ST. PAUL, Minn. – Second-period goals by Jared Wright and Rieger Lorenz and an all-world performance by goaltender Matt Davis — the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player — gave Denver its record 10th NCAA championship and second in three seasons, 2-0, over top-seeded Boston College in the 2024 national championship game.
Denver, the nation’s top offense this season, used the same formula it had all tournament: play stifling defense. When Boston College’s offense finally came alive in the third period, plastering 23 shots on Davis, he stood on his head.
The best of the saves came with 17:25 remaining in the game. Boston College was on its first power play. Gabe Perreault passed to Ryan Leonard, who seemingly had an open net. Davis, though, had other ideas, diving across the crease in desperation and making a save that will be shown on highlight reels everywhere.
Boston College was unable to take advantage of some early opportunities in the game’s opening period. Andre Gasseau hit the post at 2:48 of the frame when a rebound off a wide shot by Oskar Jellvik bounced to the slot.
Exactly five minutes later, BC’s leading scorer Will Smith was sent on a breakaway from the offensive blue line but Davis made a strong left pad save to deny the rookie phenom.
In the second, Denver’s defense became the story, limiting space and time all over the ice. Then at 9:42, the Pioneers offense struck.
Wright found space on the right side and fired a high shot. The puck hit the left post, bounced off goalie Jacob Fowler’s back and then hopped along the ice multiple times, eluding the stick of Eagles defenseman Drew Fortescue and it trickled into the net.
That certainly sparked the Pioneers.
Fowler was forced to stop Wright on a breakaway at 12:55 and Aidan Thompson in close at 14:04.
But Fowler couldn’t stop a blocker side snipe by Lorenz at 15:16 that gave the Pioneers a 2-0 lead. It was the first time in the tournament that Denver has led by two goals.
Denver held Boston College’s potent offense, which had scored four or more goals in seven straight games, to just 12 shots through two periods.
The loss for the Eagles snapped a 15-game winning streak.
The championship for Denver, its 10th, moved the Pioneers past Michigan for the most titles in men’s Division I history.