ST. PAUL, Minn. — Let’s look at these five numbers from Denver’s 2-0 victory over Boston College in Saturday’s national championship game.
Only 6 penalties taken all tournament
When you’re able to play disciplined hockey, it’s easy to maintain the edge over your opponent and keep playing your style. After taking only three penalties in all of the Springfield Regional, Denver went penalty-free on Thursday and took just two on Saturday, but killed off every one of them for a perfect penalty kill in the NCAA tournament.
2 is all they needed
The nation’s most potent offense at 4.65 goals per game entering Saturday was held to two goals per game in the NCAA tournament. Before the new year began, that kind of scoring output likely would not have been enough for the Pioneers to win.
But thanks to an incredible defensive effort, they won the title by giving up only three goals in the tournament and just one in the Frozen Four. While the defense stepped it up at the right time, goaltender Matt Davis got a lot of credit as Frozen Four most outstanding player.
Speaking of Davis … 139 saves is something else
Of the 142 shots Davis faced in the NCAA tournament, only three got past him, good for a .979 save percentage. And of the 68 shots he faced in the Frozen Four, only one got past him, and none did on Saturday as he made 35 saves.
Goaltending seemed to make the biggest difference in the 2024 Frozen Four; there were some spectacular saves made by the netminders.
2 shutouts in the Frozen Four is a record
The 2024 Men’s Frozen Four was the first with two shutouts.
Davis and Boston College’s Jacob Fowler were the two best goalies in the field, but Davis had some truly spectacular saves, especially against BC late Saturday when the Eagles were making their final push.
10 championships is a record
The Pioneers’ victory over the Eagles clinched them their 10th championship, breaking a tie with Michigan for the most all-time.
Denver figured things out at the right time to finish the season on a nine-game winning streak and with wins in 12 of its final 13 games.
