From Thursday to Saturday, the NCAA men’s Frozen Four takes center stage in St. Louis.
The defending national champions, the University of Denver, will take on Western Michigan at 5 p.m. ET on Friday before powerhouse Boston University faces the Cinderella Penn State squad at 8:30 p.m. ET.
With two outstanding matchups set, there are plenty of storylines and players to watch. Each squad will look to earn its spot in the NCAA men's hockey final on Saturday.
Let’s look at each team’s outlook, storylines and key players to watch.
University of Denver
Winning the title in two of the last three years, the Denver Pioneers have been a wagon of late. They could solidify themselves as a dynasty in college hockey.
Four players from that first championship team three years ago are still on the roster. Goaltender Matt Davis and forwards Jack Devine (FLA), captain Carter King and Connor Caponi are all vying for their third title in four years. If the team captures the title again this year, it will be the first time a team has won three in four since the same school accomplished the feat from 1958 to 1961.
Coming into the tournament as the sixth-ranked team in the country, the Pioneers had a tough road to another title game. After taking down Providence in the opening game of its NCAA tournament, Denver went head-to-head with the nation's No. 1 team, Boston College.
BC had a loaded roster featuring Hobey Baker finalist Ryan Leonard, top prospect James Hagens and some other high-profile players, but Denver played a tight game. The Pioneers held the high-powered BC squad to just one goal and took BC’s top line of Leonard, Hagens and Gabe Perreault off the scoresheet completely.
Denver punched its ticket to the Frozen Four on the back of its depth and strength defensively.
Key Player: Zeev Buium, D
Buium is the only Hobey Baker finalist left in the tournament. He’s been the best defender in college hockey over the last couple of years.
Buium’s development at both ends of the ice has given Denver a weapon that no other team in college hockey has – an elite player offensively and defensively.
Buium has 98 points over his first two seasons in college, and he will look to eclipse the century mark while going for his second championship in as many years. Buium should be the best player on the ice in any game Denver plays, and if he is, the team will likely find a way to win the game.
NCAA Hobey Baker Finalists: Why Leonard, Buium And Howard Each Deserve To Win
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Western Michigan University
Although Western Michigan was the only team with 30 wins heading into the tournament, the general public has discounted the Broncos. They’ll face the defending national champions, and while most people will pick Denver to win the game, WMU has the pieces to upset the Pioneers.
It’s a rematch of the NCHC final, where the Broncos came back from being down 3-0 to Denver to win in overtime. Western Michigan knows it can beat Denver, and it knows it can come back if needed.
Alex Bump (PHI) has been the team's driving offensive force, scoring 47 points, 11 more than the next closest on the squad. The team's depth is impressive, though, with six players recording more than 30 points, helping the Broncos finish second in the nation in goals-for behind Denver.
This game can be the best of the tournament so far.
Key Player: Hampton Slukynsky, G
Western Michigan went with Slukynsky in its two tournament games, and he’s been fantastic. Allowing just one goal in each game, Slukynsky has been the MVP for the Broncos so far, and he must keep his stellar play up if they plan on taking down Denver.
The Los Angeles Kings’ draft pick has been one of the better goalies in college this season as a freshman, and he’s become more comfortable as the year progressed. The Broncos must be hoping he’s peaking at the right time as they look to advance in their first appearance in the Frozen Four.
Boston University
Although this is the third-straight Frozen Four that Boston University has appeared in, the team hopes it can reach the final for the first time in that stretch.
The Terriers routinely had stellar teams with top-end talent, and this year is no different. While the team doesn’t have quite the firepower it’s had the last couple of years with Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson battling it out for the Calder Trophy in the NHL this season, the Terriers have found themselves back near the top of college hockey.
One of the most important factors in staying on top was the mid-season addition of goaltender Mikhail Yegorov from the USHL. He put up solid numbers in Omaha, and once he joined BU, he began to take over the crease. His incredible play helped solidify the back end for the Terriers.
Yegorov has been the team's backbone in the second half, allowing its offensive-skilled players to do a bit more freelancing and playing into their strengths.
Key Player: Cole Hutson, D
Cole Hutson has been an offensive dynamo for the Terriers, following in his brother’s footsteps after Lane Hutson was a star for the school.
The Washington Capitals prospect's ability to generate offense has been a major boost to BU’s offensive game. He understands how to draw in opposing players and then attack weak points with his passing and skating ability. He combines lateral agility with quick decisions to find the best in every situation offensively.
Hutson has had an incredible freshman season, quickly becoming one of the most offensively gifted defenders in college hockey.
Penn State University
Penn State won big games and earned its first entry into the Frozen Four in school history. The Nittany Lions don’t have the stars some of these other teams have, but they have some very solid players, and their depth helped get them here.
Leading scorer Aiden Fink hasn’t scored in the NCAA tournament just yet, so they can expect the Nashville Predators prospect to pop up and perform well in the biggest game in school history.
They have leaned heavily on Arsenii Sergeev (CGY) in net, one of three NHL-drafted prospects on the team along with Fink and Reese Laubach (SJS). Sergeev must be stellar in net for Penn State as it takes on BU. Every good tournament has a Cinderella story, and this year, Penn State fits the bill. The clock may strike midnight soon, though, so hopefully, there’s a bit more magic in the Nittany Lions’ back pockets.
Key Player: Charlie Cerrato, C
With five assists in the two tournament games so far, the undrafted Charlie Cerrato could be the secret weapon for the underdogs.
He plays with speed, attacks off the rush and has developed into a very solid two-way middle-six center at the NCAA level. He’s had a fantastic freshman year after playing in his D+1 season in the USHL. He’s rounded out his game even more, and although his offensive game didn’t really pop until the second half of the season, it popped off when it did.
Cerrato has become a driver for this Penn State squad, and it’ll need him to continue his high-end play if it has any hopes of getting to the final.
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