The backstop for the national champions, Matt Davis provided the heroics for the Pioneers to capture their second title in three years
For those who may not follow the NCAA closely, Matt Davis' name may have been an unknown before Saturday. Some fans like to follow their team's prospects closely and that is the end of it. Others may watch hockey simply because they like the fast-paced nature of the sport and that's it.
There is no proper way for watching or following a sport that is what makes sports fandom so fun.
On Saturday, for many around the hockey world, it was hard not to see or hear about what Davis had done.
With a 2-0 lead early in the third period, the Pioneers were on the penalty kill when Eagles' freshman Ryan Leonard received the puck right in front of the net. For a split second, it looked like nothing stood in between him putting the Eagles on the board.
As the play was unfolding, Davis had pushed laterally to the left to stay in front of the puck. As he did that, Gabe Perreault found Leonard cross seam with a quick pass. At that moment, it looked like Davis had been caught out of play.
In a split second though, Davis went full Dominik Hasek and threw his body back the other way in hoped of getting a piece of the puck. In doing so, he accomplished what he had hoped to do, causing ESPN's John Buccigross to exclaim "OH MY GOD!"
"I just saw the puck go backdoor again and I was like 'Uh-oh' and then I dove over and made the save," Davis said in the post-game media availability following the game.
McKade Webster, captain for the Pioneers, was quick to sing praise for his goaltender.
"I mean Matthew Davis. What a job he did," he said with a laugh. "Best goalie in the world."
A native of Calgary, Alta., Davis' path to where he is today has been a long road. He had multiple stops along his minor hockey league journey, having suited up for the NWCAA Stampeders and Edge School Prep before beginning his junior hockey career with the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).
After two solid seasons with the Saints, Davis made the move to the U.S. where he suited up for the Green Bay Gamblers and sported an .895 save percentage in 35 games.
Having committed to Denver in January of 2019, Davis first stepped foot on campus in the fall of 2021. While he only suited up for 19 games over his first two seasons (serving as the backup behind Magnus Chrona), Davis finally got the starting role this season and never looked back.
Entering the game against the Eagles, Davis was sporting a .972 save percentage, having stopped 104 out of 107 shots in Denver's previous three tournament games. In the 2-0 win the clinch the national title, Davis posted a 35-save shutout to finish the tournament with a .979 save percentage.
While Davis is currently an undrafted free agent, that will likely soon change. With numerous NHL teams taking in the tournament, Davis is bound to have caught the eye of at least a few teams.
The Pioneers will once again be a team to watch next season but if Davis does return to campus in the fall, they could be border-line unstoppable.
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