Denver Edges Wisconsin In Thrilling Frozen Four Semifinal
Denver Edges Wisconsin In Thrilling Frozen Four Semifinal...
The University of Denver defeated the University of Wisconsin 3-2 in overtime during Thursday night's Frozen Four semifinal, advancing to the NCAA men's hockey championship game. The matchup, held at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, drew national attention as two of college hockey's top programs clashed for a shot at the title.
Denver's Tristan Broz scored the game-winning goal 11:18 into overtime, sending the Pioneers to their first championship appearance since 2022. Wisconsin had forced OT with a late third-period goal from Cruz Lucius, capping a dramatic comeback attempt after trailing 2-0 earlier in the game.
The game is trending nationally as college hockey fans debate whether Denver's victory continues the dominance of western programs in NCAA hockey. This marks the sixth straight year a team from the NCHC or Big Ten conferences has reached the championship game.
Social media erupted after the game, particularly over a controversial no-call on what Wisconsin fans believed was a Denver penalty in overtime. The NCAA's official Twitter account posted video of the winning goal, which has been viewed over 250,000 times since Thursday night.
Denver will face Boston College in Saturday's championship game, seeking their record-10th national title. Wisconsin finishes their season at 29-11-2, their best record since winning the 2006 championship.
ESPN's broadcast drew 1.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched Frozen Four semifinal since 2014. The strong ratings reflect growing interest in college hockey, particularly in markets like Denver and Madison where both programs have passionate fan bases.
Tickets for Saturday's championship game sold out within hours of Denver's victory, with secondary market prices already exceeding $300 for standing-room-only spots. The matchup features the tournament's top two overall seeds for the first time since 2015.
Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings praised his team's effort but acknowledged Denver's clutch performance. "They made one more play than we did," Hastings told reporters. "That's what this time of year comes down to."
The loss ends Wisconsin's first Frozen Four appearance since 2010, while Denver continues its quest to become the first back-to-back champion since 2004-2005. Saturday's championship game airs at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
