Pios advance in OT thriller
ST. PAUL, MINN. >> One more for a perfect 10.
Tristan Broz scored with 8:51 remaining in overtime to help the University of Denver shrug off a slow start and defeat Boston University, 2-1, in the first semifinal of the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four at Xcel Energy Center. The Pioneers will play Saturday against the winner of Boston College-michigan in the championship game with a chance to claim an Ncaa-best 10th title.
Broz, who was born in Bloomington, Minn., and went to high school in Minneapolis, snapped a wrist shot along the ice on a 3-on-2 rush to set off the celebrations on the ice as the third-seeded Pioneers knocked off the second-seeded Terriers in a thriller.
“Really proud of our guys’ effort and resilience,” DU coach David Carle said. “We’re staring 10 in the mirror on Saturday. Really excited for that opportunity.”
This was the third consecutive 2-1 victory for the Pioneers, who entered the Frozen Four with an Ncaa-leading 198 goals this season. BU dictated terms for the first 35 minutes of this game, but just as he has been throughout the postseason, DU goalie Matt Davis was rock solid until his teammates were able to find their way.
When Broz shot his team into the championship game, he skated nearly the length of the ice to jump into his goaltender’s arms.
“He’s been unbelievable. He showed up big for us,” DU junior forward Massimo Rizzo said. “We’re super proud of him.”
Tristan Lemyre began the game as DU’S 13th forward, but the sophomore scored the biggest goal of his college career to get the Pioneers even late in the second period. BU’S Lane Hutson, one of the best defensemen in NCAA hockey and a top NHL prospect for the Montreal Canadiens, made an ill-advised pass attempt along the boards behind his net. Pios freshman Miko Matikka intercepted it and fed Lemyre as he cut to the net with 4:39 left in the middle period.
It was Lemyre’s second goal of the season in 26 games played. He had four goals as a freshman, including tallies in back-toback NCHC playoff games against Miami (Ohio), but this was a different kind of stage.
“He’s been a big part of why we went 12-1-1 without Rizzo in the lineup,” Carle said. “He’s been really good for us. He’s fighting through an injury of his own, putting his body on the line for the guys. Really, really happy for him that he was able to get rewarded.
“He’s a total team-first guy.”
Before Lemyre’s goal, finding any sort of offensive momentum was a struggle for the Pioneers. They had just three shots in the opening period and six through the first half of the game. Whether it was a staunch defensive effort by the Terriers on one shift or self-inflicted errors on the next, DU had issues transitioning from defense to offense. Then when the puck made its way into the offensive zone, the Pioneers found very few quality chances before Lemyre’s big moment.
The Pioneers’ goal did seem to help DU find its collective footing. Denver controlled the final five minutes of the second and nearly took the lead were it not for a remarkable save from BU goalie Mathieu Caron after Aidan Thompson thought he had deked his way to a goal.
Caron made a similar save on Jack Devine in the final minute of regulation while the Pioneers were on a power play.
“He was unbelievable,” BU defenseman Case Mccarthy said of his goaltender. “He’ll probably be on ‘Sportscenter’ a couple times tonight. … I can’t say enough good things about him.”