LAS VEGAS — Denver has thrived in the uncomfortable, refusing to panic even when the opponent dominates the game.
Much of that is due to the rookie in the Pioneers' net.
No goalie has been better than Johnny Hicks, and he is the main reason Denver is once again the best team in college hockey.
Kyle Chyzowski scored a shot from the point with 5:52 left to back up another sensational performance from Hicks and lead Denver to a 2-1 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday for the Pioneers' third national championship in five years.
The victory extended the Pioneers' record to 11 national titles overall and denied the Badgers their seventh championship and first since 2006.
“I'm so happy I was able to make it with this group,” Hicks said, fighting back tears. “We've been through a lot of adversity and I'm very proud of this group.”
This was a rare loss for a Big Ten team in a championship game this academic year. The conference already hosts the reigning champions in football (Indiana), men's basketball (Michigan) and women's basketball (UCLA).
But the National Collegiate Hockey Conference remains the sport's premier league, winning eight of the last 10 national champions. It doesn't have the glamor of the Big Ten or the resources that come with being on football's national stage, but Denver coach David Carle said the collective effort to try to achieve greatness in hockey shows what can be accomplished.
“I think we're proof of concept that it's still possible,” Carle said. “Do we have advantages over other places? I'm not sitting here crying because we don't have things. But we are a small institution. However, we are very committed to our hockey program and making it a great experience for our student-athletes, our fans and our alumni.
“You don't have to be great at hockey to be good. You have to invest, care and have the right people to do great things. In college athletics, I think a place like Denver should really be celebrated.”
Hicks continued his stellar play by making 29 saves, just two days after reaching a career-high 49 against Michigan. He did not lose in regulation time since taking over as a starter, going 16-0-1. Hicks entered this game leading the nation with a 1.20 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage.
“Johnny Hicks is unbelievable,” Denver captain Kent Anderson said. “He's undefeated. We couldn't have done any of this without him. Tonight, our group stood strong, they believed in each other. Hickey was there for us every step of the way. He kept us there. He just waited for us to score. In the end, we did.”
Hicks was named Most Outstanding Player after also receiving that honor in the conference and regional tournaments in Denver.
“I was just playing on instinct,” Hicks said.
Rieger Lorenz scored Denver's other goal.
Wisconsin's goal came from Vasily Zelenov and Daniel Hauser stopped 13 shots.
Zelenov's shot from the left circle with 6:24 left in the first period put Wisconsin up 1-0, a lead that held until 7:31 of the third.
The second goal never came, and not just because of Hicks. Denver didn't provide many clean looks and ended up blocking 31 shots.
“In my opinion, we needed to get to two,” Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings said. “We just couldn't do that.”
That's when Kristian Epperson passed to defenseman Garrett Brown at the left point. His shot resulted in a rebound opportunity for Lorenz, who easily scored around Hauser and into the open net.
Then it was a matter of finishing the job, which is what happened when the Boston Buckberger launched a one-timer from the right spot that likely would have gone into the net even if Chyzowski hadn't gotten a stick into the puck.
Denver didn't have a shot on goal for the first 8½ minutes and finished the first period with just two for the fifth time in a title game. The Pioneers also had two shots on goal in one period in 1963 against North Dakota. Minnesota was the most recent team to have so few shots, which happened three years ago against Quinnipiac.
The Pioneers managed just three shots on goal in the second period against Wisconsin's control; the Badgers outshot them 21-5 in two periods.
It had a similar feel to Denver's 4-3 double-overtime victory over Michigan in Thursday night's semifinals. The Wolverines outshot Denver 52-26, but the Pioneers found a way to force overtime and win in overtime.
Wisconsin hoped to match its women's team for the championship victory. For two periods, the Badgers seemed to be on track and were clearly the better team.
Not so much in the third.
“Kind of shock right now,” Wisconsin defenseman Ben Dexheimer said. “I will definitely settle here in the next few days.”
