LOVELAND, Colo. – The Denver Pioneers are heading back to the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four for the third straight season and fourth time in five years. In a highly anticipated rematch from the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Semifinals two weeks ago and the 2025 Frozen Four, No. 2 seed and fourth-ranked Denver defeated No. 1 seed and No. 5 ranked Western Michigan, 6-2, in the 2026 NCAA West Region Final Sunday at Blue Arena in front of a pro-Pioneers crowd in their home state.
 
With the win, Denver (26-11-3) earned its 21st berth in the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in program history, including seven of the last 10 NCAA Tournaments. The Pioneers will face overall No. 1 seed Michigan in Las Vegas in the National Semifinals on Thursday, April 9 at T-Mobile Arena, after the Wolverines held off No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, 4-3, in the Albany Region Final Sunday night.
 
Denver controlled play from the start to dispatch of the reigning National Champion Broncos (27-10-1), jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the first period. It was the sixth meeting of the season between DU and WMU, with the Pioneers winning the season series, 4-2, including an overtime win in the Frozen Faceoff Semifinals at Magness Arena on March 14. DU also extended its win streak to 11 games, the longest active streak in the NCAA, and unbeaten streak to 15 games (14-0-1).
 
Freshman goaltender Johnny Hicks was named Most Outstanding Player of the Loveland Regional after picking up NCHC Frozen Faceoff Most Outstanding Player honors a week earlier on home ice. He compiled 26 saves in Sunday’s win over Western Michigan after logging a 24-save shutout against Cornell in Friday’s regional semifinal. Hicks remains unbeaten in his college career at 14-0-1, having allowed more than two goals only once.
 
Six different Pioneers scored a goal in the win, including freshman Kyle Chyzowski, who finished with a game-high three points. Fellow rookie Brendan McMorrow, junior forward Kieran Cebrian and junior defenseman Eric Pohlkamp all tallied a goal and an assist for Denver.
 
Junior forward Sam Harris opened the scoring only two minutes into the game, cleaning up a rebound from freshman Clarke Caswell to give DU an early lead. It was Harris’ second goal of the regional and 15th of the season, which is third on the team. Both Harris and Caswell landed on the Loveland Region All-Tournament Team.
 
Chyzowski doubled the Denver lead 3:24 later when Pohlkamp fired a long outlet pass to spring the freshman for a mini-breakaway, which he finished with a nifty backhand move. The Broncos cut the deficit in half soon after when senior defenseman Zach Bookman poked the puck in the net during a scramble in the crease for his second goal and third point of the regional. Bookman earned All-Region honors, as well.
 
Denver reclaimed control midway through the first period when senior Samu Salminen blasted a one-timer from sophomore James Reeder to make it 3-1. McMorrow then made it 4-1 later in the first frame with a rebound on a Chyzowski shot.
 
The score remained 4-1 until the third period when WMU attempted to rally with a blue line blast from defenseman Theo Wallberg. The 4-2 score didn’t last long, however, as Cebrian restored DU’s three-goal cushion two minutes later, helping him earn a spot on the All-Region Team. An empty-netter from Pohlkamp sealed the victory for Denver and marked the Hobey Baker finalist’s 18th goal of the season, tops among NCAA blueliners.
 
Denver finished with a 32-28 edge in shots on goal, including 14-8 in the dominant opening period. WMU sophomore goaltender Hampton Slukynsky finished with 26 saves in defeat, while playing every minute in net for the Broncos this season. DU went 1-for-3 on the power play while the Broncos were 0-for-1.
 
The Pioneers Frozen Four semifinal against Michigan is set for 6:30 p.m. MT/5:30 p.m. PT in Las Vegas with the game on ESPN2. DU joins North Dakota as NCHC teams in the Frozen Four this year, marking the seventh time in 12 NCAA Tournaments the National has placed two teams in the National Semifinals. UND faces Wisconsin in the first Frozen Four semifinal on April 9 with the National Championship set for Saturday, April 11 at 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.
 
The NCHC is home to the last two NCAA National Champions (WMU, Denver) and seven of the last nine National Champions.

Loveland Region All-Tournament Team
F – Clarke Caswell, Denver
F – Kieran Cebrian, Denver 
F – Sam Harris, Denver
D – Cale Ashcroft, Denver
D – Zach Bookman, Western Michigan 
G – Johnny Hicks, Denver (MOP)