The national title game is set. It will be Denver against Boston College on Saturday night in St. Paul, Minn., for the 2024 NCAA Division I men's hockey championship, after both teams won national semifinal contests today at the Xcel Energy Center.
In the opening game this afternoon, Tristan Broz scored just over 11 minutes into overtime to lift Denver to a 2-1 win over Boston University. Luke Tuch opened the scoring for BU (28-10-2 overall) with a shorthanded goal in the first period, before Tristan Lemyre tied it for DU in the second. BU outshot DU, 34-29, overall, even though the Terriers did not receive any power plays. Matt Davis made 33 saves in net for the Pioneers (31-9-3), while Mathieu Caron finished with 27 stops for the Terriers.
In the nightcap, Will Smith opened the scoring just over a minute into the opening stanza as top-ranked Boston College blanked Michigan, 4-0. The Eagles (34-5-1), who set a school record for most victories in a single season with tonight's win, broke the game open with goals 49 seconds apart in the second period from Smith and Cutter Gauthier (NCAA-high 38th goal of the year) while the two teams were skating 4-on-4.
Gabe Perreault, who also assisted on both of Smith's goals, closed out the scoring early in the third period with an unassisted tally for the Eagles. Jacob Fowler stopped all 32 shots he faced in earning his third shutout of the season for BC, which was outshot by a 32-22 margin. Jake Barczewski had 18 stops for the Wolverines (23-15-3), who were making their third consecutive trip to the Frozen Four, and who were shut out for the first time in a Frozen Four appearance.
BC and DU will now meet for the national title on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, ESPN2). It will be a rematch of a game from October at BC, where the Pioneers edged the Eagles, 4-3. DU is seeking its record 10th NCAA men's hockey title all-time, and second in three years, while BC is after its sixth national championship ever, and first since 2012.
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