The Broncos outlasted Boston University 6-2 for their first-ever Division I hockey title.
The Western Michigan Broncos are officially national champions.
Western Michigan defeated Boston University, 6-2, in the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey National Championship on Saturday night in St. Louis, marking the hockey team’s first-ever national title.
Western Michigan emerged on top of the 16-team field, defeating Minnesota State, UMass, Denver, and Boston U en route to the elusive championship. While Western Michigan never trailed in Saturday night’s decisive victory, the Broncos survived two double-overtime games throughout the tournament, edging Minnesota State in the first round and Denver in the Frozen Four to qualify for the title game.
In the championship, Wyatt Schingoethe struck first just 1:38 into the opening period to give the Broncos a 1-0 advantage. Boston U tied it, but Western Michigan entered the first intermission with a 2-1 lead thanks to an unassisted goal by Cole Crusberg-Roseen. Ty Henricks provided Western Michigan some cushion at 3-1 in the early second period, but Boston U responded with the lone power play goal of the contest.
With the Broncos clinging onto a 3-2 lead entering the final period of the season, they went full throttle. Star forward Owen Michaels — who sunk the double-overtime goal Thursday night to reach this grand stage — took over. Michaels launched the scoring effort in the third period to rewrite the margin to 4-2. Then in the final four minutes, Western Michigan iced it. While goaltender Hampton Slukynsky finalized his third period shutout, Iiro Hakkarainen netted his 13th goal of the season and Michaels triumphantly sent in the empty netter to cement a 6-2 final score in St. Louis.
Western Michigan claimed its first hockey national championship and its third Division I NCAA national championship as a university. The Broncos also took home the men’s cross country title in 1964 and 1965, so Saturday night’s finish on the ice marked the athletic program’s first championship in 60 years.
The hockey program celebrated its 50th season in 2025, which marked the fourth year of head coach Pat Ferschweiler’s tenure. After turning Western Michigan’s first Frozen Four appearance into a title, Ferschweiler is now a champion, along 30 members of the 2024-25 roster — who will always be legends in the town of Kalamazoo.
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