After three years away, Denver is headed back to the Frozen Four.
Carter Savoie scored the winning goal for the Pioneers at 13:44 of the third period, and Denver hung on for a thrilling 2-1 win over Minnesota Duluth in the regional final Saturday in Loveland, Colo.
Sean Behrens scooped up the draw on a faceoff to the left of Duluth goalie Ryan Fanti and fired it from just inside the Duluth blue line, his shot wide right by about 18 inches. The puck then caromed off the boards and hit the back of Fanti’s left leg, his motion then carrying it across the goal mouth where it bounced off the far post. Savoie was right there to poke it back off the right pad of a sprawling Fanti and into the net for a 2-1 lead.
Except for a span of just over three minutes of the opening frame, the first two periods were low-scoring affairs. Duluth got on the board first at 14:41 of the first when Darian Gotz crossed the blue line and scooped a pass from Kobe Roth on the right wing and one-timed a screaming slap shot into the net to the glove side of Denver goalie Magnus Chrona.
Denver got that goal back shortly thereafter. Cole Guttman intercepted an attempted clear by Duluth defenseman Louie Roehl and fired it from high in the slot, where it went off the leg of teammate Matt Anderson and past Fanti’s right pad at 17:24.
There was no scoring in the second period, which was highlighted by excellent defensive play by the Pioneers. Antti Tuomisto and Guttman were sent off for minor penalties just 1:12 apart, giving Duluth a two-man advantage for 48 seconds. Chrona made three saves as Denver killed the penalty. Denver outshot Duluth 21-13 through the first two periods.
Denver (29-9-1) is back in the Frozen Four for the first time since 2019 and will shoot for its first national championship since 2017. Duluth (22-16-4) saw its streak of four straight Frozen Four appearances snapped. The Bulldogs were looking for their first NCAA title since 2019, when it won the second of back-to-back titles.
It was the sixth meeting of the season between the two NCHC rivals. After splitting four regular-season contests, Duluth was a 2-0 winner in the conference semifinals.
Denver will open the Frozen Four April 7 vs. the winner of Sunday’s regional final between No. 2 Quinnipiac (32-6-3) and No. 1 Michigan (30-9-1).