Denver beats Wisconsin 2-1 for 11th national title in 5 years

Pioneers rally late to deny Badgers their first championship since 2006

Apr. 12, 2026 at 2:33am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the chaotic energy and action of a college hockey championship game, with players, the ice, and the arena rendered in sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a bold color palette.Denver's dramatic late comeback denies Wisconsin a long-awaited national championship and extends the Pioneers' reign atop college hockey.Denver Today

Denver's Johnny Hicks made 29 saves, including a personal-high 49 against Michigan just two days earlier, to lead the Pioneers to a 2-1 victory over Wisconsin and their third national championship in five years. Kyle Chyzowski tipped in the game-winning goal with 5:52 left to play, extending Denver's record to 11 national titles overall and denying the Badgers their seventh championship.

Why it matters

This win continues Denver's dominance in college hockey, with the Pioneers now claiming 8 of the past 10 national titles. It also marks a rare loss for a Big Ten Conference team in a championship game this academic year, as the conference has already won titles in football, men's basketball, and women's basketball.

The details

Rieger Lorenz scored the tying goal for Denver in the third period, and Chyzowski's late tip-in proved to be the game-winner. Hicks, who was named the Most Outstanding Player, did not lose in regulation since taking over as the starter, going 16-0-1 with a 1.20 goals-against average and .957 save percentage. Wisconsin's Vasily Zelenov scored the opening goal in the first period, but the Badgers were outshot 15-8 over the final two periods.

  • Denver won the national championship on April 12, 2026.
  • This was Denver's 11th national title overall and their 3rd in the last 5 years.

The players

Johnny Hicks

The Denver goaltender made 29 saves in the championship game, including a personal-high 49 against Michigan in the semifinals just two days earlier. He was named the Most Outstanding Player after leading the nation with a 1.20 goals-against average and .957 save percentage.

Kyle Chyzowski

The Denver forward tipped in the game-winning goal with 5:52 left to play, rallying the Pioneers to the 2-1 victory over Wisconsin.

Rieger Lorenz

The Denver forward scored the tying goal in the third period to even the score at 1-1 before Chyzowski's late heroics.

Vasily Zelenov

The Wisconsin forward scored the opening goal in the first period to give the Badgers a 1-0 lead.

Daniel Hauser

The Wisconsin goaltender made 13 saves in the championship game.

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What they’re saying

“I'm so happy that we could get it done with this group. We've gone through so much adversity, and I'm just so proud of this group.”

— Johnny Hicks, Denver Goaltender

“I was just playing off instinct.”

— Johnny Hicks, Denver Goaltender

What’s next

Denver will look to defend its national championship next season, while Wisconsin will aim to return to the title game and claim its first championship since 2006.

The takeaway

Denver's dominance in college hockey continues, as the Pioneers have now won 11 national titles overall and 3 in the last 5 years. This victory also marks a rare loss for a Big Ten Conference team in a championship game this academic year, underscoring the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's status as the sport's premier league.