All Four Frozen Four Starting Goalies Are Freshmen

Unusual occurrence has teams relying on young netminders in high-pressure semifinal matchups

Apr. 8, 2026 at 9:21pm by Ben Kaplan

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the chaotic action of a hockey game, with the players and ice surface broken down into overlapping angular shapes and planes of color.Four young goaltenders take center stage at the Frozen Four, as the NCAA's top hockey tournament features an unprecedented all-freshman starting lineup between the pipes.Portland Today

For the first time in NCAA history, all four starting goalies in the Frozen Four hockey semifinals are freshmen. The young netminders, some of whom have extensive junior hockey experience, will face the pressure of playing in front of a packed arena at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Coaches are confident their freshmen goalies are prepared for the big stage, having played in high-level junior leagues and faced tough competition before arriving on campus.

Why it matters

Typically, upperclassmen goalies dominate the Frozen Four, but this year's tournament features a rare occurrence of all four semifinal teams relying on first-year players in net. The ability of these young goalies to perform under the bright lights of the Frozen Four could determine the outcome of the games and ultimately the national championship.

The details

The four freshman goalies are Daniel Hauser of Wisconsin, Jan Spunar of North Dakota, Jack Ivankovic and Stephen Peck of Michigan, and Johnny Hicks of Denver. While they may be classified as freshmen, many of them have extensive junior hockey experience that has prepared them for the high-pressure environment of the Frozen Four. Coaches believe the young goalies' prior big-game exposure will help them handle the intensity of the semifinal matchups.

  • The Frozen Four semifinals will take place on April 8, 2026 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
  • Wisconsin and North Dakota will face off in the second semifinal game.

The players

Daniel Hauser

The freshman goaltender for the Wisconsin Badgers, bringing a 20-7-2 record, .899 save percentage, and 2.56 goals against average into the Frozen Four.

Jan Spunar

The freshman goalie for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, recording a nation-leading six shutouts this season with a 20-4-1 record, .917 save percentage, and 1.90 goals against average.

Jack Ivankovic

The freshman goaltender who was the original starter for the Michigan Wolverines, posting a 25-7-1 record with a .923 save percentage and 2.13 goals against average.

Stephen Peck

The freshman goalie who took over the starting role for Michigan after an injury, going 6-0 with a .911 save percentage and 2.61 goals against average.

Johnny Hicks

The freshman goaltender who grabbed the starting job for the Denver Pioneers on January 24th, going 14-0-1 with a nation-leading .958 save percentage and 1.12 goals against average.

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What they’re saying

“He's been in some pretty tough environments. He was brought into Calgary to try to make a run last year in the Western Hockey League. One reason I think they liked him as much as we did, he's somebody that has performed well at the most important time.”

— Mike Hastings, Wisconsin coach

“He had a lot of hockey under his belt. So I think the high-level competition and the big moments have not seemed to faze him at all.”

— Dane Jackson, North Dakota coach

“It was a precarious situation that he came into. Obviously, we have all the confidence in him, but to come in the moment, to be unfazed, to be the calmest person in the room, I think speaks to his preparation and his focus and his attention to detail. Certainly, he's been excellent for us on the stretch run.”

— David Carle, Denver Pioneers coach

“I feel like a freshman still. The team's made me feel so welcome and everyone's treated the same here. It feels like everyone's just one big family and it feels really nice.”

— Johnny Hicks, Denver Pioneers goaltender

What’s next

The winners of the two semifinal matchups will advance to the national championship game on April 12, 2026 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The takeaway

The presence of four freshman goalies in the Frozen Four semifinals is an unprecedented occurrence in NCAA hockey, highlighting the growing talent and preparedness of young netminders. Their ability to perform under the bright lights of the national stage could determine the outcome of the tournament and the eventual national champion.