Western Michigan wins in 2OT, gets Boston U. in Frozen Four final - ESPN

ST. LOUIS — Owen Michaels scored his second goal 26 seconds into the second overtime and Western Michigan beat defending champion Denver 3-2 on Thursday night to advance to its first Frozen Four title game.

Brian Kramer also scored, and freshman Hampton Slukynsky stopped 20 shots for a veteran-laden Western Michigan team making its Frozen Four debut in its 10th NCAA tournament appearance. The Broncos (33-7-1) set a single-season record for victories, extended their winning streak to nine and won after blowing a 2-0 third-period lead.

Western Michigan moves on to Saturday night's championship game against Boston University, which advanced to its first Frozen Four final in 10 years with a 3-1 win over Penn State in the other semifinal.

Michaels' deciding goal came on a rush into the Denver zone with Matteo Costantini driving up the right wing and sweeping the puck into the middle. Michaels took the pass and roofed a shot over the right shoulder of goalie Matt Davis.

«Blacked out a little,» said Michaels, a sophomore from Northville, Michigan. «It was kind of a little bit of a broken play, just saw the puck squirt out to me. I was in the middle of the ice and had some open time and space and figured I'd put it on net. And pretty happy it went in.»

Jared Wright, with the tying goal with 2:39 left in regulation, and Aidan Thompson scored goals, and Davis had 44 saves for Denver (31-12-1). The Pioneers, who have won a tournament-leading 10 titles and two in the previous three years, failed in their bid to become the NCAA's ninth team to repeat as champion, and first since Minnesota-Duluth in 2018 and 2019.

Pioneers defenseman and Hobey Baker Award finalist Zeev Buium was focused more on how his season ended with a loss than on