BOSTON — For Michigan’s hockey team, brimming with NHL talent, most of whom could already be playing professionally, this was the opportunity they had been targeting all along. It was why so many of them opted to return to play another season in college.
But the Wolverines, the No. 1 overall seed in the Frozen Four, will not realize their goal of playing for the national championship. Denver, which never trailed, won 3-2 in overtime at TD Garden on Thursday.
Michigan (31-10-1), last won a national championship in 1998, also in Boston and in the Garden and had hoped the magic would happen here again.
Carter Savoie scored the game winner with 5:07 left in overtime.
Denver outshot Michigan 33-21. Michigan goalie Erik Portillo, who started every game this season had 30 saves.
The Wolverines seemed to have the offensive power to match its star power, the Wolverines boasting seven NHL first-round picks including four of the top five picks in 2021 draft. But Denver set the tone early and applied pressure often.
Denver had three power-plays in regulation, all fruitless as Michigan was 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The Pioneers took at 2-1 lead on a deflection from Cameron Wright in front of the goal at 14:24 in the third. But less than four minutes later, the Wolverines tied the game on a goal from Thomas Bordeleau, assisted by Mike Pastujov and Mark Estapa.
There was some thought this could be a high-scoring game. Denver coach David Carle even joked the day before the game it would be 9-8. Certainly, on paper that looked like a possibility. The four top-scoring teams in the country are represented in the Frozen Four, with Denver leading (4.28 goals), and Michigan third (4.02).
Michigan coach Mel Pearson stressed the day before the game that from his tournament coaching experience, the focus needed to be on a fast start.
But it was Denver that looked sharpest in the first period from the start, playing tough defense while attacking goalie Portillo. The Pioneers had taken four shots on goal – Michigan had none – and scored to take a 1-0 lead 8:38 into the game wen Brett Stapley scored on a rebound.
The Pioneers had six shots on Portillo before the Wolverines finally recorded their first shot on goal with 3:56 left in the period when Magnus Chrona denied Nick Blankenburg from the right side.
Michigan looked a bit sharper the final four minutes and had three more chances at Chrona, but Denver stifled the Wolverines’ offensive opportunities and controlled the neutral zone in the first period.
Denver finished the first period with the shots advantage, 7-4.
Michigan came out in the second period clearly having made adjustments. At 4:03, Jimmy Lambert, centering the Wolverines’ senior fourth line that has started every game this season, scored in front of the goal to tie the game, 1-1. The goal, assisted by Nolan Moyle and Garrett Van Wyhe, came against the Pioneers’ top line.
At that point, the teams were tied, 8-8, in shots on goal, but in the final 16 minutes, Denver had an 8-1 advantage on shots. Portillo hung in, making a couple stellar saves, including on a shot from Red Wings prospect Carter Mazur.
It was crowded in front of the net, Portillo made the save and lost his helmet in the process. Through two periods he stopped four point-blank shots.
