All 4 Frozen Four Semifinal Goalies Are Freshmen

Unusual circumstance as young netminders take the ice at the NCAA hockey championship tournament

Apr. 10, 2026 at 12:40am by Ben Kaplan

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic movements of a hockey goaltender, with their equipment and body parts abstracted into bold, overlapping geometric shapes that capture the intensity and athleticism of the position.The Frozen Four semifinals feature an unprecedented matchup of four freshman goalies, whose youthful talent and experience have them poised to shine on the national stage.Portland Today

For the first time in NCAA history, all four starting goalies in the Frozen Four hockey semifinals are freshmen. Despite their youth, these young netminders have extensive experience playing at high levels of junior and youth hockey, preparing them for the big stage of the national championship tournament.

Why it matters

The Frozen Four semifinals feature an unprecedented situation with four first-year college goalies taking the ice, a testament to the growing talent and maturity of young hockey players. This dynamic could make for an exciting and unpredictable tournament as these freshmen face off in the high-pressure environment of the national semifinals.

The details

The four freshman goalies are Daniel Hauser of Wisconsin, Jan Špunar of North Dakota, Jack Ivankovic and Stephen Peck of Michigan, and Johnny Hicks of Denver. While officially classified as freshmen, many of them have several years of experience playing in junior leagues and high-level youth programs, preparing them for the intensity of the Frozen Four. North Dakota's Špunar, for example, spent three seasons in junior hockey before joining the Fighting Hawks.

  • The Frozen Four semifinals take place on Thursday, April 10, 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 and .899 save percentage into the Frozen Four.

Jan Špunar

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

Jack Ivankovic

The freshman goaltender who started the season in net 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 goaltender 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 seized the starting job for the Denver Pioneers in late January, 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

“You get to play against the good players in the CHL, like all the top draft picks. Some of the guys are older than classic freshmen. We are freshmen but...”

— Jan Špunar, North Dakota goaltender

“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 Frozen Four semifinal matchups will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2026, with the championship game scheduled for Saturday, April 12, 2026.

The takeaway

The unprecedented situation of all four Frozen Four semifinal goalies being freshmen highlights the growing talent and maturity of young hockey players. These young netminders have extensive experience at high levels of junior and youth hockey, preparing them for the big stage of the national championship tournament. Their performance could make for an exciting and unpredictable Frozen Four.