On NHL Saturday tonight, we think it’s apparent that Denver Pioneers goaltender Johnny Hicks will be getting drafted by the league this summer. After turning away 49 shots from the top-ranked Michigan Wolverines on Thursday night to lead his team to the NCAA Championship Game today, Hicks once again was on his game as the Pioneers came from behind in the third period to defeat the Wisconsin Badgers, 2-1, and win a record 11th NCAA men’s hockey title. He made 29 saves in this one, stealing it all.

Hicks is a freshman, just as all four starting goaltenders were in this year’s Frozen Four, and no NHL team owns his rights … yet. That will change soon, in all probability, as the age-20 Canadian from Kamloops—where we stayed for a night on our honeymoon in April 2007—is clearly at the top of the college ranks after leading the nation in goals-against average and save percentage this season on his way to taking the Pioneers on his back. It’s one of the most impressive feats we’ve seen in 28 seasons of observation.

Hicks posted a 16-0-1 record this year, and through two periods of this championship game today against Wisconsin, he’d turned away 22 Badgers shot, as his team only managed to get five shots on goal in the first 40 minutes. But like the Denver victory over Michigan on Thursday, he did what he needed to do in order to give his teammates the chances they needed: in the final period, the Pioneers outshot the Badgers, 10-7, getting goals from Reiger Lorenz to tie it and Kyle Chyzowski to win it. That math is nuts.

Just like the semifinal, Denver was doubled up by its opponent in shots on goal (this time it was 30-15), and just like Thursday’s matchup, the Pioneers needed to come from behind in the third to win. The only difference today was that Denver secured the victory in regulation here, clamping down with the lead and playing impressive defensive hockey to stifle the previously on-fire Badgers skaters. Wisconsin had scored 11 goals combined in its three prior NCAA Tournament game as a regional fourth seed.

When the Badgers’ Vasily Zelenov scored in the first period, it seemed like the Pioneers just knew that was going to be it for their opponents. Hicks has been that good this year, barely letting in more than one goal per 60 minutes played, despite his small stature (just 5-foot-10 and 157 pounds). That size may keep him from succeeding in the NHL, but he clearly has something going for him that no other goaltender in Division I men’s hockey does—even Mike Richter Award winner Trey Augustine of Michigan State.

Once again, the fans in T-Mobile Arena were awesome, as the game was sold out again and then some. Fans from the teams vanquished in the semifinals mostly stayed the weekend in Sin City to watch, and plenty of fans from other schools were in attendance, too, wearing their team’s colors proudly. And as the Pioneers celebrated on the ice after the game and proceeded through the traditional handshake line with the Badgers, everyone stayed and applauded the efforts of the champs. That’s joy.

Next year’s Frozen Four will be in Washington, DC, and then in 2028, the event will be held in Chicago. This is only the second time ever the event has been held west of the Rocky Mountains, and we suspect it will be back in Vegas soon, as the venue is pretty good—although the seats can feel cramped if you’re not in the lower bowl—and there is plenty to do in town while fans are here enjoying hockey. We went to the Sphere, rode in a Zoox, saw The Empire Strips Back burlesque, and ate pretty well this trip.

We’re sold on the Frozen Four. If you like hockey, perhaps you will be, too … someday soon.

[Editor’s Note: Denver’s Boston Buckburger has the best hockey name we’ve seen in decades. We hope to see him play again!]