Broz’s overtime goal lifts Denver past Boston University, into Frozen Four title game – College Hockey | USCHO.com

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Denver’s Tristan Broz fired a low, hard shot between the legs of Boston University goaltender Mathieu Caron at 11:09 of overtime as the Pioneers knocked off the Terriers 2-1 on Thursday to earn a spot in Saturday’s national championship game.

The play began in the Boston University zone as Devin Kaplan couldn’t handle a pass through the slot area. That sent Denver up ice on a 3-on-2 with Broz carrying the puck across the line. Thinking shot, he fired a low rocket that hit the net bottom and bounced out so quickly many in the crowd didn’t realize it had gone in.

The goal ended a thrilling opening game where Boston University had countless opportunities early to extend an early one-goal lead. Denver persevered, tied the game in the second and found a way to win in the extra session.

It was Denver’s third straight 2-1 victory in the NCAA tournament and second that ended in overtime.

Power plays were the story of the game. The Terriers put Denver on the man advantage four times, including three times in the third.

Denver took just one penalty, a matching minor in overtime, meaning Boston University’s power play never saw the ice.

The Terriers began the game fast as Kaplan was stopped on a one-timer by Denver goaltender Matt Davis (33 saves) just 45 seconds in. Denver didn’t have a shot until 5:50 of the first, but that led to Carter King with a great look on a rebound that BU’s Caron (27 saves) stopped.

Seconds later, the Terriers took the game’s first penalty but instead of Denver’s power play capitalizing, BU scored short-handed.

Kaplan flicked a quick pass to Luke Tuch that sent him past the Pioneers defense on a breakaway. Tuch ripped a shot up high for his first career short-handed goal at 7:45.

Through the middle frame, the Terriers continued to hold a strong territorial advantage but a mental mistake by All-American defenseman Lane Hutson allowed Denver to strike back.

Behind his net, Hutson made a blind pass that was perfectly anticipated by Miko Matikka. He intercepted the puck and fed quickly to a wide-open Tristan Lemyre, who fired the puck five-hole on Caron at 15:21 to even the score. The goal came on just the eighth Pioneers shot of the game.

That goal gave Denver life, and the Pioneers hemmed the Terriers in their zone for the remainder of the second. With 23.4 seconds left, it looked as if Aidan Thompson would give the Pioneers their first lead when Davis made a perfect stretch pass to spring a 2-on-1. Appearing to be beat, Caron reached behind him for a glove save that robbed Thompson, sending the game to the third tied at 1.

Caron remained sharp in the third with his biggest save coming on Denver’s scoring leader Jack Devine as a Denver power play ended. A rebound popped right to Devine’s stick and he made a move past Caron, but the junior netminder reached his arm across to stop the puck with 9:13 left.

At the other end of the ice, it wasn’t so much the goaltender stealing the show, but the post. Lane Hutson took a feed from Macklin Celebrini with 3:33 left and ripped it off the inside of the post.

Boston University led in shots through regulation, 25-23, but Denver outshot the Terriers in the third, 12-5.