Denver wins Frozen Four

Denver came back in the third period to beat Wisconsin 2-1 on April 11 in Las Vegas and win the University of Denver’s 11th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s hockey title. (ncaa.com) Rieger Lorenz tied the game after Denver managed only nine shots through 47 minutes, and Kyle Chyzowski tipped in the go-ahead goal with 5:52 left after Wisconsin goalie Daniel Hauser lost his stick. (ncaa.com) Freshman goalie Johnny Hicks stopped 29 of 30 shots, finished the Frozen Four with 78 saves on 82 shots, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer. (ncaa.com) The win gave Denver its third national championship in five seasons and extended the program’s lead as the winningest team in Division I men’s hockey history. Wisconsin was chasing its seventh title and first since 2006. (ncaa.com, espn.com) Denver reached the title game by beating Michigan in double overtime in the national semifinal, while Wisconsin advanced by defeating North Dakota. The Frozen Four was played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 9 and April 11. (ncaa.com) The game also extended a Denver pattern in championship settings: the Pioneers were outshot 30-15 by Wisconsin, and NCAA statistics show they have been outshot in each of their past six title-game appearances and won all six. (ncaa.com) Coach David Carle collected his third national title at age 36, according to United States College Hockey Online, adding another championship to a run that has kept Denver at the center of the sport’s recent postseason. (uscho.com) Denver opened the tournament with a 5-0 win over Cornell and then beat Western Michigan 6-2 in the regional final before the double-overtime semifinal against Michigan. Four wins later, the Pioneers left Las Vegas with another trophy and a larger share of the sport’s history. (ncaa.com, ncaa.com)