It’ll be new kids on the block vs. one of the sport’s most storied programs in the 2025 Frozen Four national championship game Saturday when Western Michigan faces off with Boston University.
To set up that matchup, Western Michigan, making its first Frozen Four appearance, beat reigning champion Denver in an instant classic, 3-2, in double overtime in the first game of the doubleheader on Thursday night in St. Louis. For WMU, Owen Michaels scored the game-winner, his second goal of the game. It was the Broncos’ second double-overtime win this tournament and the first double-overtime game in the Frozen Four since 1996.
The Broncos took the lead in the second period off a power play goal from Brian Kramer, just his second goal all season. Eight minutes later, Michaels doubled the lead, taking immediate advantage of a Denver turnover in its own defensive zone.
The lead could have been much more had it not been for some Matt Davis heroics in the Denver net, and his good work paid off. Aidan Thompson followed up his own blocked shot with a goal with about 13 minutes left, and with under two minutes left in regulation, Rieger Lorenz poked one in amid a scrum in front of the net to send the game to overtime.
In the nightcap, Boston University handled upstart Penn State, 3-1. The Nittany Lions, like Western Michigan, were making their Frozen Four debut, but theirs went very differently, After a scoreless first period, Jack Hughes stuffed a loose puck home early in the second period, and Cole Eiserman scored on an odd-man rush nine minutes later. Nicholas DeGraves got the Nittany Lions on the board in the third, but Jack Harvey’s empty-netter put the game away
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The Terriers will seek their sixth national title — and their first since 2009 — Saturday night.
It will be the fifth time Western Michigan and Boston University have met, and the Terriers have won all four previous meetings. Should the Terriers continue that tradition, their sixth national title would tie them with Wisconsin for fourth-most all-time. They would also pass Michigan for most Frozen Four wins all-time (26).
Western Michigan is led by 2022 Philadelphia Flyers fifth-round pick Alex Bump, who leads the team in points (47) and goals (23).
As for Boston, forward Quinn Hutson averages 1.35 points-per-game (second-most in Division I), while 2024 Washington Capitals second-round pick Cole Hutson averages 0.87 assists-per-game (third-most in Division I). Both Cole and Quinn Hutson are brothers of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson.
Where to watch the 2025 Frozen Four
Saturday, April 12
|
Time (ET) |
Game |
TV / Stream |
|
7 p.m. |
Boston University vs. Western Michigan |
ESPN2 / fubo (try for free) |
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