Insights Into BC v Denver in Frozen Four Title Game - Robert McMahon
Robert McMahon, Sports Columnist
Insights Into BC v Denver in Frozen Four Title Game - Robert McMahon
Here’s how BC and Denver got to the title game.
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Denver vs. Boston University
Most fans expected two of the highest goal-scoring teams in the country to treat the fans to an up-and-down-the-ice shootout, perhaps a 6-4 game. Denver led the country in goals with 4.7 goals/game. And the Terriers were not too far behind with 4.2 goals/game with their dynamic freshman phenom, Macklin Celebrini, this year’s consensus NHL draft first pick.
Instead, we were treated to a low-scoring nail-biter with Denver finally emerging a 2-1 winner in overtime. BU dominated play in the first period, sending 10 shots on net to Denver’s 3, but only scored 1 goal, a short-handed one. Celebrini, along with the other BU snipers, missed some open nets with one-timers that went wide.
Denver found their skates in the second period and put some good shots on Mathieu Caron, BU’s goalie. The Pioneers tied the game at 1-1 at the 15:41 mark of the second period on a give-away by BU’s talented defenseman Lane Hutson. Denver’s Miko Matikka intercepted an errant pass, fed it to Tristan Lemyre, who slapped it by Caron. This was a bad omen for BU. Huston hardly ever makes mistakes. And the Lemyre’s goal was only his second goal of the year.
The teams played a scoreless third period, as Denver’s persistent forechecking frustrated BU’s high-flying forwards. Denver had some good chances in the third period to take the lead, but BU’s Caron made several acrobatic saves. Denver headed into overtime with confidence and with a surprising gift from the refs. BU had no power play opportunities in the entire game.
It was a good night for the Tristans of the world. Denver’s Tristan Broz punched home the winning goal at 11:09 of the overtime session, sending Denver to the title game and sending BU back to Commonwealth Avenue, wondering what went wrong for such a talented team.
Boston College versus Michigan
This was another game with two high-scoring teams with the possibility of a lot of lamp lighters during the game. BC did its part with its talented freshman line scoring three of its four goals. Michigan, however, despite out-shooting BC, was frustrated the entire game by BC’s goalie Jacob Fowler who pitched a shutout in the 4-0 Eagles win. This was the first shutout in a Frozen Four since 2011, when the Michigan Wolverines blanked North Dakota.
BC has won 15 games in a row now, and most of those wins have featured BC’s dominant offense. In the win against Michigan, BC demonstrated that they can also play defense. This was a game where BC minimized mistakes, chased loose pucks, and were more physical than they usually are. Against a team like Michigan that came on strong in the last month of the season, this may have been the Eagles’ best all-around game of the year.
Boston College versus Denver for the Title
Denver will be looking to win its tenth NCAA hockey title. This would put the Pioneers with one more win all time over Michigan. Boston College will be looking for its sixth title game win, its last one coming in 2012.
It is tempting to favor Boston College in the title game for lots of reasons. They have only lost two games in the last three months, both by 4-3 scores, to BU on February 5th and to Providence on January 13th. Four of the top 5 scorers in the country wear BC uniforms. They are the #1 seed in the tourney and have held the #1 ranking for most of the season. Their goalie, Jacob Fowler, just shut out Michigan.
So, what’s not like about a BC win here? Here are some reasons to consider a Denver title game win:
- The law of averages. BC is due for a loss.
- BC has not been to a Frozen Four title game since 2012; Denver won it all as recently as 2022. The Pioneers have title game player and coaching experience.
- BC is very dependent on freshmen players—its high scoring #1 line and its goalie. None have ever been in a game this big.
- Denver has balance—in its scoring and in its mix of under and upperclassmen player experience.
- Denver has the hottest goalie on the planet. Matt Davis has the lowest goals against average of any goalie in this year’s NCAA’s tournament: 1.0 goal against/game.
- Denver plays a more physical and disciplined forechecking game than BC, and it showed in the BU game that it can neutralize high-scoring teams.
This is playoff championship hockey, though, and maybe none of the above matters. One turnover or one stupid penalty can shift the momentum in a game quickly. Denver’s lone goal in regular time against BU came from a little-used player because of an errant pass by one of BU’s all-star defensemen. Expect the unexpected in playoff hockey. And expect to watch a fun game.