The table was set for the Michigan hockey team on Thursday night.
The Wolverines had a 3-2 lead in the third period of the Frozen Four, and were just six minutes away from advancing to an All-Big Ten championship game with the Wisconsin Badgers.
Unfortunately, Michigan fans have seen this movie before. Denver tied the game in the third, and scored the game-winning goal with six minutes left in the second overtime, sending No. 1 Michigan hockey home without a national championship for the 28th consecutive season.
Michigan hockey suffers another heartbreak
There were some great moments. The Wolverines scored two goals in about 30 seconds to grab a 2-1 lead. Josh Eernisse evened the score at 1-1 before T.J. Hughes was able to find the back of the net, which gave him 179 career points, the 20th-most in Michigan hockey history.
11:02 into the third period, Jayden Perron fired a shot past the Denver goalie, giving the Wolverines a 3-2 lead, but Michigan was unable to hold on, although it outshot Denver 52-26, 2-1.
Michigan killed all five Denver power-play opportunities, won more face-offs, and just flat-out controlled most of the game. In hockey, much like soccer, it only matter how many times you get the puck across the line and the Wolverines couldn't do it enough.
An incredible season comes to an end. This is the fourth time in the past five seasons that Michigan has advanced to the Frozen Four, only to lose in the semifinal, which they also did to Denver, in overtime, back in 2022.