Western Michigan Broncos pose for a photo with the national championship trophy. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a9c54ea1-294b-40ae-ab6f-65b2eb248cb2.jpeg] Western Michigan Broncos pose for a photo with the national championship trophy. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images) For the first time in the history of Western Michigan University, they are national champions [https://thehockeynews.com/ncaa/latest-news/western-michigan-beats-boston-university-to-win-national-title] in hockey, winning by a score of 6-2 over Boston University for the NCAA [https://thehockeynews.com/ncaa]championship. The Broncos were in control for most of the game, taking hold of the game every time that BU was beginning to build some momentum. Western Michigan University wins first ever NCAA men's ice hockey championship. The depth of Western Michigan’s scoring showcased itself in the biggest game of the season. Wyatt Schingoethe, Cole Crusberg-Roseen, Ty Henricks, Iiro Hakkarainen and Owen Michaels (twice) all found the scoreboard for WMU as they reached the pinnacle of hockey at the college level. Western Michigan started the game by asserting its dominance early, getting on the board with Schingoethe’s goal less than two minutes into the game. Crossing the front of the net, Schingoethe deflected a point shot with a defender on his back and instantly set the tone with a massive celebration. After Cole Eiserman tied it for BU, Crusberg-Roseen fired a failed clearing attempt on net and put WMU back up by a goal heading into the first intermission. Five minutes into the second frame, Henricks scored a beauty that would eventually be the game-winning goal. A three-goal third period, bookended by two Owen Michaels goals, would secure the win for Western Michigan. Michaels was one of the most impactful players for WMU during the Frozen Four, his two goals in the final were the perfect way for the Broncos to ice the game. Michaels was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. Western Michigan was consistently doubted throughout this tournament, but they leaned on their structure, high work ethic and consistent pressure game to ensure that they kept winning, all the way to the title. WMU hadn’t lost a game since March 1, winning 10 straight to cap off their first championship season. This was Western Michigan University’s first trip to the Frozen Four. Expectations for the team were that they would be competitive and that they would get to the NCAA tournament and make a run. Still, the reality of the situation to start the year was that the WMU program wasn’t viewed as a power that could be challenging for the title. After a season in which they consistently found a way to be more than the sum of their parts, Western Michigan earned the respect of everyone across the hockey world. Their championship win was impressive from start to finish. With many of the team's best players set to return next season, we could very well be seeing WMU back in the Frozen Four and challenging for a title once again next season. At the bare minimum, they will be coming into the season with much more respect nationally. Congratulations to the Western Michigan Broncos on winning the national championship. A well deserved title for a hard-nosed and workmanlike team. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
