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Western Michigan is one win away from its first NCAA men’s ice hockey championship.
To earn the first national title in any sport for the Kalamazoo school in 60 years, the Broncos must go through long-time Eastern power Boston University in the championship game Saturday night in St. Louis.
Fourth-seeded Western Michigan (33-7-1) got to this point with a 3-2 double-overtime win over 2024 national champion Denver on Thursday. Owen Michaels potted the game-winner 26 seconds into the fifth period, slotting a wrister just under the crossbar for his second goal of the day.
Do the Broncos have enough left in the tank to stop the Terriers (24-13-2), who eliminated Penn State 3-1 in Thursday night’s late semifinal?
“We’re going to focus on being the best version of the Broncos we can be and not worry about outcomes until after the game,” coach Pat Ferschweiler said.
Aside from coughing up a 2-0 third-period lead, Western Michigan mostly controlled play. It outshot Denver 47-22.
BU made its 2-0 advantage stick, even as Penn State poured 18 shots at Mikhail Yegorov in the third period. Yegorov stopped 17 of those (making 32 saves in all), and the Terriers cinched victory via an empty-net tally in the final minute.
BU is in its 25th Frozen Four but hasn’t played for a national championship since 2015, when Jack Eichel was its star, and hasn’t won one since 2009. The Terriers are vying for their sixth title.
Terriers coach Jay Pandolfo, who won a national title as a player at BU, said the Broncos present challenges with a physical blue line and what he termed a heavy style of play.
“They put pucks behind you,” Pandolfo said. “They play above the puck. They do a great job.”
The Broncos haven’t lost since March 1, racking up 40 goals on a nine-game winning streak. Alex Bump is the team leader in goals (23) and points (47), but he has yet to score this tournament.
Cole Eiserman has 24 goals to pace the Terriers and Quinn Hutson has 23 goals with 27 assists.
Next up for WMU: Terriers
Matchup: 1-seed Western Michigan (33-7-1) vs. 2-seed Boston University (24-13-2), NCAA tournament Frozen Four national championship.
Faceoff: 7:30 p.m. Saturday; Enterprise Center, St. Louis.
TV: ESPN2.
At stake: The Broncos are going for the first NCAA championship in program history; the Terriers are seeking their sixth NCAA title, but first since 2009.
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