2025 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four Preview: How Western Michigan, Denver, Boston University, Penn State match up

Tyler Kuehl
Tyler Kuehl(TJKu29)
Apr 9, 2025, 08:00 EDT
Western Michigan forward Tim Washe, Denver forward Samu Salminen
Credit: Western Michigan Athletics

After months of trial and labor, just a few teams remain in the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament, with a couple of future NHL stars hoping to push their teams to victory in this weekend’s Frozen Four.

If regional weekend had anything to show us, it’s that this tournament is as unpredictable as it gets. Second-ranked Michigan State couldn’t even make it out of the first round of the national tournament, while top-ranked Boston College, filled with a lot of NHL-ready talent, failed to escape their demons against the reigning champions in Denver.

So, now we head to St. Louis, home of the Frozen Four for the third time ever, with a couple of first-timers trying to claim college hockey’s biggest prize, while a pair of blue bloods look to add more hardware to their trophy cases.

Let’s take a look at the semifinal matchups:

Denver vs. Western Michigan

Denver Pioneers

NHL affiliates: Garrett Brown, D (Winnipeg Jets), Hagen Burrows, F (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jack Devine, F (Florida Panthers), Zeev Buium (Minnesota Wild), Jake Fisher, F (Colorado Avalanche), Sam Harris, F (Montreal Canadiens), Rieger Lorenz, F (Minnesota Wild), Tory Pitner, D (Colorado Avalanche), Eric Pohlkamp, D (San Jose Sharks), Samu Salminen, F (New Jersey Devils), Aidan Thompson, F (Chicago Blackhawks), Jared Wright, F (Los Angeles Kings)

Despite all the bumps in the road, the Pioneers are one win away from another national title game.

The team gave away the chance to win another NCHC Championship and infamously lost to (now-ACHA national champion) UNLV in December. Yet, when things ramped up in the national tournament, the experienced Pioneers proved to everyone they have the gusto that made them national champions last spring.

After walloping Providence in the regional semifinal, DU beat the likes of Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault and the rest of the BC Eagles, again, to move on to the Frozen Four for the third time in four years.

As you could tell from above, there is a lot of star power on this roster. 13 NHL draft picks headline this group, including senior Jack Devine, who leads all NCAA skaters in assists (44) and points (57), as well as Aiden Tomhpson who’s right behind him with 54 points. To some, defenseman Zeev Buium has had an even better season. The Wild prospect leads all blueliners in scoring with 48 points and is on a path to posting consecutive 50-point seasons.

Buium is the only one of the Hat Trick Finalists for the Hobey Baker Award to have made it to the Frozen Four.

However, DU’s title hopes rest with their goaltender. Matt Davis might not be the best goaltender in college hockey, but his ability to step up in big moments has made him a legend in some circles. After stonewalling the likes of Leonard, Will Smith, and Cutter Gauthier in last year’s championship game, the senior has a chance to be the only goalie to win 30 games this season and etch his name among some of the best goaltenders in NCAA history.

Denver, looking for a record 11th national championship, is trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Minnesota Duluth won consecutive titles in 2018 and 2019.

Western Michigan Broncos

NHL affiliates: Alex Bump, F (Philadelphia Flyers), Matteo Constantini, F (Buffalo Sabres), Ty Henricks, F (New York Rangers), Zach Nehring, F (Winnipeg Jets), Wyatt Schingoethe, F (Toronto Maple Leafs), Hampton Slukynsky, G (Los Angeles Kings), Joona Vaisanen, D (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Despite having been around since the mid-’70s, this is Western Michigan’s first-ever trip to the Frozen Four. Fourth-year head coach, and Spencer Penrose Award winner Pat Ferschweiler has built a team that has been a force, which has given programs like DU and North Dakota fits for the past few years.

After winning the program’s first-ever regular season conference title, the Broncos managed to sweep the NCHC championships by winning the Frozen Faceoff for the first time last month. Despite coming into the national tournament with the country’s best offense, WMU had to rely on goaltender Hampton Slukynsky and timely goals to grind out wins over Minnesota State and Massachusetts in the Fargo Regional.

Undrafted forward Liam Valente and captain Tim Washe were key players in the opening stage of the tournament, with Washe scoring the game-winning goal in the regional final. The Broncos were able to get through despite not receiving any statistical contribution from their leading scorer, Alex Bump, who was piping hot heading into the NCAAs after an outstanding performance during the NCHC Tournament.

Slukynsky has been a magnificent addition to the team. While he entered the season splitting the time with fifth-year netminder Cameron Rowe, the Kings’ prospect took the reins as the No. 1 down the stretch and has shown he has the clutch gene to take Western Michigan the furthest it’s ever been.

