Denver made history Saturday night, winning its ninth NCAA Division I title by taking down Minnesota State 5-1 in the Frozen Four championship.
The win pulled the program into a tie with Michigan for the most NCAA hockey championships at the Division I level.
The Pioneers scored five unanswered goals in the third period to grabbed the victory. Mike Benning potted the game-winning goal with his one-timer early in the second. He also earned Frozen Four Tournament MVP honors.
It is the first time since 2017 that Denver won the national championship. With its loss, Minnesota State is still without an NCAA title at the Division I level.
Here is a look at the past champions of the NCAA Frozen Four and who has won the most titles in college hockey.
MORE: Frozen Four championship 2022 results: Denver defeats Minnesota State 5-1
Who are the past champions of the NCAA Frozen Four?
A number of programs have earned their first NCAA title over the past decade.
UMass, Union, Yale and Providence have won their first championship in the last 10 years. Go back another year, and Minnesota-Duluth earned its first national title in 2011. The Bulldogs later went back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.
On the flip side, Denver and North Dakota recently added their eighth title to their program histories. North Dakota came out on top in 2016, followed by Denver winning in 2017.
Here are all the Frozen Four tournament winners over the past 10 years:
- 2021: UMass
- 2020: Tournament canceled because of COVID-19
- 2019: Minnesota Duluth
- 2018: Minnesota Duluth
- 2017: Denver
- 2016: North Dakota
- 2015: Providence
- 2014: Union
- 2013: Yale
- 2012: Boston College
Who has won the most NCAA Frozen Fours?
Michigan has the most NCAA Division I men's college hockey championships, with nine. Its last one came in 1998.
Denver and North Dakota have eight each. The Pioneers can pull into a tie with Michigan in 2022.
Wisconsin has six and Boston College, Boston University and Minnesota have five each. The Golden Gophers are aiming to pull into a tie for fourth on the list.
Minnesota State has never won a national championship.
Here is a look at all the past winners and how many times programs have won.
| TEAM | CHAMPIONSHIPS | YEARS WON |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 9 | 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1964, 1996, 1998 |
| Denver | 9 | 1958, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969, 2004, 2005, 2017, 2021 |
| North Dakota | 8 | 1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000, 2016 |
| Wisconsin | 6 | 1973, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1990, 2006 |
| Boston College | 5 | 1949, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2012 |
| Boston University | 5 | 1971, 1972, 1978, 1995, 2009 |
| Minnesota | 5 | 1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003 |
| Lake Superior State | 3 | 1988, 1992, 1994 |
| Michigan State | 3 | 1966, 1986, 2007 |
| Michigan Tech | 3 | 1962, 1965, 1975 |
| Minnesota Duluth | 3 | 2011, 2018, 2019 |
| Colorado College | 2 | 1950, 1957 |
| Cornell | 2 | 1967, 1970 |
| Maine | 2 | 1993, 1999 |
| RPI | 2 | 1954, 1985 |
| Bowling Green | 1 | 1984 |
| Harvard | 1 | 1989 |
| UMass | 1 | 2021 |
| Northern Michigan | 1 | 1991 |
| Providence | 1 | 2015 |
| Union | 1 | 2014 |
| Yale | 1 | 2013 |
Where are future NCAA Frozen Fours taking place?
The NCAA has already determined the locations of the Frozen Four through 2026. One of the most notable locales is Las Vegas in 2026. It will be the first Frozen Four in Vegas.
This also marks the first time the NCAA will hold a tournament in a state that allows legalized gambling since the association changed its stance in May 2018.
| YEAR | CITY | VENUE |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Tampa, Fla. | Amalie Arena |
| 2024 | St. Paul, Minn. | Xcel Energy Center |
| 2025 | St. Louis | Enterprise Center |
| 2026 | Las Vegas | T-Mobile Arena |
