Denver wins Frozen Four

Denver came from behind in the third period Saturday to beat Wisconsin 2-1 in Las Vegas and win the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s hockey title. (ncaa.com) Kyle Chyzowski scored the go-ahead goal with 5:52 left, and goaltender Johnny Hicks stopped 29 shots as Denver finished the season 29-11-3. Wisconsin led 1-0 after Aidan Thompson scored in the first period. (apnews.com) Rieger Lorenz tied the game with 12:29 remaining in the third after Denver managed only five shots through the first two periods. Chyzowski then redirected a point shot through traffic for the winner. (9news.com) The win gave Denver its 11th National Collegiate Athletic Association championship, extending the program record in Division I men’s hockey. It was also the Pioneers’ third title in five seasons, after earlier championships in 2022 and 2024. (ncaa.com) This Frozen Four ended with two traditional powers, but Denver’s path ran through the tournament’s top overall seed. The Pioneers reached the final by beating Michigan in double overtime in Thursday’s semifinal, while Wisconsin advanced out of the other side of the bracket. (usatoday.com) The championship also added to the recent hold of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference on the sport. With Denver’s victory, teams from that league have won eight of the last 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s hockey titles, including the last three. (nchchockey.com) Hicks was named the Frozen Four’s Most Outstanding Player after making 78 saves across the semifinal and championship game. Denver coach David Carle now has multiple national titles before turning 40 and has kept the program in the center of the sport’s title race. (nhl.com) For Wisconsin, the loss ended a run that put the Badgers in the title game for the first time since 2010. For Denver, another one-goal game ended with the same result as the rest of its season: the Pioneers skating off with the trophy. (badgerswire.usatoday.com)