ST. PAUL, Minn. – The No. 3 nationally-ranked University of Denver hockey team captured its third NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship in program history on Saturday with a 4-1 victory over the No. 11-ranked Omaha Mavericks on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center.
 
Denver secures the NCHC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with the win. The Pioneers have also locked up a No. 1 seed for next week's national tournament, and they will find out their opponent and where they'll be heading for regionals during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. MT on ESPNU.
 
The Pios scored four unanswered goals to close out the conference championship game, as senior captain McKade Webster scored twice and sophomore Rieger Lorenz and freshman Miko Matikka also tallied. Matikka also added an assist to produce consecutive multi-point games.
 
Forwards Jack Devine and Jared Wright and defensemen Shai Buium, Zeev Buium and Boston Buckberger all recorded an assist.
 
Junior goaltender Matt Davis made 15 saves in the victory, as the Pioneers outshot the Mavericks 35-16. DU only allowed three shots on goal in the third period.
 
Omaha led 1-0 after the opening frame as Brock Bremer scored with 6:04 left before the intermission,  but Webster tallied twice in a matter of 3:21 early in the second stanza to give DU the only lead it needed. Matikka buried an insurance marker with 4:10 left in the third period and Lorenz sealed the game nearly two minutes later.
 
Both teams didn't capitalize on the power play, as Denver went 0-for-4 on the man advantage and Omaha finished 0-for-2.
 
The Frozen Faceoff Championship victory was Denver's third and tied Minnesota Duluth for the most in the conference. Overall, the Pioneers picked up their 18th conference tournament title as they won 15 while a member of the WCHA.
 
Webster (three goals), Matikka (three goals) and Zeev Buium (two goals, two assists) were all named to the NCHC Tournament Team for their two-game performance. Webster was recognized as Most Outstanding Player.
 
UP NEXT: Denver will be a No. 1 seed in an NCAA Regional for the national tournament, which begins with the opening round on Wednesday or Thursday at four pre-determined sites: Maryland Heights, Missouri; Providence, Rhode Island; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Springfield, Massachusetts.
 
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• DU is now on a season-best five-game winning streak.
• The Pioneers improved to 3-0 all-time in NCHC Championship Games.
• Denver is 6-1 all-time against Omaha in the NCHC Tournament and have won six games in a row.
• McKade Webster recorded his second career two-goal game (Nov. 27, 2023 vs. Yale)
• Goaltender Matt Davis extended his season-long winning streak to five games.
•  four-game winning streak, the longest such stretch of the season by a Denver goalie.
• Sam Harris (four games) and and Aidan Thompson (three games) both had their point streaks come to an end.
• Lucas Olvestad played in his 50th career game.

 
GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
13:56 UNO (0-1) – Brock Bremer knocked in the puck in the crease on a rebound after an outside shot hit the left post and got behind DU goalie Matt Davis.
 
2nd Period
1:33 DU (1-1) – Miko Matikka sent a leading pass to McKade Webster for a breakaway and Webster sent a shot that went between the goalie's pads and slowly slid across the goal line.
4:54 DU (2-1) – McKade Webster's shot from the left wall made its way through traffic and past the UNO goalie.
 
3rd Period
15:50 DU (3-1) – Miko Matikka took drop passes from Jack Devine and Zeev Buium and buried a wrister in the slot.
18:00 DU (4-1) – Rieger Lorenz knocked in the puck at the front of the crease.