Tristan Broz's overtime-winning goal pushes Denver past Boston University to second National Championship game in the last three years.
ST. PAUL - The Denver Pioneers came into the NCAA Frozen Four Semifinal game against Boston University as the highest scoring team. They averaged 4.71 goals a game with 198 scored in 42 games.
Boston University was not far behind with an average goals per game of 4.15 with 162 goals in 39 games this season. The difference tonight was the goaltending. Although Mathieu Caron only faced 29 shots, he stood on his head when it mattered the most.
In the second period, Caron stopped a 2-on-1 with one of the greatest saves of his career and likely the greatest save this season on Denver's Aidan Thompson. Jack Devine, who passed it to Thompson, looked towards the sky in disbelief after Caron's incredible save.
Later in the third period, Caron stopped Devine again on a point-blank chance in front of the net. But it was Denver's Matt Davis who made the last save of the game.
"I thought both goaltenders were the team's two best players tonight," Denver's head coach David Carle said. "Our guy had to make one more save than theirs."
Boston University got the first goal of the game just over seven minutes into the first period. It came after Luke Tuch caught a breakout pass from Devin Kaplan. Tuch came in on a shorthanded breakaway and scored his tenth of the year.
In the second period, Denver University got on the board. The Pioneers were gifted with a goal after BU's Lane Hutson turned the puck over behind the net right onto the stick of Miko Matikka. The 6-foot-4 freshman forward passed it to Lemyre in front of the net. The sophomore forward then slid the puck under Caron to get the Pioneers on the board.
This was the third-straight game that Denver has been in that has been 2-1 and the third straight game that they have won by one goal. A team that is first in the nation in scoring has only scored six total goals in their last three games despite averaging almost five goals a game.
"Great goaltending is a big part of it," Carle said on what the difference has been recently. "We're also facing really good teams."
Tristan Broz was able to find a way to break the seal in overtime after he caught a pass from Sean Behrens up the middle of the ice. Broz entered the zone with Matikka but elected to shoot. Smart choice as he found the back of the net.
Broz, a Minnesota native, claimed he had practiced the exact scenario in practice yesterday. Practice payed off as Broz walked into the offensive zone and ripped home his 16th of the year to send Denver to the National Championship game.
"We worked on that drill yesterday," Broz said on the 2-on-2. "A few times I scored. With a no-look, I'm trying to shoot five hole... I kind of just blacked out."
Denver will face the winner of Michigan vs Boston College as they look to capture their second National Championship in the last three years.
Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' NCAA Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.