SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Junior forward Tristan Broz scored in overtime to lift No. 3 Denver to a 2-1 win over No. 2 Boston University in the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four semifinals on Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center. With the win, the Pioneers (31-9-3) advance to Saturday’s National Championship Game against top-ranked Boston College.
 
Broz, a native of Bloomington, Minn., scored his second overtime-winner of the 2024 NCAA Tournament Thursday, after also tallying the game-winner in the regional semifinal against Massachusetts on March 28. This time it came in his home state and gave the Pioneers a third straight 2-1 victory in the NCAA Tournament after none all season.
 
With the game knotted at 1-1 in overtime, DU junior defenseman Sean Behrens gathered a loose puck in his own zone and quickly fed an outlet pass to Broz. Broz then skated up ice, entered the offensive zone and fired a sharp wrister from just inside the right circle that beat BU goalie Mathieu Caron five-hole 11:09 into the extra session to send the Pioneers into pandemonium. It was Broz’s 16th and most important goal of the season.
 
Despite the result, the Pioneers started slow, getting outshot 10-3 in the first frame. DU relied on junior goaltender Matt Davis, the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Northeast Regional, to keep them in the game, and he did just that. Davis finished with 33 saves in the win, including 19 in the first two periods.
 
The Terriers (28-10-2) opened the scoring with a short-handed goal 7:45 into the game, which would be their lone tally all night. With Denver looking to set up its power play, BU’s Devin Kaplan chipped the puck along the wall and the Pioneers were unable to keep it in the zone. Luke Tuch then won a race to the puck, skated in alone and scored top shelf on a breakaway to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead.
 
Boston University continued to control play for much of the second stanza until DU finally broke through with 4:39 left in the middle period to tie the game off the stick of another Tristan. BU’s Lane Hutson tried a no-look pass behind his own net that was intercepted by freshman Miko Matikka. Matikka quickly centered to sophomore Tristan Lemyre in front, where he buried the puck five-hole to knot the game at 1-1. It was only Lemyre’s second goal of the season.
 
Sophomore Aidan Thompson nearly gave DU the lead with less than a minute to go in the second frame, but his backhand attempt was stopped by Caron with a highlight-reel glove save to keep it even after two periods. The Terriers held a 20-11 edge in shots through the second stanza.
 
Denver received a power play early in the third period when senior Connor Caponi was tripped up by Tom Willander. Caron came up big again for BU, however, with two huge stops, including a diving save late in the man advantage. The Pioneers continued to put on the pressure and midway through the third period junior Jack Devine had a golden chance alone in front of net on a rebound, but Caron once more made a point-blank glove save to keep it level.
 
The Terriers hit the post with less than four minutes left in the third period, while the Pioneers received their fourth power play of the night with 1:13 left in regulation. Denver fired several shots on net, but was unable to score before time expired, leading to overtime.
 
Boston University outshot Denver, 34-29, in the game, while the Pioneers finished 0-for-4 on the power play. DU’s lone penalty in the game came in overtime and was a coincidental minor, as the Terriers did not have a power play all night.
 
With the win, Denver will play for a record-setting 10th National Championship Saturday night against the Eagles, who defeated Michigan, 4-0, in the second Frozen Four semifinal on Thursday. The Pioneers last won a national title in 2022 and are currently tied with Michigan for the most National Championships in men’s college hockey history with nine each. Denver and Boston College already met once earlier this season, with DU pulling out a 4-3 victory on Oct. 21 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
 
For the NCHC, the conference is looking for its sixth NCAA title in 10 NCAA Tournaments since the NCHC began play. The Pioneers become the eighth NCHC team to play for the national title in the conference’s 11-year history. The NCHC has now had a team play for the National Championship in seven of the last eight NCAA Tournaments.
 
Puck drop for Saturday’s title tilt between Denver and No. 1 Boston College is set for 5 p.m. CT/4 p.m. MT at Xcel Energy Center. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN+ and TSN+.