DENVER – Freshman Kristian Epperson scored early in the second overtime to lift second-seeded and No. 4 ranked Denver to the 2026 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship Saturday night at Magness Arena in front of a raucous, sold-out crowd. The Pioneers clipped fourth-seeded and No. 6 ranked Minnesota Duluth, 4-3, on home ice to capture its fourth NCHC Tournament title – the most of any team in the National.
 
Denver (25-11-3) flipped the script from a year ago when the Pioneers lost the Frozen Faceoff final in double overtime to Western Michigan. In both Championship Games, DU jumped out to 3-0 leads, only to see them evaporate. However on Saturday, Denver came out victorious and was able to lift the National Cup in front of its home fans. In doing so, DU stretched its unbeaten streak to 13 games and winning streak to nine games.
 
The Pioneers, who were playing in their third straight NCHC Championship Game, last won the Frozen Faceoff in 2024, while also being crowned NCHC Tournament champions in 2018 and in 2014, the first year of the conference. DU has now been part of two of the three NCHC Frozen Faceoff title games to need overtime, with UMD winning the other in 2019, and all three were decided in double overtime.
 
DU goaltender Johnny Hicks was named Most Outstanding Player of the Frozen Faceoff after compiling 41 saves in the contest to stay unbeaten on the season (12-0-1). The freshman made 14 saves in the second period as the Bulldogs (23-14-1) rallied to tie the contest and grew stronger as the game went on, denying all 14 UMD shots in the first overtime, as Denver was doubled up in shots, 14-7, in the first extra session.
 
The Pioneers wasted little time jumping in front in the opening period with an electric crowd behind them. Senior Samu Salminen stole the puck behind the net and quickly centered to classmate Rieger Lorenz, who snapped a wrister into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead only 3:33 into the game. It was Lorenz’s 15th goal of the year and extended his point streak to 11 games. He was named to the All-Tournament Team with Hicks.
 
DU doubled the lead only 3:04 later on a double deflection as junior defenseman Cale Ashcroft’s shot hit a Bulldog defenseman and freshman Clarke Caswell before ricocheting into the net for a 2-0 Denver lead. Junior defenseman Boston Buckberger made it 3-0 Denver with just under seven minutes left in the opening period with a wicked wrist shot from the high slot. It was Buckberger’s 10th tally of the season and helped earn him a spot on the All-Tournament Team, as well.
 
The tide started to turn late in the first frame, however. The Bulldogs broke through with 1:20 left in the opening period when sophomore forward and NCHC Player of the Year Max Plante scored his NCHC-leading 24th goal of the season. His brother and classmate, Zam Plante, fired the initial shot, which was saved by Hicks, but Max poked in the rebound on the opposite side. The Plante brothers were the lone Bulldogs on the Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team, after Zam scored four goals, including both OT winners, in the quarterfinal round, while Max tallied in last Saturday’s semifinal win, as well.
 
With UMD trailing by two after 20 minutes, the Bulldogs came out firing in the second stanza. Freshman defenseman Grayden Siepmann cut the deficit to one 4:19 in the middle period with a power play goal. He snapped a wrister from the left circle for his sixth goal of the year with assists coming from senior Scout Truman and freshman Hunter Anderson.
 
Minnesota Duluth then erased the deficit entirely late in the second period when Anderson buried a power play goal of his own from the right circle. Senior forward Kyle Gaffney found Anderson alone with a cross-ice pass for a one-timer to knot the game at 3-3 with less than two minutes left in the second period.
 
UMD outshot Denver, 16-4, in the second period and went into the locker room tied at 3-3.
 
That’s how the score would remain until Epperson’s heroics 1:54 into the second overtime sent Magness Arena into mayhem. Caswell set up the championship-winning goal after skating from behind the net to his left and sending a cross-ice pass to his classmate, who cut to the back side for the one-time finish and all-freshman goal – Epperson’s 11th tally of the season.
 
Minnesota Duluth had its chances to take the lead both in regulation and in overtime. UMD, which converted on its first two power plays of the night, could not capitalize on a pair of power play opportunities in the third period, with Hicks standing tall. The Bulldogs went 2-for-4 on the power play while Denver was 0-for-2 on the night.
 
In the first extra session, Hicks continued to give his team a chance by stopping all 14 Bulldog shots, as UMD finished with a 44-33 edge in shots on goal in the game. Sophomore Adam Gajan totaled 29 saves in the loss for UMD, not allowing a goal in the second, third or first OT periods.
 
Lorenz and Caswell paced DU offensively with a goal and an assist each, while junior defenseman Garrett Brown added two assists. For the Bulldogs, Anderson had a goal and an assist, while Truman tallied two helpers.
 
Both the Pioneers and Bulldogs will find out their NCAA Tournament opponent Sunday with the NCAA Tournament Selection Show set for 2 p.m. CT/1 p.m. MT on ESPNU.
 
2026 NCHC Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team
Forward – Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth
Forward –  Rieger Lorenz, Denver
Forward – Zam Plante, Minnesota Duluth
Defenseman – Boston Buckberger, Denver
Defenseman – Eric Pohlkamp, Denver
Goaltender – Johnny Hicks, Denver (Most Outstanding Player)