Frozen Four: Five Players To Watch on Denver

The first of two matchups at the Frozen Four, Denver is scheduled to take on a powerhouse team in Boston University. Having beaten UMass and Cornell in their last two games to get to the Frozen Four, Denver is set to face their toughest task yet. 

A well-balanced lineup, Denver waltzed through their season with little difficulty but have seen how hard it is to make it to this point. 

In what should be an exciting matchup, here are five Pioneers to watch for come Thursday night:

While he isn't one of the many NHL drafted prospects on the team, Carter King has played a big role for the Pioneers this past season, collecting 15 goals and 34 points in 35 games.

The native of Calgary, AB., has been held pointless in five straight games dating back to February 17th against Minnesota Duluth but has been a consistent shot producer for the Pioneers. 

When King is at his best, he is driving the net hard with his stick down ready to pounce on rebounds that pop out. He does a good job having his stick ready for a pass and can slip into space undetected.

Take this overtime winner from December as an example. King isn't a part of the initial 2 on 1 but is following up the play as the third option. As the initial shot is saved, King timed himself perfectly to be there to pit home the rebound.

While he may be one of the more under the radar players on the Pioneers, King plays a smart game that can go under appreciated at times. While the Terriers will be busy trying to keep up with Denver's top guns, King could break out of his scoring slump at make an impact. 

The leading point-getter on the Pioneers this season, Devine has made his offensive impact felt with an impressive 27 goals and 56 points in 49 games. 

A seventh round pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2022 NHL Draft, Devine has been quiet, based on his standards, as of late. With two assists in his last four games, Devine has been a big focus for opposing teams.   

With that though, opposing teams can only hold him back for so long. With the puck on his stick, Devine has the ability to make plays through layers, finding teammates in and around the slot with a quick, accurate pass. He is also always moving his feet, pressuring the opposition and driving hard to the net. 

In the clip above, he drive hard to the net with his stick down ready for the pass. Whereas some players would have skated around the net, Devine stopped up and found the loose puck to bury it. 

Devine has certainly been an impressive 1-2 punch with Massimo Rizzo when he's healthy but as Denver enters the Frozen Four, Devine will have to have an impact if they wish to move on.

The Pittsburgh Penguins 2021 second round pick has been another important contributor for the Pioneers this season, with 15 goals and 39 points in 41 games so far this season. 

The native of Bloomington, MN., has been clutch when needed as witnessed with his big overtime goal against Massachusetts to send the Pioneers to the second round of the NCAA tournament. 

Broz reads the play extremely well, navigating into open space on the perimeter and near the net where he times himself to appear when the puck gets there. He is consistently chasing after loose pucks and is a threat to cause turnovers whenever he is on the ice. 

With the stake of the games only getting higher, Denver will have to rely on their top guys to contribute offensively. With Broz having played hero to get them to the second round, they can only hope he has some magic left up his sleeve that has yet to be seen.

While it is important to distinguish that they are both great individual players, I figured I would put both Buium brothers in the same section given how well they each play with the puck and their ability to both contribute offensively from the backend. 

Zeev, the second leading point getter for the Pioneers with 49 points in 40 games, has been one of the best stories in college hockey this season. The draft-eligible defender is currently lauded as a first-round candidate, most likely to go in the top 15. 

Shai, the older of the two and a 2021 second round pick of the Red Wings, has also had an impressive season from the backend with 35 points in 41 games so far. 

Both brothers are magic with the puck on their stick, walking the blue line with confidence in the offensive zone and moving the puck effectively up ice. With both of them coming off an impactful game against Cornell (both of them collected an assist on the overtime winner), Denver will look to both of them to contribute as they have done all season long. If their seasons are any indication, they both seem the be up to the task. 

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