ST. LOUIS – For the first time in program history, Western Michigan Hockey will play for the National Championship. Making their Frozen Four debut, the top-seeded Broncos edged No. 3 seed Denver, 3-2, in double overtime Thursday night at the Enterprise Center in the second ever all-NCHC NCAA National Semifinal.
 
Sophomore forward Owen Michaels scored his second goal of the game 26 seconds into the second extra session to send Western Michigan to the championship game. It marked the Broncos’ second straight win over the Pioneers in double overtime, after also winning the 2025 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship over DU in two overtimes less than three weeks ago. It was the Broncos’ third double-overtime win in their last four games, as well.
 
With the win, Western Michigan advances to Saturday’s National Championship Game where they’ll face Boston University, who defeated Penn State in the second semifinal, 3-1. Puck drop for Saturday’s title game is set for 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN2 and TSN2.
 
Michaels’ game-winner came off a broken play. Senior Matteo Costantini carried the puck into the zone and his centering pass was partially broken up, but the deflection went right to Michaels striding down the slot. Michaels quickly fired a wrister past Denver senior goalie Matt Davis and into the top corner of the net to set off a Broncos celebration on the ice. It was Michaels’ 16th goal of the season and his fourth multi-goal game.
 
Western Michigan controlled much of the contest Thursday, especially in the first two periods, holding a 32-8 edge in shots on goal after 40 minutes.
 
The Broncos had a golden chance to take an early lead with Davis out of position after a bounce off the backboards, but freshman Zach Nehring’s shot from the right circle rang off the crossbar less than a minute into the game. The first period ended scoreless, despite a 12-3 advantage in shots on goal for WMU and a Broncos power play.
 
Defenseman Brian Kramer broke the deadlock and put the Broncos in front 6:16 into the second stanza on WMU’s second power play of the night. Team captain Tim Washe, the nation's faceoff leader, won a faceoff clean in the left circle back to Kramer, who ripped a shot from the high slot into the top corner for only his second goal of the season and first on the power play.
 
The Broncos made it 2-0 on Michaels’ first goal of the night, which snapped a 14-game goalless drought for the sophomore. He took advantage of a DU giveaway in their own zone for an unassisted goal. After a turnover along the boards, Michaels grabbed the puck, skated in from the right side and beat Davis over his right shoulder to double the WMU lead with 5:23 left in the seconds stanza.
 
Western Michigan had chances to make it a larger lead after 40 minutes, but Davis stopped a breakaway from Washe and denied another point-blank chance in the final two minutes of the period to keep it 2-0. The Broncos fired 20 shots on goal in the middle frame, but Davis racked up 30 saves over the first two periods to keep DU in the game.
 
Thanks to Davis’ efforts, the Pioneers were able to rally. After giving up a three-goal lead in the third period to the Broncos in the Frozen Faceoff Championship Game in March, Denver turned the tables and erased a two-goal deficit over the final 20 minutes of regulation on Thursday.
 
The Pioneers finally broke through on a goal from junior forward Aidan Thompson at 6:49 of the final frame of regulation. Thompson’s initial shot was blocked, but the rebound came right back to him and his second attempt beat WMU freshman Hampton Slukynsky to make it 2-1 on his 21st goal of the season.
 
Denver then pulled even with 2:39 remaining in regulation. Sophomore defenseman Eric Pohlkamp fired a slap shot on net that led to a goal-mouth scramble. Junior Jared Wright was able to poke the loose puck behind Slukynsky to knot the game at 2-2 and force overtime. It was Wright’s ninth goal of the season.

The first overtime saw both teams create chances, but both goaltenders were up to the task with WMU outshooting the Pioneers, 10-5, in the first extra session. That set the stage for Michaels to be the hero early in the second overtime and keep the Broncos’ season of program firsts alive.
 
Western Michigan finished with a 47-22 edge in shots on goal, but Davis was once again strong in the NCAA Tournament, racking up 44 saves. Slukynsky totaled 20 stops to earn the win. WMU went 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Pioneers were 0-for-2 on their man advantages.
 
The Broncos will play for their first National Championship Saturday night and become the fifth different NCHC team to play in the National Championship Game since 2016. WMU is looking to give the NCHC its seventh National Championship in the last nine NCAA Tournaments.
 
Postgame Notes:

• For the eighth time in the last nine NCAA Tournaments, the NCHC has a team in the National Championship Game. WMU is the fifth different NCHC team to reach the championship game since 2016, joining North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022, 2024), Minnesota Duluth (2017, 2018, 2019) and St. Cloud State (2021).
• Saturday’s Championship Game will mark the fourth time an NCHC team has faced a Hockey East team in the final since the NCHC was founded. The NCHC has gone 2-1 in those championships:
  • 2019 – Minnesota Duluth defeated UMass, 3-0
  • 2021 – UMass defeated St. Cloud State, 5-0
  • 2024 – Denver defeated Boston College, 2-0
• All four meetings between Denver and WMU this season were decided by one goal, with the last three meetings needing overtime. WMU went 3-1-0 against DU this year, with the last two wins coming in double overtime.
• Denver has now played four straight overtime games in the Frozen Four National Semifinals, going 2-2 in those games (2019 loss vs. UMass, 2022 win vs. Michigan, 2024 win vs. BU, 2025 loss vs. WMU).
• Western Michigan has gone to double overtime in three of its last four games, winning all three:
  • March 22 vs. Denver, 4-3 (Frozen Faceoff championship)
  • March 27 vs. Minnesota State, 2-1 (NCAA regional semifinals)
  • April 10 vs. Denver, 3-2 (Frozen Four semifinals)
• Thursday’s double overtime game between WMU and Denver was the fifth NCAA Men’s Frozen Four National Semifinal to require multiple overtimes in college hockey history. It was the first double OT semifinal since Colorado College beat Vermont in 1996 in Cincinnati.
• WMU sophomore Owen Michaels recorded his fourth multi-goal game of the season, but first since Jan. 24. His first goal Thursday was his first since Feb. 8, snapping a 14-game drought.
• Western Michigan had one NCAA Tournament win in program history entering this season in nine appearances, but now has four after winning three NCAA games in 2025.
• Denver senior goalie Matt Davis allowed more than one goal in an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in seven career NCAA games. Prior to Thursday, Davis had allowed only five total goals in six career NCAA Tournament games and never more than one in a game.