DU advances to national title game by surviving heavyweight bout

Like Hagler-Hearns or Leonard-Duran before them, Denver (DU) and Michigan delivered a knock-down, drag out, double-overtime instant classic in Las Vegas on Thursday night.

Four hours and four minutes after the first drop of the puck, Pioneers captain Kent Anderson scored the game winner at the 12;35 of the second overtime, sending DU to a 4-3 victory and the program’s 14 championship game appearance.

“We just stuck with it. When we were down one in the third we didn’t change anything, we just stuck with it.“ said Anderson after the game. It was just the second goal of the season for the senior.

“I don’t score many goals, so this is ranking up top so far,” he added.

For the third time in five seasons, the University of Denver will skate for the national championship. Head coach David Carle is 2-0 in title games at DU.

“Our guys found a way to win a game. It took everybody and I’m really proud of our group to get an opportunity to play on Saturday,” said Carle.

Freshman sensation goaltender Johnny Hicks made an incredible 49 saves against the top-seeded Wolverines. And four different Pioneers scored goals in the win.

“Obviously, he was our best player tonight. He made a lot of great saves and saves he wasn’t supposed to,” said Carle of his netminder.

Denver got on the board first when Kieren Cebrian got his stick in the passing lane to force a turnover in the Michigan zone and Kyle Chyzowski one-timed a feed from Brenden Morrow by Michigan goaltender Jack Ivankovic for 1-0 lead at 9:29 in the first period.

Michigan struck back at the 16:18 mark of the first when Josh Eernisse beat Johnny Hicks from the right dot to tie at one, then took their first lead 59 seconds later when T.J. Hughes found Hicks lost on a rebound with a wide open net to Hicks glove side to make it 2-1 Wolverines.

DU wasted little time in the second period when Cale Ashcroft’s third goal of the season knotted it up at 2-2 with a blast from the point at the 2:30 mark.

Tied entering the third, a Wolverines rush saw Malcolm Spence crashing into Hicks, sending him to the ice and dislodging the net. Hicks was down for nearly two minutes, but no penalty was called on the play. The physical play continued when Michigan’s Garrett Schifsky took a dangerous run at Denver’s Eric Jamieson and drew 2:00 for boarding at 5:04 of the third.

Michigan’s aggressive penalty kill again held Denver to just one shot on the power play, where the Pioneers were 0-for-5 on the night. At the 10:00 mark both teams took the physicality up another notch and Denver’s Jamieson was called for cross-checking at 10:14 giving Michigan their first power play of the game.

The Wolverines wasted no time in cashing in on a blast from Jayden Perron beating Hicks high glove side at the 11:02 mark. Hicks hung tough after the huge momentum swing, keeping Denver alive for Clarke Caswell to tie the game with a deflection of a blast by Garrett Brown at 3-3 at the 17:14 mark. Each team had one more strong rush denied before the end of regulation, sending the game to overtime.

DU was quick to the puck in the first minute forcing an early Michigan timeout. The break worked as the Wolverines immediately tilted the ice in their favor. At the 4:25 mark of OT, Hicks kept DU alive with a kick-save and a quick recovery to knock down a short rebound chance for the Wolverines in the crease, making his 30th and 31st saves of the night.

Whistles were swallowed in both OTs and each team continued to deliver haymakers on and off the puck. The double overtime win was the fifth-consecutive Pioneers national semifinal to go to overtime.

Denver denies Michigan the chance to tie them atop the NCAA record books with a 10th national championship. Instead, the Pioneers go for No. 11 at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon.

DU faces off with former WCHA rival Wisconsin, who scored two first period goals in a 27-second span and held on to beat North Dakota 2-1 in Thursday’s other semifinal.

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