ST. LOUIS — Western Michigan, appearing in its first ever Frozen Four, is one win away from a national championship. But it hardly came easy.
After jumping out to a two-goal lead through two periods, Western Michigan let it slip away and needed double overtime and an Owen Michaels goal 26 seconds into the second extra frame as the Broncos advanced on the backs of a 3-2 victory over Denver at Enterprise Center on Thursday.
Western Michigan will face the winner of Boston University and Penn State in Saturday night’s national title game.
The victory keeps alive a dream season for Western Michigan, which posted its program-record 33rd win of the season. The Broncos won the NCHC regular-season and postseason championships, the latter also coming against Denver.
“Obviously, Denver has a championship pedigree so we knew they weren’t going to go down easy in the third,” said Western Michigan coach Pat Ferschweiler.
The game-winner came on what seemed like an innocent play. Even up through the neutral zone, Matteo Costantini made a drop pass intended for Alex Bump. When the puck went under Bump’s stick, Michaels found himself alone, sniping the shot glove side on goaltender Matt Davis.
“I kind of blacked out a bit,” said Michaels of the game winner. “A bit of a broken play and I just saw the puck squirt out to me. I had some open time and space. Just figured I’d put it on net and pretty happy it went in.”
Both teams had chances early on in regulation, including a hit crossbar for Western Michigan’s Zach Nehring a minute in. Otherwise, the best opportunities for each team came on the power play. Western Michigan’s came in the first period, the Broncos mustering five shots on that man advantage. And early in the second, Denver got its chance with the extra man, getting two shots.
The game’s third power play produced the first goal. After Denver’s Samu Salminen was sent off for holding at 5:32, it took less than a minute for the Broncos to connect.
Tim Washe won a faceoff back to Brian Kramer, who unleashed a wrist shot over Davis’ glove at 6:16 to give Western Michigan a 1-0 lead.
It was the first time Denver trailed in an NCAA tournament game since last year’s regional final against Cornell.
From there, the offensive intensity ratcheted for the Broncos. By the midway point in the game, Western Michigan held a 24-7 shot advantage over the Pioneers.
At 14:32, Western extended the lead. A Pioneers defender fell, turning over the puck directly to Michaels. He wasted little time firing a shot over the glove for the 2-0 advantage.
It was the 15th goal of the year for Michaels.
It easily could’ve been 3-0 headed to the third if not for Denver’s Davis. Late in the second, he stopped three consecutive short-handed attempts that began with Constantini’s breakaway. Able to stop 30 shots through two periods, Davis gave his team a chance.
“They’re a great hockey team,” said Denver coach David Carle. “We felt if we could keep our feet moving a little more, get the puck moving and get them into some more precarious situations, we’d be able to have some success.”
Denver didn’t lie down in the third, coming out aggressive with its forecheck. Eric Pohlkamp had one of the Pioneers’ best looks when he redirected a crossing pass from Aidan Thompson that forced netminder Hampton Slukynsky to make a quick stop.
With 13:09 remaining, Denver finally struck when a blocked shot turned into an open net. Thompson’s original bid was blocked by the Broncos only to return immediately to his stick blade with a gaping net awaiting.
Chances abounded for Denver from there, but all too often the puck simply rolled off a stick or the execution wasn’t clean enough.
That was until the final three minutes. Pohlkamp’s shot from the point hit Slukynsky up high and the rebound sat in the crease. As a pile of players crashed the net, Jared Wright got enough of the puck to tuck it past Slukynsky at 17:39.
The play was challenged for goaltender interference by Western Michigan but after a three-minute video review, the call was upheld.
Shots through regulation heavily favored Western Michigan, 36-17.
In the first overtime, Bump had a glaring chance to end things with 11:30 remaining but a rolling puck jumped over the crossbar with the empty net awaiting.
Seconds later at the other end, Wright and Rieger Lorenz couldn’t connect on a 2-on-0 down low, extending the overtime. With 2 minutes left, Davis made a nifty left pad save to thwart Costantini on a 2-on-1.
Western Michigan held a 10-5 shot advantage in the first overtime.
The Pioneers lost for the first time in their last seven NCAA tournament games. It was the first time in that span that they allowed more than a single goal.
“We had our bumps in the road but we always tried to be able to spin it, use it,” said Carle. “I’m certainly proud of our seniors who came in. We missed the NCAA tournament when they came in and followed it up with arguably the best four-year period of hockey in program history.”
Western Michigan is looking to become a first-time national champion, something that happened two years ago as well when Quinnipiac beat Minnesota in overtime to earn into first national crown.
“Over time, you have to keep doing it right, keep doing it right,” said Ferschweiler. “We talked about being ready to win the game when the time comes. I think Owen Michaels did a good job of that, for sure.”
