophers advanced to Saturday night's Frozen Four title game against New Hampshire (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET) with a chance to become the first repeat national champions since Boston University in 1971-72.

Of the 20 players who dressed for Minnesota Thursday night, only Vanek and Potulny aren't Minnesota natives.

On the game-winner, the freshman left winger undressed Michigan defenseman Andy Burnes with a spin move behind the goal line and then fired a shot that went between goalie Al Montoya's legs.

"We dumped it in and I just went hard after it," Vanek said. "I was going to come out on my forehand but I saw the D coming on my left side, so I just spun to the middle and I had a wide-open route to the net and I just threw it at the net -- at his feet -- and it went in."

	“	Thomas is a special player. You don't see a lot of players that are 18 years old doing what he's doing. That kid probably has a sore back because he's been carrying this team a lot this season. ”
		— Minnesota's Grant Potulny on teammate Thomas Vanek

Vanek, who was named MVP of the West Regional as well as WCHA Rookie of the Year, has had a knack for coming up big for the Gophers as 16 of his 30 goals this season have come in the third period or overtime.

How big has Vanek been in the postseason for the Gophers? In three NCAA Tournament games, he has four goals and two assists, and his postseason totals are now six goals and three assists in seven games.

"Thomas is a special player," Potulny said. "You don't see a lot of players that are 18 years old doing what he's doing. That kid probably has a sore back because he's been carrying this team a lot this season.

"I think he really just plays for the love of it. I don't think he gets wrapped up in what this means. He has no idea. He's 18 years old. He doesn't know what this would mean if we won it again."

For his part, Vanek is just happy to still be playing hockey this season.

"This is really satisfying," he said. "This is why I came here, to get a shot at the title and now we do.

"I guess I'm just the lucky one in the right spot."

The Gophers were lucky to have another big-time player early in the game or Vanek may not have had a chance to provide his heroics.

Michigan dominated play for much of the first period, outshooting Minnesota 15-5, but the Wolverines only had a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes thanks to some big-time stops by Travis Weber.

"I think a key to the game for us was the play of Travis in the first period," coach Don Lucia said. "The game could have been over at that point because we could have been down by three.

"Travis really stood tall tonight and gave us an opportunity to win the game."

All in a day's work for the sophomore goaltender. "It's my job to keep this team in a game," Weber said. "Coach is always talking about two or less goals and that happened tonight."

Weber had with 31 saves to improve his record to 17-6-7 this season, but he was quick to pass on the praise to the forwards who finished the night's work -- especially the freshman from Graz, Austria.

"That kid is pretty unbelievable," Weber said. "He gets stuff done. It's nice to have him on our team, to score those big-time goals in overtime."

Even if he is a "foreigner."

David Albright is a senior editor at ESPN.com and can be reached at david.albright@espn3.com.