Western Michigan has booked a ticket to the Frozen Four final for the first time in program history.
Sophomore forward Owen Michaels delivered the heroics early into the second overtime period, beating Matt Davis with a wrist shot over his right shoulder.
THE BRONCOS ARE HEADED TO THE #MFrozenFour CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) April 11, 2025
Owen Michaels with the OT winner!#MFrozenFour x 🎥 ESPN2 / @WMUHockey pic.twitter.com/eMzvYkuuWB
The goal was Michaels's second of the game, and was without a doubt the biggest goal he's scored in his collegiate career.
It was the first time since 1996 that a men's Frozen Four game went to double overtime, and just the fifth time in NCAA tournament history that a Frozen Four game needed multiple overtime periods to determine a winner.
Denver University staged a stunning third-period comeback after trailing 2–0 and struggling to get many good looks on goal throughout much of the game. Denver evened up the score with less than three minutes remaining in regulation after Jared Wright snuck a puck past Hampton Slukynsky.
Despite that late run, Western Michigan had the upper-hand in the first overtime, and they wasted no time in double overtime to settle the score with a quick goal from Michaels.
Next up for the Broncos is the championship game, where they'll face the winner of Penn State and Boston University.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Western Michigan Books First Trip to Frozen Four Final After Double OT Win vs. Denver.
