Western Michigan topples Boston University for its first Frozen Four win
Photo courtesy of Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons
This past weekend in St. Louis, the Western Michigan Broncos won their first Frozen Four title in franchise history with a 6-2 win over Boston University. The Broncos were the only top-four seed to advance to the 2025 Frozen Four, and this championship win is Western Michigan’s first national title in any sport since the men’s cross country team won back in 1965.
Excluding the initial National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament in 1948, Western Michigan is the fourth team to win the national title in its Frozen Four debut, the first since Lake Superior State in 1988.
Before Pat Ferschweiler took over as head coach four seasons ago, Western Michigan had made just six NCAA appearances since joining Division I hockey in the 1975-76 season, and had not won a single game. Since Ferschweiler’s arrival, the Broncos have reached the tournament four years in a row and capped the season with a championship win.
Western Michigan’s scoring depth was unbelievable in this tournament, specifically in this championship game. None of their top seven scorers tallied goals in the game as they built up a 3-1 lead. Senior forward Wyatt Schingoethe scored his fifth goal of the season, sophomore defenseman Cole Crusberg-Roseen scored his third in the first period, and freshman forward Ty Henricks scored his eighth goal in the second period to score 3-1.
Western Michigan’s sophomore forward Owen Michaels had the best showing in the tournament by far. Michaels, who tallied two goals against Boston University, had set himself apart over the three-day stretch of games. He was named Frozen Four’s outstanding player after scoring four times, including one 26 seconds into double overtime in a 3-2 win over the defending champions, the University of Denver, in the semifinals. On the defensive end, Broncos freshman goaltender Hampton Slukynsky stopped 24 shots on goal, as they closed their winningest season.
When asked about Michael’s performance after the game, Ferschweiler said, “We knew he had offense in him… We also know he’s a warrior. He’s a future captain of this program, no doubt about it. And the funny thing about warriors is they always show up at the biggest moments.”
Boston University did not give the win easily, with freshman forward Cole Eiserman and sophomore forward Shane Lachance both scoring for the Terriers. Freshman goaltender Mikhail Yegorov stopped 22 of Western Michigan’s shots on goal. The Terriers were seeking their first Frozen Four title since 2009 and came up short yet again, making their third consecutive Frozen Four appearance. Their previous two ended with semifinal losses.
Going into the tournament, Boston University seemed the obvious choice to win. This showing marked their twelfth championship game appearance, tied for the third most overall. The offensive output of this team is insane. Brothers freshman forward Cole Hutson and junior forward Quinn Hutson are the Terriers' top scorers, Quinn with 50 and Cole with 47 total points this season. Cole Hutson also carried the title of points leader in the tournament; however, both brothers did not score in the championship game.
With the win, Western Michigan secured its first national title and marked a turning point for the program. The Broncos’ rise has been steady and earned as they’ve grown from a team that had never won an NCAA tournament game to national champions in just four years under the coaching of Pat Ferschweiler. With a strong core of underclassmen leading the way, this year’s success may be more of a beginning than a one-time milestone!