Pioneers claim NCAA Men’s Hockey Championship Title
This past Saturday the University of Denver Pioneers made history by taking down the Boston College Eagles 2-0 to take home their tenth national title, setting the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) record. The Pioneers were previously tied with the University of Michigan for the college men’s hockey record with nine championships.
Ranked number three in the nation, the University of Denver Pioneers have depth unlike any other team. With names like right-wing Jack Devine, goaltender Matt Davis, and defenseman brothers Zeev and Shai Buium, it’s not hard to see where the Pioneers' success originates. Devine led Denver in scoring and is ranked fourth in the nation with 27 goals; he was named a finalist for the NCHC Player of the Year and NCHC Forward of the Year, an All-NCHC First Team honoree, and an AHCA West First Team All-American. He was also named a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
Entering the game against the Eagles, Davis sported an impressive .972 save percentage and stopped 104 out of 107 shots in Denver's previous three tournament wins. The Buium brothers, on the other hand, are bound to be the next Hughes, Sedins, and Tkachuks of the NHL. Zeev led all defensemen in scoring, and Shai tallied 36 points in 43 games for Denver this season.
The number one-ranked Boston College’s roster included standouts like freshman line Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, and Gabe Perreault, as well as sophomore forward Cutter Gauthier and freshman goaltender Jacob Fowler. The Eagles' all-freshman line had been all anyone could talk about over the season, and it was well deserved. Between the three, they recorded 91 goals and 191 points, accounting for half of Boston College’s scoring. Fowler held a 2.20 goals-against average and ranked third among freshmen with at least ten games played; alongside his .924 save percentage, he is undoubtedly one of the most impactful freshman goalies to come across college hockey. Gauthier led the nation with 37 goals in 39 games and was recently named College Hockey News Player of the Year, proving himself to be a vital and key player in Boston College’s offensive game. Unlike their usual selves, however, the Boston College offense went quiet throughout the championship game, ultimately leading to their demise.
The Eagles earned several high-stake scoring chances earlier in the matchup, but it was Denver that struck first, with sophomore forward Jared Wright breaking the game open in the second period with a shot off the post and in. Denver sophomore forward Rieger Lorenz recorded his second point of the night after his assist on Wright’s goal, with a stellar pass from freshman defenseman Zeev Buium to give the Pioneers some insurance going into the third period. Buium used the tournament to showcase why he will be a top-10 pick in the 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft.
Goaltender Matt Davis made 34 saves to earn the shutout for the Pioneers and Most Outstanding Player at the 2024 NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey tournament. Forward Ryan Leonard led Boston College with eight shots and contributed to the highlight of the game with Davis’ highlight-worthy save on Leonard’s almost “open net” shot. Leonard said to ESPN, “I felt like we were the best team today, and we got beat by a goalie." While both Boston College and the University of Denver boasted great offenses this season and credited much of their teams’ success to such, it is apparent that Matt Davis was the reason for the Pioneers coming out with the national title.