SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Sophomore forward and Minnesota native Alex Bump scored his second goal of the game in double overtime to lift No. 3 ranked and top-seeded Western Michigan to a 4-3 win over No. 6 ranked and No. 3 seed Denver in a thrilling 2025 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship Game Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center.
 
Bump’s goal in his home state earned the Broncos their first-ever NCHC Tournament title and completed a sweep of National Collegiate Hockey Conference trophies this season, after capturing the Penrose Cup during the regular season. Western Michigan becomes only the second NCHC team in the conference’s 12-year history to win both championships in the same season, joining North Dakota in 2021.
 
Bump’s double-overtime game-winner capped a furious comeback, which saw the Broncos erase a three-goal deficit in the third period, after going down 3-0 midway through the second stanza. The NCHC Forward of the Year scored his overtime game-winner unassisted after stopping a clearing attempt along the boards with his body, before skating in from the left side and sniping a shot past Denver senior goaltender Matt Davis to set off a WMU celebration on the ice.
 
The double OT game-winner was Bump’s third goal of the Frozen Faceoff, earning him Most Outstanding Player honors. His first goal of the night came with 6:41 remaining in regulation and cut the deficit to one at 3-2 Denver. Classmate Owen Michaels won a faceoff cleanly back to Bump, who quickly fired a shot from the top of the right circle that found the back of net. Bump now has 23 goals on the season, which is second in the NCHC.
 
Graduate student forward Tim Washe tied the game for the Broncos with 3:40 remaining in regulation with his 15th goal of the year. The WMU captain sent in a seemingly harmless wrister just inside the blue line after carrying the zone, but the puck tipped off Davis’ glove and fell into the net to tie the game at 3-3, leading to overtime.
 
The Broncos first started their comeback 3:21 into the third period when freshman defenseman Zack Sharp tallied his fifth goal of the year. Sharp came flying into the play from the left side, receiving a cross-ice pass from junior Liam Valente and snapping a laser past Davis to make it a 3-1 contest and get WMU on the board.
 
After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, the Pioneers went to work in the second stanza and appeared to take control of the game. Freshman Jake Fisher, another Minnesota native, opened the game’s scoring 5:46 into the middle period, potting a rebound after a shot by Samu Salminen.
 
Denver then doubled, and tripled, its lead within a span of 1:22. First, sophomore blueliner Eric Pohlkamp fired in his 10th goal of the season from the left side to make it 2-0 at 9:05 of the second period. Then, Minnesota Wild draft pick and NCHC Player of the Year Zeev Buium upped it to 3-0 with a dazzling deke to free up space and blast a shot past WMU freshman goalie Hampton Slukynsky from the high slot. It was Buium’s 11th tally of the year, leading NCHC defensemen.
 
The Broncos never wavered, however, outshooting Denver, 12-5, in the third period while potting three goals. The first overtime was similar, with WMU putting 16 shots on net to DU’s 6, but Davis turned aside all 16, including killing a Broncos power play. The first shot of the second extra session, however, put an end to the ‘Last Call in Saint Paul’ when Bump scored after 80 minutes and 22 seconds into the Frozen Faceoff championship game.
 
Western Michigan finished with a 50-29 advantage in shots on goal, with Davis compiling 46 saves for Denver. Davis racked up 73 saves in two Frozen Faceoff games to land on the All-Tournament Team.
 
Saturday’s contest was only the second NCHC Championship Game to need overtime (2019), with both going to double overtime. Saturday also marked the final Frozen Faceoff game at Xcel Energy Center, as the NCHC is moving its championship tournament entirely to campus sites beginning in 2026. The Conference held six Frozen Faceoffs at Xcel Energy Center, starting in 2018, as well as 2019 and 2022-2025, after holding its first four championships (2014-17) at Target Center in Minneapolis.
 
The Broncos become the sixth different NCHC team to win the Frozen Faceoff, joining Denver (3), Miami (1), Minnesota Duluth (3), North Dakota (1) and St. Cloud State (2).
 
Western Michigan and Denver will find out their NCAA Tournament opponent and regional site on Sunday with the Men’s Ice Hockey NCAA Tournament Selection Show set for 3 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
 
2025 Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team
F: Alex Bump, Western Michigan
F: Sacha Boisvert, North Dakota
F: Artem Shlaine, Arizona State
D: Zeev Buium, Denver
D: Joona Väisänen, Western Michigan
G: Matt Davis, Denver
Most Outstanding Player: Alex Bump, Western Michigan