Denver does it again. They iced a team without any first-round NHL draft picks, and under coach David Carle, they rallied to beat Wisconsin at the NCAA Frozen Four in Vegas.
LAS VEGAS – At this point, the question must be asked: is Denver simply inevitable at the Frozen Four?
The Pioneers won their third NCAA title in five years, all under the tutelage of coach David Carle.
And while it wasn't easy, the program came out on top in Vegas thanks to a third-period push against a very game Wisconsin team.
The Badgers dominated the first 40 minutes of the game, as Denver mustered just four shots on net midway through. Luckily for the Pioneers, freshman goalie Johnny Hicks was once again a difference-maker, and he was aided by a defense that blocked 31 shots by the end.
Hicks was blemished just once in the first period when Vasily Zelenov (BUF) put a wrister past him, and the fact Wisconsin couldn't beat the Denver netminder again proved to be its downfall, no matter how hard they pressed.
"Unbelievable game," Carle said. "Certainly we bent, but didn't break. Johnny kept us within striking range. It's a 60-minute game for a reason."
Much like they did against North Dakota in the semifinal, the Badgers used speed and tenacity to keep Denver on its heels. It wasn't until the third period that the Pioneers were able to right the ship and tie the game midway through the frame.
Fitting of an experienced team, it was senior Rieger Lorenz (MIN) causing a turnover behind the Wisconsin net, then going to the front and banging in a rebound to give Denver life.
"DC (David Carle) has been on me all four years I've been here about getting to the net, using my body," Lorenz said. "I finally listened to him."
With less than six minutes to go, Wisconsin goalie Daniel Hauser lost his stick, and with the Badgers unable to clear the zone, Denver eventually got the go-ahead goal when Kyle Chyzowski tipped a Boston Buckberger point shot. Even with Wisconsin pulling Hauser for an extra attacker with two minutes to play, the Pioneers hung on, and it was time for another championship celebration.
So once again, we have a Denver title. It speaks to the culture that Carle and his staff have instilled in the program and the leadership the veterans have handed down to younger players over the past few years.
"I think it's just the standard we have every single day at practices and how we treat each other, how people treat us at Denver," said center Samu Salminen (NJ). "It's a very special place to be. I feel like every single person who steps in that locker room, they know what it's all about, and that's winning. It's all about team-first mentality. We don't have individuals on this team. If we do, it's a short run for those guys."
Even with college hockey attracting big-name NHL prospects from the CHL this season, Denver iced a roster without a single first-rounder – and it didn't matter one bit. They didn't panic, and when they finally broke through, the Pioneers made sure to make it count. Would anyone be surprised if we saw them at the Frozen Four next year as well?
"Every single guy who is coming into this program is going to have the same mentality," Salminen said. "It's not easy here. That's what we want. No one wants it easy here. When we do it together, that's what these moments are for."
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