The Denver Pioneers exacted revenge on the Western Michigan Broncos to secure another trip to the Frozen Four.
The second-seeded Pioneers, playing under an hour from campus, defeated the top-seeded Western Michigan Broncos 6-2 on Sunday in the Loveland, Colo. regional final of the NCAA men's hockey tournament.
Western Michigan beat Denver in double overtime in last year's Frozen Four semifinal en route to the national title. But Denver beat Western Michigan in this year's NCHC semifinals before winning the conference title and then topped the Broncos again on Sunday.
The Pioneers have won 11 games in a row.
Denver is going to the Frozen Four for the third time in a row and fourth time in five years, having won championships in 2022 and '24. The team has won an NCAA-best 10 national titles.
Pioneers freshman goalie Johnny Hicks improved to 14-0-1 with a 26-save performance. The native of Kamloops, B.C. took over the starting job at mid-season.
Sam Harris (Montreal Canadiens pick), Kyle Chyzowski, Samu Salminen (New Jersey Devils), Brendan McMorrow, Kieran Cebrian and Eric Pohlkamp (San Jose Sharks) scored for Denver.
Zach Bookman and Theo Wallberg (Ottawa Senators) replied for Western Michigan.
Denver will play the winner of Sunday's Albany, N.Y. regional final between Michigan and Minnesota Duluth in the Frozen Four on April 9 in Las Vegas.
Wisconsin meets North Dakota in the other Frozen Four semifinal.
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