Denver players celebrate after an overtime win against Boston University in a semifinal game at the Frozen Four NCAA college hockey tournament Thursday, April 11, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
AP
It seems like an annual occurrence. The University of Denver’s hockey team is once again fighting for an NCAA national championship after a 2-1 win against Boston University in the semi-finals of the Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesota on Thursday.
Tristan Broz scored his second overtime goal of the NCAA Tournament to help No. 3 seed DU beat No. 2 BU. The championship game is at 4 p.m. MT Saturday. Denver will face the winner of the Michigan-Boston College game.
Denver last won the title in 2022 and is one of the most successful hockey teams in college history
The Pioneers (31-9-3), playing in its 19th Frozen Four, are looking for their 10th national title in program history on Saturday — which would break a tie with Michigan for the most in college hockey history.
Denver has just two losses since the start of February, going 14-2-1 in the last 17 games.
BU senior Luke Tuch opened the scoring at 7:45 of the first period with his 10th goal of the season. He stole the puck and went in alone for a shothanded goal. It was BU’s fourth shorthanded goal of the season — and first scored by somebody other than Nick Zabaneh.
Boston University (28-10-2) entered 19-1-0 this season when leading after the first period.
Denver’s Tristan Lemyre tied it at 1-all with his second goal of the season. He took advantage of a wide-open slot by beating BU goalie Mathieu Caron.
Broz scored from the top of the right circle at 11:09 of overtime by leading a 3-on-2 and sending a wrist shot through the pads of Caron. It was the 40th point of the season for Broz.
Matt Davis, who made his 25th straight start in net, saved 33 shots for Denver.
The Pioneers have won five straight games against the Terriers, setting a record for the longest winning streak in the series. Denver won the first four games from 1960-67, while Boston had a four-game winning streak from 1990-99.
It was the second Frozen Four game in a row to reach overtime after Quinnipiac won last season’s national championship game in extra time.