WMU is trying to become the first team from Michigan to play in a national title game since Ferris State lost to Boston College in 2012.

Tale of the Tape

It was the Broncos who rallied valiantly to beat the Pioneers in the NCHC Championship Game just a few weeks ago. The two teams split their lone season series in Kalamazoo back in December, with WMU winning three of the past four matchups. However, DU is 27-15-2 against the Broncos, including winning the lone meeting in the national tournament in the Midwest Regional in 2011.

Penn State vs. Boston University

Penn State Nittany Lions

NHL affiliates: Aiden Fink, F (Nashville Predators), Reese Laubach, F (San Jose Sharks), Arsenii Sergeev, G (Calgary Flames)

When the second semester started in January, no one had the Nittany Lions as a team that would have what it took to make it to the Frozen Four, let alone the national tournament in general. However, the team rallied with big wins over Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State, making it all the way to the Big Ten Semifinals.

It was enough to get the team to the national tournament for the second time in three years, and in front of a “home” crowd in Allentown, Penn State rode its momentum into taking down top-seeded Maine before outlasting UConn in overtime to advance to the Frozen Four for the first time in program history.

The Nittany Lions now arrive in St. Louis as considerable underdogs. That said, they have some weapons that can give Boston U. fits. They were able to get through the regional without top scorer Aiden Fink making a difference. The line of Charlie Cerrato, JJ Wiebusch and overtime hero Matt DiMarsico stepped up. That doesn’t mean Fink, whose 53 points have him sitting fourth in the country in scoring, won’t come alive when it matters most.

It also helps that Penn State has one of the low-key hottest goalies in hockey. Arsenii Sergeev has been clutch during this stretch, outplaying his counterpart in just about every game, helping the team win 11 of its past 13 games.

Boston University Terriers

NHL affiliates: Kamil Bednaris, F (New York Islanders), Aiden Celebrini, D (Vancouver Canucks), Matt Copponi, F (Edmonton Oilers), Cole Eiserman, F (New York Islanders), Ryan Greene, F (Chicago Blackhawks), Jack Harvey, F (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jack Hughes, F (Los Angeles Kings), Cole Hutson, D (Washington Capitals), Devin Kaplan, F (Philadelphia Flyers), Shane Lachance, F (New Jersey Devils), Gavin McCarthy, D (Buffalo Sabres), Brandon Svoboda, F (San Jose Sharks), Tom Wallinder, D (Vancouver Canucks), Mikhail Yegorov, G (New Jersey Devils)

Many wondered if the Terriers were going to be able to play at the same level where they were last year, with current Calder Trophy candidates Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson moving on to the NHL. However, with their brothers helping lead the charge, the Terriers are back in the Frozen Four for a third straight season, and the 25th time in program history (third all-time).

Even though they also bowed out in its conference semifinals, losing to UConn in the Hockey East Tournament, BU showed their mental and physical toughness in the Toledo Regional, hammering Ohio State for eight goals before outlasting Cornell in overtime to punch their ticket to St. Louis.

This Terrier squad might not have the same caliber of star power as last year, but one might say they are deeper than last year’s team. Freshman Cole Hutson and his lover brother Quinn have been excellent for the team this season. Quinn sits ninth in the NCAA in points (50), while Cole is second among defensemen in scoring (46), only trailing Buium. Future NHLers Cole Eiserman and Shane Lachance have also been key players for the Terriers.

BU also has a considerably better goaltender this year. After starting the season with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, Mikhail Yegorov joined the team in January and quickly showed everyone at the college ranks why the Devils think so highly of him.

The Terriers are looking to advance to the national championship for the 12th time in program history and the first since losing to Providence in 2015.

Tale of the Tape

This will be the first time these two teams have ever met, which isn’t all that surprising since the modern edition of the varsity program in Hockey Valley has only been around since 2012, and this is just the Nittany Lions’ fourth trip to the national tournament. While some might think the lack of experience might favor BU, the way Penn State has played lately, and confidence might be its X factor.

Schedule

(9) Denver vs. (4) Western Michigan – Thursday, April 10 (5 p.m. ET) ESPN2, ESPN+, TSN2, TSN+
(13) Penn State vs. (7) Boston University – Thursday, April 10 (8:30 p.m. ET) ESPN2, ESPN+, TSN2, TSN+
National Championship Game – Saturday, April 12 (7:30 p.m. ET) ESPN2, ESPN+, TSN2, TSN+

For the full schedule and bracket, go to NCAA.com

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