DULUTH — Denver freshman forward Kristian Epperson scored 1:54 into the second overtime to give Denver a 4-3 victory over Minnesota Duluth in the 2026 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship on Saturday at Magness Arena in the DU campus.
It’s the Pioneers’ fourth NCHC postseason title, breaking the tie they and the Bulldogs both had for most since the league began in 2013-14.
Sophomore wing Max Plante, freshman defenseman Grayden Siepmann and freshman wing Hunter Anderson scored for the Bulldogs (23-14-1), bringing them back from an initial 3-0 first-period deficit.
Senior wing Rieger Lorenz, freshman center Clarke Caswell and junior defenseman Boston Buckberger scored for the Pioneers (25-11-3), giving the hosts an early three-goal advantage.
Bulldogs sophomore goaltender Adam Gajan had 29 saves while Pioneers freshman Johnny Hicks made 41 saves.
Minnesota Duluth celebrates a power play goal against Denver on Saturday in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship at Magness Arena on the University of Denver campus in Denver.
Michael Ciaglo / NCHC / Clarkson Creative Photography
The Bulldogs dug themselves an early 3-0 hole in Denver. The Pioneers scored off a UMD turnover, a puck that bounced off two bodies (including a Bulldog) and on a shot from the point through heavy traffic.
The last time UMD was in Denver at the end of January, when the Bulldogs fell behind 4-0 after two periods on Friday, and didn’t start responding until the third period of an eventual 4-3 loss.
The comeback began much earlier in the NCHC championship on Saturday. The Plante brothers got things going with under two minutes to play in the first period after muscling a puck into the Denver zone. Sophomore center Zam Plante got the initial shot off and his younger brother, Max Plante, poked the rebound through.
UMD’s power play tied the game in the second period, specifically its second unit. Siepmann — who was forced into the turnover that led to DU’s first goal — scored UMD’s first power play goal since the quarterfinals four-plus minutes into the second period.
Anderson one-timed a shot entering the zone on a power play late in the second period to tie the game at 3-3.
The Bulldogs, whose power play has been tops in the NCAA all season, entered the NCHC championship game just 1-for-9 on the power play in the postseason, with Zam Plante’s overtime game-winning goal in Game 1 against St. Cloud State being the only conversion.
The NCHC championship has gone to OT twice before, and like the 2026 championship, they both required double overtime.
Denver lost 4-3 to Western Michigan in double overtime a year ago at the final NCHC Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, with Alex Bump scoring the game-winner for the Broncos 22 seconds into the second OT.
The other NCHC title game to go to overtime was in 2019 when the Bulldogs defeated St. Cloud State 3-2 after Nick Swaney scored 7:29 into the second OT.
Three of the Bulldogs’ four NCHC playoff games in 2026 went to OT, with just the 5-1 win at North Dakota in the semifinals in Grand Forks last week being resolved in 60 minutes.
Both of UMD’s OT game-winning goals over St. Cloud State in the quarterfinals at Amsoil Arena were by Zam Plante, and they came quick. He scored 3:30 into OT in Game 1 with UMD on a power play and 5:11 into Game 2 to clinch the sweep.
Minnesota Duluth sophomore center Zam Plante takes a faceoff against Denver sophomore center Jake Fisher during the first period on Saturday in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship at Magness Arena in Denver.
Michael Ciaglo / NCHC / Clarkson Creative Photography
The Bulldogs and Pioneers are both heading to the NCAA tournament next week as a No. 2 seed for the regionals. The 2026 NCAA men’s hockey bracket will be unveiled at 2 p.m. Sunday on ESPNU.