Denver Clinches Spot In NCAA Tournament

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Zac Larraza and Emil Romig scored third-period goals, lifting Denver to a 4-3 win over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday and completing the Pioneers' unlikely run to a berth in the NCAA tournament.

By winning the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's first postseason tournament, Denver (20-15-6) erased the frustrations of a sixth-place regular-season finish in the new eight-team league.

Nolan Zajac had a goal and an assist and Daniel Doremus scored to help propel the Pioneers to their seventh consecutive trip to the NCAAs, and first under new head coach Jim Montgomery. Goalie Sam Brittain had 23 saves for the win.

Miami got a goal from Sean Kuraly and two from Anthony Louis — the second with just 93 seconds left in the game — but could not get the tying goal past Brittain. The RedHawks (15-20-3) got 24 saves from Ryan McKay in their final game.

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