Live updates: Michigan vs. Denver in the Men's Frozen Four
End of 2nd: Michigan 2, Denver 2
We've got a great finish brewing in Vegas.
Denver opened the second period with a quick goal, a top-shelf snipe from Cale Ashcroft to tie it up at two apiece.
It was all Michigan for the rest of the period after that. The Wolverines mounted a strong second-period push, outshooting the Pios, 13-5 in the frame. Denver freshman G Johnny Hicks stood his ground, though, keeping this one tied heading into the third.
The crowd here at T-Mobile Arena is split pretty evenly between Michigan fans and Denver fans, and you could feel the tension rising in the building at the end of the second. Every loose puck or bounce in open ice draws an "ooh" or "ahh" from the respective fanbases, hoping it will go their team's way.
And this game could go either way in the third period. Who will be the hero? Will it be either of the Hobey Baker finalists: Eric Pohlkamp or T.J. Hughes?Who will join Wisconsin in the Frozen Four?
The only thing we know for sure is that it will be an electric finish.
Twenty minutes remain. Third period up next.
🎯 Denver with the snipe to tie it — 2nd: 17:30 | DU 2, MICH 2
Denver got the second-period start it needed — Cale Ashcroft evens the score at two apiece with a snipe from the point over the blocker of Ivankovic.
What an absolute snipe 🎯
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
Cale Ashcroft ties it up for the Pioneers early in the second period! x �� ESPN2 /
Denver had a flurry of chances on an early-period powerplay, but two broken sticks on one-timers kept them from finding the back of the net. The Pios kept the pressure on after the penalty expired, cycling the puck to the point, where Ashcroft picked a corner, and wired it past Ivankovic.
End of 1st: Michigan 2, Denver 1
That first period was about what we expected from these two powerhouses: smart, skilled hockey punctuated by timely scoring.
After a slow start to the period, Denver began to take control near the halfway point, forcing turnovers in Michigan's defensive zone. The agressive forecheck of the Pios paid off, as they forced a turnover and turned a nifty passing play that resulted in a Kyle Chyzowski goal to break the ice.
But Michigan wouldn't be kept quiet for long. The nation's top offense did what it does best, scoring in flurries. Two quick goals from Josh Eernisse and T.J. Hughes gave the Wolverines the lead.
There's still a long way to go in this one, but here are some stats to keep in mind in the second period:
- Denver is 19-3-0 when scoring first, but 4-4-2 when trailing after the first period.
- Michigan is 7-4-1 when its oppnent scores first, but it's 21-3-0 when leading after the first period.
Second period is up next.
〽️ Michigan scores back-to-back — 2:43 | Michigan 2, Denver 1
It was a quiet period for the Wolverines for 16 minutes, but the fourth line woke up the Michigan bench, scoring their first goal of the Frozen Four. Josh Eernisse picked up a loose puck off a faceoff tie up in the offensive zone, and he wired a wrister through a screen past Denver G Johnny Hicks.
The Wolverines even the score 😤
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey)
📺: ESPN2
Then just 1:01 later, Hobey Hat Trick finalist T.J. Hughes struck again, his 22nd of the season to give Michigan a 2-1 lead late in the first. After Hicks stopped a shot from the point, Hughes found himself alone at the side of the net, picking up the rebound and sliding it into the open net.
Michigan takes the lead ‼️
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey)
📺: ESPN2
🚨 Pioneers strike first — 10:31 | Denver 1, Michigan 0
Denver gets on the board first in the semifinal, as Kyle Chyzowski nets his 12th of the season 9:29 into the first period.
BING, BANG, GOAL! 🚨
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
Kyle Chyzowski opens the scoring for the Pios midway through the first! x 🎥 ESPN2 /
Denver controlled play for most of the first half of the period, outshooting Michigan, 8-4. Neither team had any dangerous chances early — that was until Denver forced a turnover in the offensive zone, and McMorrow, Cebrian and Chyzowski went tic-tac-toe, with Chyzowksi sneaking one through the five hole of Michigan G Jack Ivankovic.
🎬 Game 2 is on: Michigan vs. Denver
Denver wins the opening draw, and we are underway in Las Vegas.
👉 Lineups for the Wolverines and Pios
We're moments away from puckdrop at T-Mobile Arena. Before we get started, let's take a look at the lineups for Michigan and Denver. Twenty-four NHL draft picks are in the lineups tonight, 13 for Denver, 11 for Michigan.
Tonight's lines ⬇️
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey)
The Pioneers' Projected Lineup for the vs. Michigan.
— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey)
Up next: Michigan vs. Denver — 8:45 p.m. ET
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, Tyson vs. Holyfield, Michigan vs. Denver.
It's the latest heavyweight bout in a city that has seen hundreds over the years, and it's less than 30 minutes away.
The first NCHC vs. Big Ten matchup of the night went the Big Ten's way, with Wisconsin downing North Dakota, 2-1. Now, the Wolverines and Pioneers take center stage in Las Vegas for Pt. II.
Michigan comes into the Frozen Four off a nailbiter against Minnesota Duluth in the regional finals. The Wolverines nearly let UMD come back from a 3-0 deficit, but they slammed the door late in the third to squeak out the 4-3 win.
Michigan has the longest title drought of the four teams in Vegas: 28 years. A win tonight would put the Wolverines one step closer to ending the drought and tying Denver for the most national titles all time.
Meanwhile Denver has cruised into the Frozen Four, shutting out Cornell, 5-0, and stomping defending champion Western Michigan, 6-2, in the Loveland Regional.
The Pioneers' 10 championships are the most of any school, and their 2024 title is the most recent of any of the teams in Vegas. Another title this year would be their fourth since 2017 giving them more separation as the top program in college hockey of all time.
FINAL: Wisconsin 2, North Dakota 1
The Wisconsin Badgers have defeated North Dakota to advance to the 2026 Frozen Four championship. It's their first time advancing to the title game since 2010 as they seek their first title since 2006.
The Badgers' defense smothered the Fighting Hawks for all three periods, defending the 2-0 lead for 52:02 before Nodak finally got on the board with their net empty. The Badgers held the Hawks to 22 shots, with Daniel Hauser stopping 21 for a .955 SV%. Wisconsin's penalty kill played its best game of the year, snuffing out all five of Nodak's powerplay chances, including a pivotal 1:57 5-on-3 in the second period.
Wisconsin's scoring came quickly and was gone in an instant, as the Badgers scored their two goals 27 seconds apart in the first period, just under six minutes in. A pair of second-line goals from Tassy and Botterill and 50+ minutes of elite defense proved to be enough to send the Badgers back to the Frozen Four final.
🫨 North Dakota is on the board in the final minute
😬 Frustration is mounting for North Dakota
The energy is shifting in T-Mobile Arena.
🗣️ GET OUT YOUR SEAT AND JUMP AROUND x
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers)
Wisconsin gets its second powerplay of the night after killing off its fifth penalty, and the Badger fans in the house give a sarcastic cheer to the men in stripes.
Nodak's Jack Kernan takes a slashing penalty after the whistle that cuts his team's fifth powerplay short on a night where they have struggled to get any dangerous scoring chances. Both the North Dakota bench and fans are getting more visibly frustrated as this scoreless streak goes on.
⏳ Does Nodak have time for a comeback?
As things stand, North Dakota has 20 minutes left in its season as the Hawks are down two heading into the third. The Hawks don't trail often, but when they do, they struggle to come back— they are 2-6-1 on the season when down after 40 minutes.
Chances have been hard to come by outside of the powerplay, but North Dakota is also 0-4 on the man advantage. Something needs to turn around, quick.
End of 2nd: Wisconsin 2, North Dakota 0
The second period was much more even, with North Dakota outshooting Wisconsin, 12-7, in the second frame.
A massive 5-on-3 penalty kill was the story of the second period, as the Badgers killed off 1:57 of a UND two-man advantage.
Daniel Hauser stopped a Nodak breakaway in the final minute with help from a diving poke check from Aiden Dubinsky to keep Wisconsin up two.
Like a brick wall 🧱
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
📺 ESPN2 x
All the momentum is on the Badgers' side heading into the third period. If the T-Mobile Arena jumbotron is a good sample size, the North Dakota fans are getting increasingly anxious for a goal, while the Wisconsin fans seem to be feeling pretty good right about now.
Third period, up next.
❌ Wisconsin kills off the long 5-on-3
The Hawks just let their best chance slip through their hands.
North Dakota had 1:57 of a two-man advantage, but they couldn't muster a shot on goal in that time despite teeing off with five shot attempts. Four of those missed wide, and Wisconsin captain Ben Dexheimer blocked the fifth.
To make things worse, Wisconsin's .709 PK percentage is the second-worst in all of DI hockey.
👀 LONG 5-on-3 powerplay for Nodak
Wisconsin's Luke Osburn was whistled for holding to send Nodak to its X powerplay.
Three seconds into the kill, Joe Palodichuk was called for interference, giving Nodak 1:57 of 5-on-3 time.
No better chance has come yet for the Hawks to get on the board.