SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Tristan Broz scored at 12:27 of the second overtime to send Denver to the NCAA regional championship game with a 2-1 win over host Massachusetts on Thursday from the Mass Mutual Center.
Denver (29-10-3), in search of its first trip to the Frozen Four since 2022 (when it won the NCAA championship), will face either Cornell or Maine in Saturday’s regional final.
After a scoreless first period, Denver opened the scoring when Boston Buckberger sent a rocket from the left face-off circle past UMass goalie Michael Hrabal at 5:12 of the second. Trystan Lemyre fed Buckberger with a nifty no-look backhand from high in the slot to set up the freshman Buckberger’s first NCAA tournament goal.
UMass got that goal back later in the frame when Liam Gorman poked home a loose puck from short range past Denver netminder Matt Davis for Gorman’s first career goal at 12:52. The third period was devoid of scoring.
It was a surprisingly low-scoring affair between two teams known for scoring. Denver went into the afternoon as the top team in the nation in average goals per game with 4.85. Massachusetts had averaged just under three goals per contest, fourth in Hockey East.
Only three penalties were called in regulation — two against UMass and one against the Pioneers.
Hrabal finished with 38 saves, while Halyk made 47. UMass held a 28-24 advantage in shots during regulation and a 34-32 edge after the first overtime.
UMass saw its season end at 20-14-3. In an ironic twist, the Minutemen only qualified for the NCAA tournament when Denver beat Omaha 4-1 in the NCHC championship game last week.
This story will be updated.
