LOVELAND, Colo. – The University of Denver hockey teams is heading to the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four after winning 2-1 against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the West Regional Final on Saturday afternoon at the Budweiser Events Center.
 
The Pioneers were the first team in college hockey to secure their spot and will be making their 18th appearance in the Frozen Four. DU has now made it to the final four in four of the last six seasons, having also done so in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
 
Denver has won eight national championships, tied for the second-most in the NCAA behind only Michigan (nine). The Pioneers will play the winner of Sunday's Michigan versus Quinnipiac matchup in the national semifinal on April 7 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
 
Carter Savoie scored the game-winning goal for DU on Saturday as he knocked in a loose puck in the crease with 6:16 remaining in the third period. The Pioneers took advantage of a fortunate bounce off the end wall, as Sean Behrens' shot off a Cole Guttman faceoff win caromed off both the boards and UMD goaltender Ryan Fanti before setting near the goal line for Savoie to deposit it.
 
Guttman also tallied for Denver and was voted the West Regional's Most Outstanding Player by the media.
 
The game began with tremendous pace and the Pioneers outshot the Bulldogs 10-2 in the first period. However, UMD made one of its shots count as Darian Gotz opened the scoring with a one-timer from the right point at 14:40.
 
The Duluth lead only lasted for 2:44 as Guttman took a pass from Bobby Brink and tallied far-side with a wrister to knot the game at 1-1 with 2:36 remaining in the period.
 
Guttman's goal was the first allowed by Fanti since the NCHC Quarterfinals, as the conference's goaltender of the year had posted three consecutive clean sheets and had a shutout streak of 224:41 before Guttman recorded his 19th marker of the season. Fanti finished with 32 saves on 34 shots.
 
DU goaltender Magnus Chrona was equally good on the other side of the ice as he made 24 saves, including 22 in the final 40 minutes of play.
 
The Pioneers killed off all four UMD power plays in the game—with three coming in the middle period—including 48 seconds of a 5-on-3 midway through the second. Denver has now killed 20 consecutive penalties, a new season high.
 
Denver was the No. 1 seed on this side of the bracket while Minnesota Duluth was No. 2 and came in with momentum after winning the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Tournament a week ago. The teams had met just eight days prior as UMD defeated DU 2-0 in the conference semifinals on March 26.
 
The Pioneers finished 3-3-0 on the season against the Bulldogs, with both teams winning once each at home, on the road and at a neutral site. DU is now a 3-0 all-time versus UMD in the national tournament, as it also posted wins in the 2004 Frozen Four and 2017 National Championship Game.
 
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• Denver had made the Frozen Four in each of its last two appearances in the national tournament.
• Denver will be playing in its fifth Frozen Four in Boston and sixth in the greater Boston area (1960, 1972, 1973, 2004; 1963 in Chestnut Hill).
• DU is now 10-2 all-time in national tournament games in the state of Colorado.
• The Pioneers have killed off 20-of-21 penalties in the postseason.
• Denver's two shots allowed in the first period tied a season best, as the team also kept Miami to two shots on goal in the third period on Jan. 28 in Oxford.
• Carter Savoie tallied his team-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season.
• Bobby Brink had an assist and now has 56 points and 42 helpers on the season, still the most in the country in both categories.
• Sean Behrens, Cole Guttman and Carter Savoie were named the NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team, and Guttman earned Most Outstanding Player honors.

 
GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
5:19 UMD (0-1) – Darian Gotz's snap shot from the right point got through traffic and hit the back of the net.
2:36 DU (1-1) – Bobby Brink won the puck on a forecheck and passed it to the mid-slot for Cole Guttman, who buried a wrist shot.
 
2nd Period
No Scoring
 
3rd Period
13:44 DU (2-1) – Cole Guttman won a faceoff to Sean Behrens, who shot the puck wide and off the end boards. It then caromed off the UMD goaltender and was near the goal line, where Carter Savoie was able to get enough of his stick on it to put it in.

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