Frozen Four: Denver Wins
Denver beat Wisconsin 2‑1 to capture the 2026 men’s Frozen Four title at T‑Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (nhl.com) It’s the program’s 11th national championship and their third in five years, capped by Kyle Chyzowski’s third‑period scoring and Johnny Hicks’ 29 saves in goal. ( )
Denver scored twice in the third period Saturday to beat Wisconsin 2-1 and win the 2026 NCAA men’s hockey championship in Las Vegas. (ncaa.com) Kyle Chyzowski redirected the winning goal with 5:52 left at T-Mobile Arena, and goaltender Johnny Hicks finished with 29 saves. Hicks was later named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after stopping 78 shots across Denver’s two Frozen Four games. (nhl.com) Wisconsin led 1-0 after Ryland Mosley scored in the first period, but Denver tied the game on a power-play goal by Boston Buckberger 4:14 into the third. Chyzowski’s tip gave the Pioneers their first lead less than two minutes later. (ncaa.com) The win gave Denver its 11th national title, the most in Division I men’s hockey, and its third championship in five seasons after earlier crowns in 2022 and 2024. Denver also became champion again one year after Western Michigan won its first title in 2025. (ncaa.com) This Frozen Four was the first played in Las Vegas, with the semifinals on April 9 and the final on April 11 at the Vegas Golden Knights’ arena. Denver reached the title game by beating Michigan 4-3 in double overtime, while Wisconsin advanced with a 4-3 win over Boston College. (espn.com) Wisconsin had not reached the men’s hockey final since 2010, and the Badgers finished the season 24-13-2 after the loss. Denver closed at 29-11-3 under coach David Carle, who has now led the program to multiple national titles. (wsaw.com, denverpioneers.com) Denver’s latest title also extended the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s recent run: the league has produced eight of the past 10 national champions. On Saturday night, that streak ran through Hicks in goal and a third-period push that turned a one-goal deficit into another trophy. (nbcwashington.com)
