LAS VEGAS — Kent Anderson scored from the slot at 7:25 of the second overtime to back Johnny Hicks' 49 saves and lead Denver to a 4-3 victory over Michigan on Thursday night in a Frozen Four semifinal and keep alive the Pioneers' hopes of winning their third national title in five years.
The Pioneers (28-11-3), the regional runner-up, advance to Saturday's championship game against Wisconsin (24-12-2), which won 2-1 over North Dakota in the other semifinal. Denver will try to extend its record to 11 titles.
“I don't score a lot of goals, so I'm at the top so far,” Anderson said. “That means everything to play in this national championship.”
Michigan (31-8-1) was hoping to make its first championship appearance since 2011 and win its first title since 1998. The Wolverines, who outshot the Pioneers 52-26, were also trying to tie Denver for the most overall championships.
They hoped to take the next step this weekend, having reached the Frozen Four for the fourth time in five years.
“It's hard for this to end,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “What these seniors have done for this program is really special. You can tell a little bit from the outside, but if you're in that room and all the conversations we had with these guys, they changed the program.”
Denver's Clarke Caswell sent the game into overtime with a goal and an assist. Kyle Chyzowski and Cale Ashcroft also scored, and Hicks, a freshman, set a career-high in saves.
Hicks, who came into this game leading the nation with a 1.12 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage, stayed after taking a nasty hit early in the third period when teammate Eric Jamieson made contact with Michigan's Malcolm Spence on a run to the net.
“He's a fighter, he doesn't flinch; he was our best player tonight,” Pioneers coach David Carle said.
Josh Eernisse, Jayden Perron and TJ Hughes each scored for Michigan, and Hughes' goal gave the Hobey Baker finalist 179 career points, the most among active players. Jack Ivankovic saved 22 shots.
The Wolverines were on the verge of advancing to the finals when Perron scored from the right point with 8:58 left in regulation. That goal came on a power play, the nation's top-ranked unit entering the game converting 31.6% of its opportunities.
Denver, however, kept its season alive when Caswell redirected a Garrett Brown shot from the goal line with 2:46 left in regulation.
Neither team scored in the first overtime, although Pioneers winger Rieger Lorenz hit the crossbar. Later, his teammate Boston Buckberger suffered a serious hemorrhage in his left hand when he was stepped on, but played despite it.
Michigan outscored Denver in the extra sessions, outshooting the Pioneers 21-8, including 13-3 in the second overtime.
“We held firm throughout the game,” Anderson said. “Our belief didn't change when we were down a point in the third.”
Wisconsin 2, North Dakota 1
In the other semifinal, Simon Tassy and Ryan Botterill scored 27 seconds apart in the first period, and Wisconsin held on to reach the Frozen Four title game for the first time since 2010.
The Badgers (24-12-2) have won six titles, the most recent 20 years ago.
“At this point in the season, [winning is] “All of that matters,” Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings said. “It doesn't have to be a Mona Lisa. You just have to find a way to make sure you live to another day, and this group has been talking about this moment for a long time.”
Wisconsin defeated North Dakota (29-10-1) for the first time in the NCAA tournament after going 0-3 against the Fighting Hawks. Wisconsin, which beat the No. 1 seed for the second straight time, had gone 1-11-2 in its previous 14 meetings with the Hawks.
“I think this time of year you should be playing your best hockey,” Wisconsin defenseman Ben Dexheimer said. “We have been slowly improving and it is pretty close to one of our best [games]. So we're going to keep moving the trajectory upward.”
North Dakota, which came within a minute of being eliminated for the first time in more than a year, has been a decade since winning its eighth national championship.
Daniel Hauser stopped 21 shots for the Badgers, including a tough glove save through traffic while sitting in a 6-on-5 with 2:05 left.
“Fortunately, I found a line of sight,” Hauser said. “I was lucky enough to get a glove on him. It was probably a boxout from one of our D-men to let me see him. It was kind of a funny play, but it occurred to me.”
Senior center Ellis Rickwood scored North Dakota's only goal on a 6-on-5, and Jan Spunar made 35 saves.
The Badgers' defense limited a North Dakota offense that entered the game third nationally in scoring (3.8 goals per game). But Wisconsin's forechecking dictated the early points and set the tone.
Wisconsin dominated the first period, taking 18 shots on goal to four. The Badgers scored when Tassy and Botterill hit the back of the net from the right circle.
Even when the Hawks had opportunities, they usually didn't take advantage, going 0 for 5 on the power play, including a 5 for 3 in the second period that lasted 1:56. Ollie Josephson also missed an opportunity in that period to score on a breakaway.
“Special teams is a very important part of the game,” North Dakota defensive back Jake Livanavage said. “We just weren't good enough. The amount of power plays we had, we really should capitalize on them.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
