Denver’s 2026 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship: Final Seconds and Celebration
- The University of Denver captured the 2026 DI men's ice hockey national championship on April 11, 2026, defeating Wisconsin with a 2-1 victory.
- Denver entered the final period trailing 1-0 after Wisconsin's Vasily Zelenov scored the opening goal in the first period.
- Less than four minutes after the equalizer, freshman Kyle Chyzowski scored the go-ahead goal by redirecting a shot from Boston Buckberger.
The University of Denver captured the 2026 DI men’s ice hockey national championship on April 11, 2026, defeating Wisconsin with a 2-1 victory. The championship game, held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, concluded with a third-period comeback that secured Denver’s 11th national title in program history.
Denver entered the final period trailing 1-0 after Wisconsin’s Vasily Zelenov scored the opening goal in the first period. The Pioneers erased the deficit at the 7:31 mark of the third period when Rieger Lorenz scored to tie the game against Wisconsin goaltender Daniel Hauser.
Less than four minutes after the equalizer, freshman Kyle Chyzowski scored the go-ahead goal by redirecting a shot from Boston Buckberger. This goal provided the eventual winning margin, as Denver held onto the lead for the remainder of the game.
Key Performances and Honors
Freshman goaltender Johnny Hicks was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Frozen Four. Hicks recorded 29 saves on 30 shot attempts during the championship game, including two critical saves late in the match.
Throughout the Frozen Four tournament, Hicks recorded a total of 78 saves. His performance in the final improved his season record to 16-0-1.
Denver defenseman Kent Anderson
We had a terrible start,The guys stuck with it. They believed in each other, and you can’t do that (winning a national championship) without loving these guys.
Coach David Carle has led the Pioneers to three national titles in the last five years, including the 2024 championship where Denver defeated Boston College 2-0 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Denver coach David Carle
We weathered it well.
Road to the Championship
Denver’s path to the 2026 title began with the regional semifinals on March 27, where they defeated Cornell 5-0. They advanced to the regional finals on March 29, beating No. 4 Western Michigan 6-2.
In the Frozen Four semifinals on April 9, Denver faced No. 1 Michigan. The Pioneers won that matchup 4-3 in double overtime to earn their place in the championship game against Wisconsin.
Wisconsin reached the final after a series of victories, including a 5-1 win over Dartmouth on March 26 and a 4-3 overtime victory against No. 3 Michigan State in the regional finals on March 28. In the semifinals on April 9, the Badgers defeated No. 2 North Dakota 2-1.
Historical Context and Standings
With this victory, Denver extends its record as the program with the most national championships in DI men’s hockey history, totaling 10 titles prior to the 2026 win, now bringing the total to 11.
The 2026 championship follows a period of high competitiveness in the tournament. Western Michigan entered the 2026 season as the defending champion after defeating Boston University 6-2 in the 2025 final held in St. Louis.
- 2026 Champion: Denver (2-1 vs. Wisconsin)
- 2025 Champion: Western Michigan (6-2 vs. Boston University)
- 2024 Champion: Denver (2-0 vs. Boston College)
- 2023 Champion: Quinnipiac (3-2 OT vs. Minnesota)