Western Michigan hockey has never been on the NCAA national championship stage –– it’s the program’s first-ever Frozen Four in a season full of firsts. The Broncos’ hockey program hasn’t won a national title ever and are looking for their first athletic national championship since 1965, when the men’s cross country team won it all.

Michaels’ wrist shot past BU goalie Mikhail Yegorov gave the Broncos a 4-2 third-period lead, and freshman goalie Hampton Slukynsky – despite having the yips at times on shots that were never quite frozen under his pads, leading to two goals and two near-goals – hung on, allowing his team to add two late goals.

The Broncos will meanwhile celebrate the most successful season in program history. Western Michigan led the nation with 33 wins and won the NCHC regular-season title before making it to the program's first championship game appearance thanks to a double-overtime national semifinal win over Denver.