After a downright textbook win over North Dakota, Wisconsin has advanced to the national championship, where the Badgers will take on Denver, which beat Michigan in a double overtime thriller behind freshman goalie Johnny Hicks' 49 saves.
When it comes to college hockey blue bloods, Denver is as good as it gets. With 10 national titles, the most in history, the Pioneers have built success across generations with their first title in 1958 and their most recent title in 2024.
Digging deeper, the Pioneer team is led by head coach David Carle, who is the best in the business. At 36 years old, he has four Frozen Fours and two national championships under his belt. Given this, Vegas doesn’t think Wisconsin has the edge in tomorrow evening’s national championship game.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Badgers are listed as an underdog at +128 in tomorrow's contest. Given this, Vegas does think Wisconsin has a real shot to pull off the upset against Denver, but they still are viewed as an underdog. The good news? Mike Hasatings' squad has consistently defied the odds and proved the doubters wrong. They’ve done it against Michigan State and North Dakota, and there’s no reason to think the Badgers won’t be right in the thick of it tomorrow night.
Wisconsin hockey's recipe to beat Denver
The penalty kill has been Wisconsin’s biggest weakness all season, ranking No. 62 in the NCAA. However, on Thursday, it turned into a strength and ultimately won them the game. The Badgers went a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill, including a crucial five-on-three stop that provided a major momentum boost.
There’s no question it was encouraging to see, but staying out of the penalty box is a must for the Badgers. They can’t afford to give Denver extra chances on top of the ones they’ll already generate. Mike Hastings must have his team dictate the tempo against a tired Denver team that struggled to enter the zone against Michigan. If Wisconsin can keep the blue line covered and have active sticks as they did against North Dakota, I like their chances.
Both goalies are hot, so goals will come at a premium. Take advantage of Denver's aggressiveness, win the puck battles along the boards, and play smart hockey, and they will be just fine tomorrow night.